The rules for playing against an IQP are logically the opposite of how you should play with an IQP:
Two pawns of the same side on the same file They are not easy to move and cannot easily be both protected, so, one or both may be a weakness (Fischer-Petrosian, Debbage-Lane, Matison-Nimzowitsch, Jepps-Regis) However, if the capturing pawn moves towards the centre, as it should, there maybe compensating advantages of central control, a half-open…
o Never give up. There is always hope if you fight. Don’t play for one last cheap trap and then resign. Play the move that will make your opponent groan, the move you would hate to see if you had the advantage. Defend with endless determination.
Decentralising is always suspicious, particularly for knights, but also for long-range pieces like Queens. This is a corollary of Stean’s assertion that the most important feature of any position is the activity of the pieces, since pieces are most active in the centre.
How to turn a win into a draw How to turn a draw into a loss How to turn a win into a loss Two players show how to make wins and draws into losses How to arrange an accident Know or find a position you want to steer for Keep a straight face!
Some patterns you should know Rook on eighth rank Rook on seventh rank Italian diagonal Long diagonal Classic diagonal Open f-file Open g-file Open h-file Knight on e5 Knight on f5 Knight on g5 a1h8 a2g8 b1h7 f1f8 g1g8 h1h8 Ne5 Nf5 8th 7th
If you have an Isolated Queen’s Pawn: Botvinnik does all this so clearly in the following game:
