Position and strategy - finding a plan

Hi,

Short about me: I (turning 40 end of may) started playing chess on the Play Magnus app in november. I had about 500 games (managed 5 win streak at 9 year old) before venturing online, and so far I've played about 20 games against actual people, and got a rating elsewhere of 1596. I actually was about 1800 for a short period. 

I've read one book on chess fundamentals.

Suddenly, about a month back, I lost all skills and creativity. It has to do with energy levels and stress at work or something, but since that sharp downturn started I now really suck at chess

I know some basic openings and watch quite alot of chess videos for inspirations, but when playing I cant really find good plans, I blunder and fall for tactics left and right. 
Before the downward spiral started I was quite stable with quite low "centipawn loss" per game and actually had some good attacks now and then. 

So basically, I have now quit playing people and are back at Magnus 9 year old and other offline computer games, and struggeling to win even once in a while on levels i dominated before.

So my question is, do you guys know of any good inspiration or books to help me get bck on track? I will learn openings by my self when I feel ready for that, but what I'm struggeling with is

• Finding good squares for pieces in the middle game and from there good plans.
• How to break through defences and how to spot attacks early and defend.
• Learning the tricks of endgame scenarios. I know the basics of pawn endgame with and without rook.

I'm really bad at queen endgame and generally all endgame. I can drop a several pawn lead if there are enough pieces for the opponent to outmaneuver me.

I've considered joining a club, but all I really have time to is play to/from work and sometimes in the evenings, which is bad for concentration and not good for live play.

 

Thanks!

one thing that really helps (especially if you play certain openings- i play d4, and ...c6 vs e4 and ...d5 vs d4) is to go through (really helps to do this on a live board) master games in these openings

i have benefitted by both going through them rapidly and extremely slow

for example, in some d4 games i might be too eager to press for a pawn break and if i compare to many games of tigran petrosian he will not weaken his position without a concrete line to go on (too many times i rely on “oh well- you only live once- let me push this...” and immediately a solid and even advantageous position (upon review in after game analysis) basically falls apart

aside from this i also need to refresh my endgame technique; i too often jump into an endgame without determining if the position warrants it (again- i will just trade off and “go for it” only to the. realize opponent has better prospects)

the chess.com drills section is excellent for practicing various endgame positions and setups

i have also recently noticed that i have several “voices” offering “advice” as i play a game and ponder candidate moves and plans and whatnot

there is one voice- usually the impatient and reactive voice who almost always makes the wrong move (this voice is helpful if i can catch it because just applying the opposite is usually decent,) there is a more passive, but steady/prophylactic voice, who is somewhat reliable but often misses an opportunity if i listen to it too much

there is one voice who is barely audible and only makes its presence when i am really focused- i often dont follow this voice yet but when i go over games it turns out this “new voice” is a pretty good chess player

the point is that once the catastrophic game ending blunders are minimized and we actually start “playing chess” it really doesnt get any easier

when i go over master games in the openings i play the “new voice” is really referencing what i am picking up in these- i have seen; and it is necessary to drop all the “noise” and bad habits which interfere from listening

this is where practicing endgame technique should help- just because i studied it a year ago doesnt mean i shouldnt keep active with it

Good Positional Chess, Planning & Strategy Books for Beginners and Beyond...

https://www.chess.com/blog/RussBell/introduction-to-positional-chess-planning-strategy

You ask some broad questions, and even strong experienced players work to improve things like breaking defenses and endgames. The best general advice to play well is first of all take care of yourself (be rested, eat normal meals, don't be stressed, even though these aren't always possible). And secondly to do at least a little chess every day. It could be 30 minutes solving a few puzzles, or looking at a few games, but long breaks just like lack of sleep and stress will affect your play.

 

A person could write multiple books trying to answer this, so it's hard to know what to say.

First of all be sure you're completing development. Newer players typically try to start middlegame action before the position is ready for it. Getting your minors off your back rank and king castled to safety will give you a solid foundation for the mid game.

Next is spotting your main pawn break. Pawns are the least valuable, but that means they can chase all other pieces away. Pawn breaks open lines (files, diagonals, ranks) so your pieces can go to work in that area of the board. Typically you'll choose an area (kingside, center, or queenside) to focus your play. Choosing an area where you have more space (your pawns are further advanced) and/or more development is typical and good. Pawn breaks are often against your opponent's central pawn. So if you're black, and white has a pawn on d4, your main pawn breaks are e5 and c5.

