POSITIONAL EVALUATION

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Jordan Morgan
5 years ago
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1 POSITIONAL EVALUATION In this lesson, we present the evaluation of the position, the most important element of chess strategy. The evaluation of the positional factors gives us a correct and complete picture of the positions at hand. In addition, the information given by this evaluation helps us to find the objectives for which to fight, what we have to do in the given position and what the opponent s intentions could be. The positional evaluation includes many factors that we will discuss in deep and to the point in the future lessons. Though, some short explanations are given from now. The criteria for positional evaluation in modern chess: 1. MATERIAL First of all, we have to check if the material on the board of the 2 players is equal or not. If one of the players has a material advantage (more than a pawn), there is no point to go further with our positional evaluation. We should evaluate if the material imbalance is enough compensated by a king-attack, a pawn about to queen, a strong initiative etc. See also the criteria of evaluation of positions with material equivalence (PME). 2. THREATS & TACTICAL RESOURCES After every opponent s move, we have to think what he is threatening to do. The opponent s threats can be of tactical or strategical nature. At this stage of evaluation, we are interested in the tactical threats our opponent has. Before entering deeply in details of strategical considerations, we also have to make sure that we have discovered all the tactical resources of the position. A tactical resource means even an intermediary check that the opponent (or us) can give at the next move or in the future, spoiling all our plans. 3. KING S SAFETY We need to evaluate how safe is the most important piece on the board the own king, and, then, the opponent king. If the king s were in big danger, we already had to know this after the second step of our evaluation. At this stage, we will consider the pawn structure in front of the king and we will compare the forces which defend the king with the forces that are threatening or can arrive immediately in attack against the king. 1

2 If the position of the king is already stabilized, the evaluation of the pawn structure in front of him can play an important role for even future plans or actions if some weaknesses are determined. 4. THE CENTRE At this stage of evaluation, we will focus on the centre of the board and will evaluate 2 distinct elements: the control over the centre and the type of centre The control over the centre The centre is defined as the first four most central squares on the board. By a better control over the centre, we gain important squares for our pieces (which have influence on both flanks) and, in the same time, obstruct the opponent s pieces. Moreover, an attack on flank would have minimal success chances if the centre was not previously secured. The evaluation will be made by checking what squares are controlled by a player, what squares are controlled by the other player and what squares are controlled by both players (or by none of them). On the squares controlled by both players a tense fight is usually given. The result of this evaluation will return a score as: 2-2 (the centre is equally controlled), , 3-1, or The type of the centre There are more types of centers (we are talking about the structure of the pawns in the centre), every of them with distinct and specific strategies. At this stage of evaluation, it is essential to know what type of centre our position belongs to. The centre begins to take shape sooner or later, from the opening stage, in function of the opening system, and then, at some critical moments during the game, the pawn structure in the centre will probably change. For now, we will briefly enounce the 5 types of centers: a) Closed centre the entire centre is blocked by chains of pawns of the 2 players and the opponent chains block each other. b) Open centre there are 2 completely open files in the extended centre (for example, when both c- and d- files are open, even if there are pawns on the e-file) c) Static centre there are 2 half-open files or only 1 open file in the extended centre and the pawns forms chains, but without blocking each other. d) Mobile centre when a player has a mobile pawn formation in the centre or in the extended centre, while the other player has no pawns to counter it (rarely met). e) Dynamic centre this is the most often met type of centre. It is characterized by a still undefined pawn structure in the centre and it can derive in any other type. 2

3 5. PIECES VALUE After the first four criteria of evaluation, we can go deeper into the position details and evaluate the value of pieces and pawns. Both 5 th and 6 th criteria of assessment are, in fact, a complex of more factors. The order of the next 2 lists of factors is not accidental, although it doesn t mean that we should take their importance as a rule. (Rules don t work in chess!) 5.1. Better development this factor is only for the early stage of the game (opening and early middlegame), when more developed pieces can offer chances for active actions while the opponent pieces are still undeveloped and not ready to defend. However, this is a short-term advantage that one can lose if immediate employment do not or cannot offer other long-lasting advantages Piece out of play An opponent piece that cannot enter the battle (because it s limited by the own or opponent pieces and pawns) is a very important advantage. That piece can become a target due to its immobility or a piece down in the fire of the battle. There are situations when even more pieces are out of play, or out of the important battle field, without being able to arrive at time to defend the position on the other side of the board Local force superiority Pieces work in a team and a larger team succeeds against a weaker and smaller one. A force superiority in one of the flanks (given that the centre is secured) or right in the centre will create the premises for a strong attack on that side. Another characteristic a team of chess pieces should have to succeed is the collaboration between its members see next factor The collaboration between pieces in their enterprise to fight for or defend important objectives, the collaboration between pieces is essential. The rearrangement of pieces for getting a better collaboration and better roles for each piece is one of the sophisticated techniques of the positional play Rooks on open files the controlling of an open file (when the opponent cannot neutralize) is another important factor which raises the qualitative value of a weighty piece. We also have to analyze if there are entrance points for our rook in the enemy s camp or if an outpost on this file exists (outpost = an advanced square defended by one of our own pawns) Bishops on important diagonals the power (and its qualitative value) of the bishop on a long diagonal increases when there are attacking objectives in the opponent s camp Knights on important foreposts a knight on a defended and secured square (where the opponent pawns cannot attack it, or by an attack, they would create 3

