Plugging the holes

When solving chess problems, I fail in the application of simple chess logic. Simple chess logic should guide the attention to the right parts of the board.

Actually I find it quite surprising that the application of logic is so weak, since usually it is my forte. In tests I score invariably extremely high when it is about logical reasoning. So why is it so weak when it comes to chess?

Undoubtedly, chess has so many possibilities, that the mind is easily overwhelmed. I often feel overwhelmed. The normal approach would be to study the area and simplify it. Until it becomes manageable for the mind. As long it is not manageable for my mind, I am as bad as anyone else when it comes to the application of logic.

Over the years I have studied a lot, and I always tried to simplify matters to a manageable degree. I discovered the duplo attacks, I discovered the thought process as guide to the attention, I discovered the reason behind overprotection and I found a whole lot of chess truths, yet it always felt as if I was repairing a colander with water-soluble plugs.

Only recently I felt that I'm making some progress. The discovery of the tree of motifs feels for the first time as that I have plugged a few holes in the colander with water-insoluble material. Albeit the colander is still leaking in a way that you can't fill it with water, at least I have found the right material.

Now it's time to be patient, and fill every hole systematically. Even the simplest chess logic like "when there is a pawn close to promotion, there needs to be a defender to be in contact with the path to promotion" takes eons to unearth. I wonder why that is. I mean, I'm very familiar with the quote of Nimzowitch: "A passed pawn is a criminal which should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient." Yet, the realization that this quote should materialize into actual play took three days to hit home, as you can read in my previous post. Should I collect chess quotes and ponder about them until they transform into obvious and applicable chess logic?

For the time being I will continue to get in your hair with all kinds of leaks in my colander, in an attempt to discover the suitable plugs.

White to move

r1r3k1/1Q2nppp/q2N4/2p1P3/2Pp1P2/6PP/P2R2B1/3b2K1 w - - 0 1
[solution]

Another tit-for-tat position where my vultures eye view drives me insane due to all the juicy road kill to choose from. I'm going to ponder about it till I find how to apply the PLF (PoPLoAFun) system or until the cows come home. Whichever comes first.

Update:
After some thinking I found the following: since black started the tit-for-tat action, it is not easy to gain some wood. Usually the beginner has the best chances. Capturing just a piece, will not be sufficient to tip the balance in a different direction. If you capture a piece with a function however, you do more than just capturing a piece. You bereave the opponent of a defender. A function that needs to be performed, is no longer performed. We know well that it is commonly a good idea to capture the defender. So why have I totally forgotten this adage here?

With this rule, we have an easy tool to judge the captures:

• Bd1 does nothing. Capturing it is just that, taking a piece
• Ne7 protects rook c8. Taking it doesn't improve the attack on c8
• Ne7 shields f7. But since there is no mate anywhere near, the importance of f7 is limited
• Qa6 protects a8 and c8. By taking it, I sacrifice an attacker at the same time, so I cannot profit from the fact that I have captured a defender
• For Qxa8 and Qxc8 can be said the same. With the additional disadvantage that I give up a high valued piece for a lower valued piece
• Remains Nxc8. This takes away the defender of a8, without diminishing the amount of attackers of a8. That are the kind of moves we are looking for!

Now we can generalize these findings. If we have a choice between multiple captures, we look for the pieces that perform a function. If we can take that piece without diminishing the amount of attackers, that is our target. We use our attacker with the lowest value.

So can we guide our attention to the most promising line, almost without any calculation. From here you can start to calculate. The PLF (PoPLoAFun) system thus can be used to solve my problems of the initiative. I have been elaborating on the initiative quite a lot, as you know. Recognizing its importance. But I could not find a system. Now I have found it. Capturing the pieces with a function, guarantees the maintenance of the initiative. Since the opponent must not only take his piece back, he must take care of the function either.