As for good squares, other than tactics, maneuvers typically target pawns and/or the king. Those are slow moving targets whose weaknesses tend to be permanent. Sometimes a piece will look very good, but sometimes you have to ask yourself "is it pressuring any pawns?" "Is it helping me attack the king?" And if not then you may want to find it a new home.

 

 

One of the basic ideas of attacking is the defender can't defend every square... so you focus on undermining a certain square or line. A typical attack would be, for example, working to open the h file, then putting a queen and rook there to attack the enemy king. Another is trading off black's f6 knight then focusing on h7, or trading off black's g7 bishop and focusing on the dark squares. Sometimes your opponent can fend off the pressure on one square or line, then you use your superior mobility to pressure a new one.

Unless you're some kind of genius, it's basically mandatory to see a lot of good example attacking games. They'll give you ideas of typical build ups, and typical tactics, but the basic idea of what Vukovic calls "focal points" may help you understand what's going on a little better.

 

As for defending attacks, direct defense is both technically and psychologically difficult. Sometimes it's simply impossible such as when your opponent has an advantage in both space and pieces on that side of the board. So the best defense is being proactive and stiring up trouble in another area of the board. If your opponent is pointing things at your king, don't wait, try to open the center immediately with pawn breaks. If that's not possible try to build up some threats on the queenside. When your opponent has to spend time and pieces to defend then their attack will be significantly less dangerous. When an attacker has all the time he wants, to maneuver and maneuver all over the squares near your king, chances are eventually the defense will break down.

 

 

Get an endgame book and play over GM games.

Thanks for the reply @daxypoo.

Yeah, I kind of have these voices as well. Mainly I'm afraid of being too passive, and then being too active and putting pieces in danger.

I've considered looking into concrete master games, but there's also some advice for beginners not to focus soo much on concrete openings and positions if you don't know why a certain move or position would be good/bad.

You havent posted any games giving examples of what you need to work on, what your thought process is, and what you are seeing in positions.  Its difficult to give any concrete answers without having some idea of your ability.

Thanks for the reply @llamonade

I wish I could put my knowledge onto the board. I'm not a genius and I guess the only thing to do is play games and look at games of masters. 

 

I'm aware of some of the concepts you mentioned. Distraction/diversion, counter on the other side, removing the defender is something I try to do but often I fail to see the combinations that are required for a beneficial plan. My ability to calculate 3 moves for both players in my head is quite poor, and I often end up on the loosing end. 

 

"... thinking correctly in most positions takes time. Playing almost exclusively fast games obviously precludes practicing correctly, and so you will never get very good! Sure, fast games are fine for practicing openings (not the most important part of the game for most players) and possibly developing decent board vision and tactical 'shots', but the kind of thinking it takes to plan, evaluate, play long endgames, and find deep combinations is just not possible in quick chess. … for serious improvement ... consistently play many slow games to practice good thinking habits. ..." - NM Dan Heisman (2002)

https://web.archive.org/web/20140627052239/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman16.pdf

Once one has chosen openings, I think that there is wide agreement that the way to start is by playing over sample games. Some of us think that it can be useful to use books like First Steps: 1 e4 e5 and First Steps: Queen's Gambit
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7790.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7652.pdf
as sources of games with explanations intended for those just starting to learn about an opening. Be sure to try to use the openings in games in between sessions of learning. Most of the time, one faces a position with no knowledge of a specific move indicated in a book. One has to accept that as part of chess, and think of opening knowledge as a sometimes helpful aid. After a game, it makes sense to try to look up the moves in a book and see if it has some indication of how one might have played better in the opening. Many opening books are part explanation and part reference material. The reference material is included in the text with the idea that one mostly skips it on a first reading, and looks at an individual item when it applies to a game that one has just played. Resist the temptation to try to turn a book into a mass memorization project. There are many important subjects that one should not neglect because of too much time on opening study.

"... I'm convinced that Silman's [Complete Endgame Course] will take its place in history as one of the most popular endgame books ever. It has already caught on with the average player in a big way, confirming Silman's status as the king of instructional writers. He writes in a clear and casual style, and time and again has shown the ability to reach those who feel intimidated by the lofty approach that a grandmaster will often take. ... Silman ... defines what he thinks is necessary to know at specific rating levels. For example, the beginner or unrated player needs to know ... Silman's idea is to wait until you climb in strength before you worry about more advanced material. Then, as a Class 'E' player (that's 1000-1199), one must learn ... Silman's book emphasizes to the student that the important thing is to master the strictly limited material at hand, rather than get confused by endings that won't help your results at that level. Perhaps even more importantly, Silman is able to use his teaching experience and talk to his readers in a way that they can handle, in a friendly manner and without condescension. ... I'll also repeat the point that David Ellinger in ChessCafe makes: '[This ...] demonstrates who this book will truly serve best: anybody who coaches chess. For me, as a perpetually near-2000 player who does part-time coaching, I’ve got in my hands a great resource that will have something for every student, no matter the rating.' ..." - IM John Watson (2007)

http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/theres-an-end-to-it-all
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708103149/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review594.pdf

https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/silmans-complete-endgame-course/

