Author: DJCA

To summarise: anxiety, haste, vagueness, confusion and simple-mindedness are the enemies of good moves.

* Good positions don’t win games – good moves do. Silman says, “Make good things happen”. Play with a positive plan (although part of your plan might be prevention). The initiative goes to the side than can devise and (at least threaten to) put into action a realistic plan.

Don’t hope that your opponent won’t see the threat – expect your opponent to play the best move, and see if you still like your plan. [You cannot base your game around one-idea plans like a3 Bc2 Qd3 Qxh7# – this may take four moves to threaten and one move (…g6) to defend]

2. weakness of the eighth rank

3. entering a lasting pin

4. poisoned pawns

(Hort) 4. Begin the game with a centre pawn, and develop the minor pieces so that they influence the centre.

6. If you are just one pawn ahead, in 99 cases out of 100 the game is drawn if there are pawns on only one side of the board.

10. Do not place pawns on the colour of your bishop.

5. placing pieces without escape routes — Amazia AVNI