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The Lunikan Chess Lyceum

Learn from Zipho Lunika

Chess Strategy and Positional Play

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Positional Elements Memory Aids Passed Pawns Space Advantage Weak Squares Color Complexes Pawn Islands Piece Placement Two Bishops File Control Piece Harmony Rank Control Strategic Insights

Positional Elements

Over the years since the 1st World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz, there have been several key elements of chess positions that have been identified:

Static Advantages

  • Material advantage
  • Poor opponent's king position
  • Passed pawns
  • Weak pawns (of opponent)
  • Weak squares (of opponent)
  • Weak colour complexes (of opponent)
  • Fewer pawn islands
  • Strong pawn centre
  • The advantage of two bishops
  • Control of a file
  • Control of a diagonal
  • Control of a rank

Temporary Advantages

  • Poor position of opponent's piece
  • Lack of harmony in opponent's piece placing
  • Advantage in development
  • Piece pressure in the centre
  • Advantage in space

How to Remember the Elements

Materialistic King's Passed Weak Pawns

  • Material advantage
  • Poor opponent's king position
  • Passed pawns
  • Weak pawns (of opponent)

Squares Colour Islands

  • Weak squares (of opponent)
  • Weak colour complexes (of opponent)
  • Fewer pawn islands

Bishops File Ranks on Diagonals

  • Strong pawn centre
  • The advantage of two bishops
  • Control of a file
  • Control of a diagonal
  • Control of a rank

Pieces Lose Development, Pressure Eases

Breakdown for Temporary Advantages:

  • Poor position of opponent's piece
  • Lack of harmony in opponent's pieces
  • Development advantage
  • Piece pressure in the center

A Few Practical Examples

The following examples were analyzed in a Lichess study:

Passed Pawns

Passed Pawns Study

Advantage in Space

Space Advantage Study

Weak Squares

Weak Squares Study

Weak Colour Complexes

Weak Colour Complexes Study

Fewer Pawn Islands

Pawn Islands Study

Poor Piece Placement

Piece Placement Study

The Advantage of Two Bishops

Two Bishops Study

Control of a File

File Control Study

Disharmonious Piece Placement

Piece Harmony Study

Control of a Rank

Rank Control Study

Strategic Insights

- Now it may be the case that in a given situation, only a few key elements are pertinent and are of greater importance.

- If we observe strong players play, their evaluations can occur in mere seconds! They are able to identify the more pertinent strategic elements due to a great deal of experience and exposure.

- It is through analysing many positions and games that we may begin to subconsciously identify the elements.

- It has become second nature to them.