Test Your Positional Play: How You Should Think In Chess

185 Pages·2003·3 MB·English

by  Robert Bellin, Pietro Ponzetto

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ISBN0 713446 269 ( limp)
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Editorial Panel: MarkD voretsJkoynS, p eelman
Commissioning Editor: PauLla mford
General Manager: David Cummings
Contents
Preface v
Acknowledgments vi
Foreword by IGM Ljubomir Ljubojevic
Vll
Part One: Theoretical Section
I Analysitnhge P ositiTohne:E lements 11
2 Synthiessintgh eP ositiTohne:O bjective 18
3 PlanninTgh:e I dea 25
4 Planning: Verification 30
5 Defence 45
Part Two: Practical Section
Introduction 61
Test1s-1 0 64
Solutio1-n1s0 84
Test1s1- 20 / 106
Soluitonsl l -2jl__,./ 126
Test2s1- 30 148
Solutio21n-s30 168
Indeoxf G ames 188
Indeoxf O penings 189
RatinAgs sessmentT able 190
PersonSaclo rCeh art 192
Preface
We have written this book with the intention of teaching, amusing,
inspiring and even annoying the reader. Too often chess books, even
when they are wise and worthwhile, have a soporific effect after a few
pages. Our idea, by contrast, is to oblige the reader to participate as if
taking part in a discussion with us about chess strategy and tactics.
In the first part of this work we have tried to analyse the phases
through which the player's thought goes in order to arrive at the
formulation and execution of a plan. In the first four chapters we analyse
five games taken from our own personal tournament experience. These
games are frozen in the various phases the thought process traverses:
analysis, synthesis, idea, verification. Additionally, in the fifth chapter
we have considered the player's thoughts from a defensive point of view.
Here two other games are analysed, again taken from our own praxis.
The intention of this first part is to give the reader a method of thinking
which he can apply in over-the-board play.
In the second part of the book the reader is called to the examination
bench. There are thirty tests to be solved and if the reader makes a
mistake he must be ready to accept our admonishments!
For the most part the tests are drawn from modern tournament
practice. We have carefully selected the games so as to show the widest
possible range of strategic and tactical themes.
In solving the tests the reader wins points and thus will be able, at the
end, to verify his/her strength in BCF and ELO ratings. The points have
been assigned as a result of many practical trials with players of all
categories.
We hope that between disappointments our readers will enjoy
themselves and, above all, improve their playing strength.
Robert Bellin
Pietro Ponzetto
Acknowledgments
We thank the following people for their assistance in the production of
this book: Clive Cubitt, for his customary painstaking proof-reading;
Kevin Wicker, for his close reading and critique of the typescript; Bob
Wade, for his initial encouragement and stimulating discussion of the
idea. We are especially indebted to Alan Nixon who not only triggered,
the chain of events leading to this Anglo-Italian collaboration but also
worked unstintingly as specialist intermediary in a way which was
invaluable for the completion of this project.
Foreword
Since the game of chess has been books which are both useful and
played, the spirit of the times is entertaining, but unfortunately
reflected in recorded games of very few of them achieve both.
each period. If we look at the Moreover, experience has shown
games from different periods we that famous chess players are not
can easily see big differences in the necessarily the best writers. In
styles and ideas in chess. There front of you is a book written by
have been close connections between the Italian master Pietro Ponzetto
chess and the arts, philosophy, and English IM Robert Bellin
social standards in society, and, of who, although not world famous
course, with science. All progress players, are nevertheless successful
in chess has been based on and very original writers.
profound studies of chess principles, The material presented in this
theory of openings and continuous book is helpful and interesting for
research into new ideas in all all playing levels up to national
stages of the game. Understanding master strength at least. Those
in chess has always been individual beginners who have only just
and largely dependent on personal learned the rules will need some
philosophy, both of the game and chess practice in order to be able
life in general. to use this book properly and
