Knowing What to Do

Analysis & Evaluation

 Tactics vs•• Short
Strategy
term
Tactics Concrete - Technical
• Absolute / Forced

• Long term
Strategy • Abstract - Conceptual
• Preference

Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do;

whereas strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do
Analysis (Calculation)
 Possibilities
 Visualization
 Deductive Logic
 Tree of Moves
 Dynamics
Evaluation
 Examination / Appraisal / Judgment
 Who is better? By how much? Why?
 More static
Simple Example
Analysis :
 Only threat: Rd8+ (backrank) well
defended by Re8
 1. Rd7 Kf8

Evaluation :
• Material -> Black + 3p
• No dangerous attack for white.
• Black is winning
Basics : Piece Value in Chess
 Numerical value of pieces
 Queen : 9 ¾ pawns
 Rook : 5 points
 Bishop & Knight : +- 3 ¼ Points
 Bishop Pair : +- ½ point
Basics : Tempo Advantage
Basics : Space Advantage
Basics : (Weak) PawnStructures
Isolated Pawns
 Backward Pawns
 Doubled Pawns
 Weak Squares
Evaluation Criteria
 Material
 KingSafety
 Army Activity / Mobility
 Pawn Structure
Black to Move
Black has to stop the
backrank mate, 1... h6 2.
Re8+ Kh7 3. Nxf7
Qxf5+, or 1... g6 2. Re8+
Kg7 3. Nce4
Conclusion :
White is clearly
– Material : 1 rook + 1 minor piece vs Queen+2pawns. But black would lost at least
winning
1 minor piece due to check in e8
– King safety : white seems more open but the attack on the black king is more
dangerous
– Piece Activity : all white pieces are active vs only queen and dark bishop on the
black side.
– Pawn Structure : black is better, but this factor seems negligible due to the position
White to Move
Both sides will go for
development. White has to
defend the e4 pawn while
black probably would like to
move the king to g8. Possible Conclusion :
continuation : 1. d3 d5 2.Nc3 Black has an
Bg4 or 2. exd5 Nxd5 3. h3 edge

– Material : 1 rook + 1 pawn vs 2 minor

piece, plus a bishop pair for black.
– King safety :
Black to Move Black probably will take d
file with Ke7 and Rd8 or
block c3 pawn advance with
Rc4 and b5. White could try
to put Rook in 4th or 5th rank
after secure d2 square with c4 Conclusion :
and Kc3 or Kc1 and Re3 Black has an
edge
– Material : Even
– King safety : Both safe
– Piece Activity : about even but black has more freedom because
white would have to avoid rook exchange
– Pawn Structure : black is clearly better. And in the endgame, it is an
important factor