Here are some reading possibilities that I often mention:
Winning Chess by Irving Chernev and Fred Reinfeld (1948)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093415/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review919.pdf
Back to Basics: Tactics by Dan Heisman (2007)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708233537/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review585.pdf
https://www.chess.com/article/view/book-review-back-to-basics-tactics
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5856bd64ff7c50433c3803db/t/5895fc0ca5790af7895297e4/1486224396755/btbtactics2excerpt.pdf

Possibilities for middlegame help:

https://www.chess.com/article/view/how-to-play-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/test-your-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/do-you-really-understand-positional-chess

https://www.chess.com/article/view/get-ready-to-test-your-positional-chess-again

https://www.chess.com/article/view/can-you-pass-this-positional-chess-test

Simple Attacking Plans by Fred Wilson (2012)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708090402/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review874.pdf
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Simple-Attacking-Plans-77p3731.htm
Logical Chess: Move by Move by Irving Chernev (1957)
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104437/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/logichess.pdf

The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played by Irving Chernev (1965)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/most-instructive-games-of-chess-ever-played/
Seirawan stuff:
http://seagaard.dk/review/eng/bo_beginner/ev_winning_chess.asp?KATID=BO&ID=BO-Beginner
http://www.nystar.com/tamarkin/review1.htm
50 Essential Chess Lessons by Steve Giddins
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708100833/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review534.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/50_Essential_Chess_Lessons.pdf

Amateur's Mind by Jeremy Silman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708094419/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/ammind.pdf
https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/amateurs-mind-the-2nd-edition/

Simple Chess by Stean

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708104258/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review400.pdf

http://store.doverpublications.com/0486424200.html

Chess Secrets: The Giants of Chess Strategy by Neil McDonald
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708092313/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review620.pdf
Chess Strategy for Club Players by Herman Grooten
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708101926/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review696.pdf
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9042.pdf
Understanding Chess Middlegames by GM John Nunn
https://web.archive.org/web/20140627012322/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/hansen154.pdf
http://www.gambitbooks.com/pdfs/Understanding_Chess_Middlegames.pdf
Attacking Chess for Club Players by Herman Grooten
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9032.pdf

Chess for Hawks

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9041.pdf

The Chess Attacker’s Handbook

https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/7754.pdf

Chess Strategy: Move by Move by Adam Hunt

https://web.archive.org/web/20140708093249/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review890.pdf

How to Reassess Your Chess (4th ed.) by Jeremy Silman
https://web.archive.org/web/20140708095832/http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review769.pdf
https://www.silmanjamespress.com/shop/chess/how-to-reassess-your-chess-4th-edition/
The Art of the Middlegame
http://dev.jeremysilman.com/shop/pc/Art-of-the-Middlegame-The-77p3554.htm
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486261549.html
The Power of Pawns by GM Jörg Hickl (2016)
https://chessbookreviews.wordpress.com/tag/the-power-of-pawns/
https://www.newinchess.com/media/wysiwyg/product_pdf/9034.pdf

Masters of the Chessboard by Richard Reti

http://www.thechessmind.net/blog/2012/4/1/book-notice-richard-retis-masters-of-the-chessboard.html
Modern Chess Strategy by Pachman
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486202909.html
Zurich 1953 by Bronstein
http://exeterchessclub.org.uk/content/review-zurich-1953-bronstein
http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/john-watson-book-review-106-zurich-1953-by-najdorf
http://store.doverpublications.com/0486238008.html

Wow! 

Thanks for all the replies. I'll be taking all this on board and keep it for reference when in need of inspiration.

I think I'll start by playing my normal openings, read more about them first and then go over the games afterwards to spot mistakes and inaccuracies.

I guess spending time on chess daily and never forget to read up on theory and techniques really is a must.

 

Read my posts in this thread:

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/gm-larry-evans-method-of-static-analysis

It goes over GM Larry Evans' method of positional analysis... how to break a position down into elements, how to evaluate those elements, and how to turn that evaluation into a plan.