Grandmaster Johan Hellsten is convinced that mastering chess strategy - just like chess tactics - requires practice, practice and yet more practice!
This book is a product of his many years' work as a full-time chess teacher, and is specifically designed as part of a structured training programme to improve strategic thinking. It focuses on a wide range of key subjects and provides a basic foundation for strategic play. Furthermore, in addition to the many examples there is an abundance of carefully selected exercises which allow readers to monitor their progress and put into practice what they have just learned. Following such a course is an ideal way for players of all standards to improve. Although designed mainly for students, this book is also an excellent resource for chess teachers and trainers.
Content
007 Bibliography
009 Preface
011 Introduction
013 1 Basic Concepts of Strategy
013 Introduction
013 A review of the concepts
028 2 Improving the Pieces 028 The bishop
044 The knight
059 The rook
073 The queen
078 The king
086 The bishop pair
095 3 Exchanges
095 Realizing a material advantage
098 Realizing a positional advantage
103 Eliminating key pieces
107 Facilitating an attack 112 Facilitating the defence
116 Reducing enemy activity
124 Series of exchanges
128 Dynamic exchanges
134 4 Pawn Play 134 Gaining space
142 Creating weaknesses
156 Passed pawns
168 Pawn majorities
179 Pawn chains
190 Dynamics
204 5 Prophylaxis
204 Restriction
211 Prophylaxis
222 Provocation
232 6 Miscellaneous
232 Weak squares
239 Weak pawns
249 Doubled pawns
259 Blockade
273 The initiative
288 The link between tactics and strategy
299 Exercises
301 1-20: The bishop
304 21-40: The knight
307 41-60: The rook
311 61-69: The queen
312 70-81: The king
315 82-90: The bishop pair
316 91-96: Exchanges - material advantage
317 97-104: Exchanges - positional advantage
319 105-114: Exchanges - key pieces 321 115-126: Exchanges - attack
323 127-136: Exchanges - defence
325 137-148: Exchanges - activity
327 149-154: Series of exchanges
328 155-162: Dynamic exchanges
329 163-174: Gaining space
331 175-192: Creating weaknesses
334 193-208: Passed pawns
337 209-218: Pawn majorities
338 219-228: Pawn chains
340 229-246: Dynamics
343 247-266: Restriction
347 267-286: Prophylaxis
350 287-306: Provocation
353 307-314: Weak squares
355 315-324: Weak pawns
356 325-334: Doubled pawns
358 335-350: Blockade
361 351-366: The initiative
363 367-382: The link between tactics and strategy
367 Solutions
482 Index of players
This book is a product of his many years' work as a full-time chess teacher, and is specifically designed as part of a structured training programme to improve strategic thinking. It focuses on a wide range of key subjects and provides a basic foundation for strategic play. Furthermore, in addition to the many examples there is an abundance of carefully selected exercises which allow readers to monitor their progress and put into practice what they have just learned. Following such a course is an ideal way for players of all standards to improve. Although designed mainly for students, this book is also an excellent resource for chess teachers and trainers.
- An essential course in chess strategy
- Contains over 450 pages of Grandmaster advice
- Includes more than 350 training exercises
Content
007 Bibliography
009 Preface
011 Introduction
013 1 Basic Concepts of Strategy
013 Introduction
013 A review of the concepts
028 2 Improving the Pieces 028 The bishop
044 The knight
059 The rook
073 The queen
078 The king
086 The bishop pair
095 3 Exchanges
095 Realizing a material advantage
098 Realizing a positional advantage
103 Eliminating key pieces
107 Facilitating an attack 112 Facilitating the defence
116 Reducing enemy activity
124 Series of exchanges
128 Dynamic exchanges
134 4 Pawn Play 134 Gaining space
142 Creating weaknesses
156 Passed pawns
168 Pawn majorities
179 Pawn chains
190 Dynamics
204 5 Prophylaxis
204 Restriction
211 Prophylaxis
222 Provocation
232 6 Miscellaneous
232 Weak squares
239 Weak pawns
249 Doubled pawns
259 Blockade
273 The initiative
288 The link between tactics and strategy
299 Exercises
301 1-20: The bishop
304 21-40: The knight
307 41-60: The rook
311 61-69: The queen
312 70-81: The king
315 82-90: The bishop pair
316 91-96: Exchanges - material advantage
317 97-104: Exchanges - positional advantage
319 105-114: Exchanges - key pieces 321 115-126: Exchanges - attack
323 127-136: Exchanges - defence
325 137-148: Exchanges - activity
327 149-154: Series of exchanges
328 155-162: Dynamic exchanges
329 163-174: Gaining space
331 175-192: Creating weaknesses
334 193-208: Passed pawns
337 209-218: Pawn majorities
338 219-228: Pawn chains
340 229-246: Dynamics
343 247-266: Restriction
347 267-286: Prophylaxis
350 287-306: Provocation
353 307-314: Weak squares
355 315-324: Weak pawns
356 325-334: Doubled pawns
358 335-350: Blockade
361 351-366: The initiative
363 367-382: The link between tactics and strategy
367 Solutions
482 Index of players