4 big weaknesses) is another important asset. We have to evaluate the importance of the objectives/squares that the knight attacks or defends from that forepost Bishop-pair the very well known pair of bishops against other 2 minor pieces (bishop + knight or knight + knight) is a very dangerous weapon in open or semiopen positions, especially when the opponent has no well defended positions for his knight/s in the centre Safe and active queen the weightiest piece on the board can have problems during the middlegame in finding a secure position against the opponent threats. In exchange, if our queen can get an active position, while the opponent queen remains passive, we will have a short-term but important plus Piece value comparison a good and objective picture of the quality of our pieces and of the opponent pieces will be given by a comparison of the both camp s pieces one by one. How good is our queen compared with the opponent queen, how are our rooks compared with the opponent rooks, how are our knights compared with the opponent knights, how is our dark-square bishop compared with the opponent dark-square bishop, and how is our light-square bishop compared with the opponent light-square bishop. For this comparison, we will take into account the squares that these pieces control and the importance of their role within the group. 6. PAWNS VALUE 6.1. Space advantage when our pawns advance more than the opponent s pawns, they create a protected space behind them that our pieces can use to move easier and to take better positions. In the same time, the less advanced opponent pawns limit the mobility of their own pieces. The advantage of space is the most important advantage in chess! The most common is the space advantage in the centre of the board, but the local space advantage (on one of the flanks) is also significant, especially when the centre is closed Weak pawns The pawns which cannot be defended by other pawns can become an easy target for the opponent s army (especially on open files). The pieces which defend the weak pawns will be tied up in defense, while the attacking pieces can change their positions anytime. This way, a weak pawn can be a serious problem and a very grave one when it is backward or close to the centre. The isolated pawn is a special case of weakness, but this pawn also offers some advantages. We will discuss this case of weak pawn when we treat the typical pawn structures. 4

5 6.3. Superior pawn structure There are pawn structures that are better for a player even if there are no evident weaknesses in the structure or both sides structures have comparable weaknesses. Here, we include the pawn islands, inflexible structures and other pawn formations that are inferior (or superior). Being a longterm advantage, the recognition of better structures is very important Dynamic pawn structure The dynamism of the pawn structure is a very important asset in modern chess. Today s grandmasters tend to play opening systems that lead more and more to dynamic centers and structures, more reach in ideas, less drawish and where the continuation is less predictable Mobile pawn majority If both players have one extra pawn on a different side and the pawns are not doubled, the pawns form pawn-majorities (also called pawn-phalanxes ). Such a pawn phalanx is a good advantage if the pawns are mobile, can advance, and can be sustained by their own pieces. The pawn advance will gain space, chase away the opponent pieces and threat to create an advanced free pawn Free pawn if a free pawn is advanced on the second half of the board and if it is well sustained by its pieces, the free pawn can constitute a real force and an important advantage. Though, we have to evaluate how strong can be the blockade the opponent will build and if the free pawn can be enough defended against the attacks. Which positional factors are the most important? After the evaluation, we have another difficult task to accomplish, maybe the hardest of all: to determine which of the positional factors is/are the most important in our exact, particular position. In fact, it is about to determine the essence of the position. If the positional evaluation can be made almost mathematically, picking the most important factor makes the difference between the level of the players and their styles of play. Chess is a generalized exchange. Sometimes, in order to get some advantage, we have to renounce at some others or even to admit some weaknesses. Understanding the essence of the position will make us to take correct decisions. 5

Chapter 1: Positional Play

Chapter 1: Positional Play Positional play is the Bogey-man of many chess players, who feel that it is beyond their understanding. However, this subject isn t really hard to grasp if you break it down.