1930

1 game annotated at this level. Daniel Naroditsky playing as SenseiDanya.

Themes

Each number is a game; it opens the move where he explains the idea. Open a theme to read what it is about.

Piece play

  1. Identify the one piece that matters

    Work out which single piece the position runs on, and be willing to pay to remove it, or to keep it.

    03041024

Strategy

  1. Spend a move to make the natural move work

    When the natural move is one quiet move away from working, play the quiet move first.

    020304071524
  2. Passive defence is still defence

    When your own counterattack would be too slow, curling up and meeting each threat as it comes can be the right plan. Resist every move, bring pieces back, and do not panic.

    24

Attack

  1. Is the attack real? Count who is home

    Before attacking, or opening the centre, count whose pieces are actually out. The side with pieces still at home is the one punished.

    0102182324
  2. Play for mate, not material

    Against an exposed king, play for mate. Material that drifts into a queen trade is not worth taking.

    1324
  3. Against a good defence, attack in stages

    When the defender holds, there is no mate to find yet, and that is not a failure. Bring in one more piece, then another, and break the defence down step by step.

    24

Games

  1. 24 vs psilo_simon (1509) 16 ideas E87 King's Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation, 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nbd7 · 1-0