I've decided to unilaterally appoint myself as Steve's chess coach.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Pavlina  I've also read up on opening moves. I liked learning the strategic and tactical significance of each possibility, such as control of the center and development of attack posture. Now I understand why 1. e4 is considered a strong opening. |
1.e4 and 1.d4 are the most common first moves used by good players.
1.c4 and 1. Nf3 are also good. They regularly transpose into the same positions that might arise from 1.d4. However, they give some flexibility because you can disguise your intentions a little longer and avoid certain types of d4 positions that you prefer not to be in.
1.f4 is playable, known as Bird's Opening, but is considered an oddity. 1. b4 looks utterly strange, but is played often enough to have a name too. It is known as the Sokolsky Opening, or the Orang Utan.
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Anyway, back to 1.e4.
For today's lesson, I will show you a strategic idea, rather than a tactical idea. (Tactics are what you've been concerned with so far. Strategy is something more long-term).
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5
This is known as the Ruy Lopez.
3.... a6
4. Bxc6
... and this is known as the Exchnage Variation.
4. .... dxc6
(At this stage, White can play 5.Nxe5 but this does not win a pawn, because Black can immediately respond with 5 ... Qd4 attacking both the knight and the e4 pawn, and therefore winning the e4 pawn back).
So instead White plays:
5. d4 exd4
6. Qxd4 Qxd4
7. Nxd4
Okay. Now here is the strategic idea I want to show you. Remove all the pieces (rooks, bishops, knights etc) from the board, and just leave the kings and the pawns where they are.
White wins. This is a given. I would beat Kasparov if we reached this position and I were White.
Why? Properly played, what will happen is that White's 4 pawns on the kingside will eventually break through against Black's three pawns on the kingside (and White gets a new queen). Meanwhile, Black's 4 pawns on the Queenside cannot break through against the 3 white pawns on the Queenside.
This is because of the doubled Black pawns on the c-file. The two pawns there are effectively one pawn in the endgame. So Black's 4 pawns on the Q-side cannot break through against White's 3 pawns on the Q-side.
This is the strategic idea for White, in the Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez. He cripples Black's pawn structure early in the game, on the 4th move, and seeks to reach the endgame as soon as possible, by exchanging off as many pieces as he can.
This may not happen for many, many, many moves. Maybe another 30 or 40 or 50 moves. But this is the strategic idea behind White's game.
What I am trying to show you here is the long-range strategic thinking in chess. (As opposed to the short tactical 2-move or 3-move tricks). Interesting or not, Steve?