Temposchlucker

Same position. I'm trying to map some invisible structures, in order to get more insight in the preconditions for an attack. Diagram 1. BLACK to move   rnb2rk1/1pq1bppp/p2ppn2/8/3NPPP1/2N1B3/PPP1B2P/R2Q1RK1 b - g3 0 10 The arrows in diagram 1 show the most important LoAs along which the battle was fought.  Nf6 was harassed by pawn g5 BLUE The g-file was cleared from the white king and g-pawn. BLUE the first rank was cleared from the Queen and rook f1 YELLOW the f-file was cleared from the f-pawn GREEN the diagonal was cleared from the f-pawn g7 became the focal point where the white pieces pried the black killbox open. The following pieces were traded or played no role: Diagram 2. BLACK to move RED the white rook was traded with blacks dark squared bishop. That was a crucial defender of the dark squares around the black king. Notice that the focal point g7 is a dark square. BLUE black knight on b8 was traded for the white knight on d4. It just consumed 2 tempi, and invited the whit

 Same position. From blacks point of view. Black to move rnb2rk1/1pq1bppp/p2ppn2/8/3NPPP1/2N1B3/PPP1B2P/R2Q1RK1 b - g3 0 10 Which black defenders can intervene with the active lines of attack (LoAs) against the black king? Nf6-h7 Nf6-e8-g7 Nf6-h5 Nf6-g4 Bc8-g4 The following pieces need too much time to have an influence on the LoAs: Rf8 Qc7 Nc6 Ra8 The black pawns are blockading the defenders: e6 d6 Although the black pawns are mobile, there is not enough time to set up a defense or a counter attack, because Nf6 is about to be kicked, thus losing another defender with tempo. The black pieces on the queenside are undeveloped, hence unable to participate in a counter attack yet.

 Let me start with a concrete position and see what we can find. BLACK to move rnb2rk1/1pq1bppp/p2ppn2/8/3NPPP1/2N1B3/PPP1B2P/R2Q1RK1 b - g3 0 10 Volokitin, A. vs. Zheliandinov, V. White has just played 10.g4 The move g4 is not uncommon in the Scheveningen (always funny how foreigners pronounce this). It is made possible by blacks pawn on e6, which decreases blacks grip on g4. Let us see if we can describe the LoA landscape in a way that it justifies such bold move. I'm going to take my time. Maybe I need a few days. Or weeks. I'm trying to get to the core of the position. If I need more posts for the same position, then so be it. I intend to describe: The LoAs The relative place of the attackers to the lines of attack (LoAs) The distance of the defenders relative to the LoAs The impeding pawns that hamper access to the LoAs The initiative, or many pieces can you kick Counter attacks The LoAs and their attackers Nd4-e6-f8 Nd4-e6-g7 Nd4-f5-e7+ Nd4-f5-h6+ Be3-h6-g7 Be3-d4-g7 Nc3-

 Finite amount of LoAs There is a finite amount of lines of attack. This already cuts down the amount of things to think about drastically Moving target All LoAs are geared around the king. That is because a LoA ends near to the king. But when the opposing king hasn't castled yet, you don't know where to aim your attackers to. Only in rare cases you are able to force the king to stay in the middle. This means that when the target hasn't stabilized, you can only go so far when it comes to placing your attackers. Once the king has castled, you can go all out. Pawns The role of the pawns is paramount. Their effect is twofold. They drastically cut down the amount of LoAs that are usable They increase the approach time of both attackers and defenders, but in an unbalanced way Pawns come in two flavors. Your own pawns and your enemies pawns. Pawn breaks can alter the LoA landscape in a moments notice. All of a sudden, other attackers, other defenders and other squares become rele

 The following diagram is intended to show that the amount of LoAs is finite. I left out the knights to keep the amount of arrows in check. A line of attack ends near the opposing king. An assault on the enemy king must make use of a LoA. This way, you can prune the things you have to think about. The pawn landscape cuts down the amount of LoA's to consider even more. As you can see, the pawns are limiting both your own attackers AND can prevent the defenders from reaching the LoAs. We must grab any opportunity to get rid of thing to think about. Hence, focus on the LoAs and the typical scenarios that belong to the battle of the LoAs! White to move r4rk1/pbqn1ppp/1p1bpn2/2ppN3/3P1P2/1P1BP3/PBPN2PP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1 Here the line of attack b2 g7 looks very blockaded. But that is an optical illusion. With moves like Nxd7 and dxc5, the long diagonal is cleared all of a sudden. While Bxf6 removes a defender of the focal point h7. Look at the same time at the black defenders that are bl

 The past weeks I have been busy to evaluate my conclusions and to ponder about how to continue. I get to the same conclusions over and over again, so I will give it a go. The problem is, that I hypothesize a sweet spot in my approach, while I have no idea whether such sweet spot actually exists. My focus is the area where a kingside attack is prepared. On the one hand it is easy to get lost in the myriads of variations which can be used to describe a kingside attack, on the other hand it is easy to debit some trivialities that are too general to be useful. Like "a knight on f5 is worth 4 points", or "a pawn on e5 is worth an extra piece". The problem is that I don't get much help from chess authors, who tend to choose for one direction or the other. In order to try to focus on the sweet spot and not to get lost into the variations, I will try to base my conclusions on the lines of attack. After all, we know that a line of attack ends on a square in the vicinity

 The chess clubs have begun! I play at two clubs. So I'm getting feedback from my OTB games again. This picture emerges: I suck at the opening My middlegame is great I suck at the endgame I suck at the kingside attack In the opening I tend to give my opponent too much opportunities. I don't feel at ease at all in the opening. This is my remedy: I analyze all my openings, and add a solution to my opening database. Usually one move at the time. I register my openings in the chess openings wizard, and I will train them before my next tournament. Which will be in december. If this works remains to be seen. But at least this approach has a minimal time investment. In the middlegame I often manage to adjust the mistakes I made in the opening to some degree. Usually I can build up a lot of pressure. There still is a lot of work to be done in the middlegame though. Activate my pieces Restrict my opponents pieces Exchanges Development I'm working on those with the aid of some course