Patterns of Understanding the board and moves can be organized into "themes" of play, eg zugzwang, the pinned piece, central control, move orders, etc. I've been reading some very good books lately.

           One of these books is titled Josh Waitzkin's "Attacking Chess". This is great for reference to a whole lot of elements about attacking in chess. I found the book easy to read and very insightful. It's easy to learn from someone who obviously has a passion for the game and its intricacies. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to spend a weekend studying chess themes from an attacker's point of view.

            Anyway, what I've been learning in the past few weeks is how to recognize these themes and play to them. They are an integral part of formulating an attack.

            When I get to the end of the opening, i've usually been stuck on how to continue and strategize in the middlegame. I walk all over beginners, (he says self-deprecating-ly) but when it comes to facing actual players with some sort of coherent knowledge on how to structure an attack/defense, I usually come unstuck. Where to play? How to get this over there? What to do? There's so much to do in chess!

            I was told "Chess is hard work!" That's most definitely right! Haha. For me at the moment, it's not so much hard work as "confusing work" i'd like to be at the stage where I know the board so well that an attacking plan can come quite readily, rather than have to sit around and marvel at the complexity of the board, worry about how the opponent is going to start picking at the moves I have (I make an effort to always play people stronger than me, so I sort of am getting into the habit of losing quite often...and all the while the clock is running out...) and just play the good game.

            I have to tell you, it is difficult having to lose all the time. But, I suppose if you're always learning something new from every game, it can only make you a better player. (We all say hopefully)

Plans are starting to pop up here and there. It's come out of an understanding or recognizing several patterns that keep popping up, for example:

Opening:

Moves in the openings, it is becoming easier to see which moves work and which ones don't. In the first 6 or so moves, if there is an opportunity to take material, having played several times in the same position and making different choices leading to different outcomes, it seems that there is always a better option and therefore the better move to make. e4 e5 nf3 nc6 d4 (scotch game) and you find that exd4 nxd4 nxd4 Qxd4 and the Queen cannot be taken back and is in a great position of attack (as well as black missing a knight and a central pawn).

Learning the little lessons are part of what builds experience in the game. This definitely is what people would describe as having a 'feel' for the game (a whole lot of small lessons adding up to perhaps 'intuition' as the correct word, what would work and what wouldn't work in a given situation.)

It's important to try to realise what your opponents next move is, if it is a good one, and whether or not you should react to it or keep going with your own game.

The reason why this is important is because if your opponent is planning to make a move that looks good, but you probe it a bit further and find that it is weak somehow ie leaves space behind, allows you to fork and win it, etc, then you get an advantage from knowing this.

(Be careful - he may have planned for you to see this fork so he lets you take it, where you leave space behind for a quick ++ )

Themes? Wow. Is that in relation to endgame, etc? "Chess themes", hmm I'll google it and see what I come up with.

Well...theres the themed chess sets...civil war chess set, nope...King Arthur, nope...Dogs and Cats?? I think i'm looking in the wrong context!

Oh, Master Preparation: Chess Themes? Sounds like a good starting point.

Ok, ok...pawn structures, positional themes, pyschological/tactical themes...sounds like alot of homework!!

Middle game Key is knowing strengths, weaknesses, plans, and endings associated with typical pawn structures in superdepth. So pawn structure could be a basis for attack/defensive manouvres. Aaaahhhh. Good to understand the emphasis on that.

Great. Well, i've found SOMETHING at least. I'm gonna read through this, see what I come up with. Interesting stuff! But theres a lot to read.

See you in 100+ years

Will

That's a good idea. I think to be capable of making plans you need to have a good knowledge of theory. Which means study and practise. Each opening has a certain array of themes. Familiarising yourself with known thematics will make the task of planning much easier.