This 'personal understanding' derive full benefit from it. In
refers not only to players but reading this book you will become
writers as well. Thus thousands of acquainted with a method of
different kinds of books for many thinking and a 'stream of conscious­
different levels have been published ness' technique by means of which
up to now. The most important the authors give their ideas on
thing for the vast majority of chess how to improve at chess. You will
players is to learn how to improve enjoy the experience all the more
their play, and the intention of if you realise that you are having a
chess writers is always to produce private chess lesson from masters!
The authors have chosen games show how flexible chess can be. In
mostly from queen's pawn openings the second part, you will find
because they are better suited for yourself completely caught up in
explaining how to think and select the book because you will be able
plans correctly. Queen's pawn to co-operate with the authors in
openings are based on positional testing your positional under­
play with fewer tactical possibilities standing and analytical abilities.
than in king's pawn openings. Of You will discover your deficiencies
course, it is easier to understand in play and be able to fight against
tactical methods of play than to them. For better training, it is
to grasp positional-strategical important to pay special attention
principles. Moreover, in modern to those games where you do not
chess queen's pawn openings are give the correct answer! After
in fashion in tournaments at the assimilating the teachings of this
highest level. book you will play with greater
The book is divided into two self-confidence as you will have
parts of equal importance. In the improved your knowledge about
first, the authors methodically chess.
analyse certain positions expound­ I consider this book to be of
ing their personal approach to the exceptional value and an important
game, not with any intention to contribution to chess literature.
establish the final truth but to Ljubomir Ljubojevic
ParOtn e:
TheoreSteicctailo n
"How should I think?"
Analysing the Position:
1
Elements
The
There are two types of elements 3 g3 e6
which we may use to assess a chess 4 .tg2 cS---
/
position: strategic and tactical. 5 cd
0-0
6 li:lxcl4' t'Llc6
a) The strategic element
7 c4 .te7
The strategic elements present 8/ lt:Jc3
0-0
in a position may be static (e.g. a cd ed (/)
9
passed pawn, an open file, a
weak square etc) or dynamic
(e.g. control of the centre, improve­
ment in piece position, pawn
mobility etc).
stasttitrcea geilcee mnt
The
Let us look at the simplest case,
namely when a position presents
one or more clear-cut static
strategic elements. Generally speak­
ing, we determine these elements This position would appear to
by analysing the pawn structure. be highly complex because of the
Consider the following game: large number of pieces still in
play. To see if we have any static
Game
I strategic elements, let us remove
TarrasDcefhe cne
the pieces so that we are left with
1 d4 t'Llf6 only the pawn structure. We
2 t'Llf3 d5 obtain the following position: (2)
12A nalystihPneog st iion
hand, the knight on d4 is blockading
the d-pawn which is therefore fixed
and more vulnerable. Finally, the
black king on g8 produces a
strategic weakness at f5 because
defending f5 by the pawn move ... g6
would seriously weaken the black
king's castled position. However,
the weakness of f5 is mitigated by
the presence of the bishop on c8
which offers a reasonable guarantee
Here we see at a glance that the of control.
c-file is open, the e-and ct-files are Not all positions contain such
half open, the pawn on d5 is clearly defined strategic elements as
isolated, d4 is a strong square and they are usually the end product of
h3 and d6 are weak. deliberate manoeuvring on the part
The piece position, and parti­ of one of the players.
cularly that of the king, can also Look at this position: (4 )
introduce a new strategic element,
or mitigate or aggravate the
importance of one of the elements
we have just been considering. (3)
We only have to go back one
move to observe the absence of
many of the strategic elements we
have been considering, e.g. the
Thus, in Game l, the bishop on isolated d-pawn, the open c-file, the
g2 and the bishop on e7 considerably weak square on f5. But it is White's
reduce the weakness of h3 and d6 move and by playing 9c d he can
respectively, weaknesses, moreover, impose these strategic themes by
which are not fixed. On the other force since, even if Black plays 9. ..