Revisiting Jeremy Silman’s Imbalanced-Based Chess Thinking PART 2
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After days of pondering about Silman’s thinking method, I slowly remembered important bits and pieces of it. But before anything else, let’s take a look at what a chess player is called to do when thinking the Silman way…
Take Note Of All The Imbalances – In a chess game, there are different major imbalances that exist at the same time. When formulating a plan, you should take note of all the imbalances…not just for your camp but for your opponent’s as well.
Determine Which Side Of The Board You Want To Play On – Queenside, center, or kingside – which side of the board are you going to play on? You should play on the side where a favorable imbalance exists.
Find The All Candidate Moves – Your chosen candidate moves should make use of the favorable imbalance you set your sights on or gives the possibility of creating one. You should make use of your position’s positive imbalances unless you’re forced to play a purely defensive move.
Calculate All The Moves – Yes, fellas! Calculation should come at the end of the thinking process. Not before you’ve found the plan to adopt.
A Little Correction To My Previous Posts…
I think I’ve made some mistakes in my previous post concerning the imbalances involved in IM Jeremy Silman’s thinking technique. Anyway, here’s a brief introduction to them and I’ll be taking on them in greater detail on the next posts on this series…
Superior Minor Piece – This pertains to the battle and interplay between the Bishops and Knights…how are you going to make your minor piece superior to the opponent’s?
Pawn Structure – This is one broad subject. Heck! Books have been written about pawn structures. But we’ll keep it simple and just take note of the important and most common pawn structures seen in play. They would be backward pawns, doubled pawns, isolated pawns, passed pawns, and that’s just to name a few.
Space – This pertains to your territory on the chess board. How far have your pieces and pawns gone from the chess equator? The same question should be asked concerning your opponent’s position.
Material – This means owning pieces that are valued greater than the other side. For example, having more pawns, having a Rook for a Knight, and the like.
Control Of A Key File And Square – Files, ranks, and diagonals – these act as pathways for your pieces. It’s not uncommon for masters and strong chess players to build plans that center on taking advantage of weak squares in the opponent’s camp or force to create one.
Development – This gives you more pieces…more firepower in a certain section of the board. This is a temporary imbalance and you should try to take advantage of it as the opponent will eventually catch up.
Initiative – This means dictating the tempo of the game. This is another temporary imbalance that you should take advantage of right away.
I guess that’s all for now. Hopefully, I’ll remember the details and principles about each imbalance correctly.
A Flawed Chess Game Of Mine
Ok, just to give you an idea of how much I suck as a chess player after years of no practice whatsoever, here’s a recent 5-minute game of mine…provided with some annotations. I was playing as Black and although I won, this game revealed my deficiencies as a chess player.
1. d4 b6
Well, I’m not a big student of the opening phase of chess. This defense, referred to as the English Defense and sometimes the Owen’s Defense, is one that I know a bit about. I’ve played it exclusively as Black no matter what White plays a couple of years back.
2. f4 Bb7
I’m not sure if White’s second move is a good one…but my instincts are telling me that it isn’t. I’m sure this guy knew right from the onset that I’m going to fianchetto my Bishop. Yet he intentionally kept the diagonal – h1-a8 open. The e4-square is especially weak since it can no longer be controlled by a pawn.
After this move, I developed my pieces and pawns to take advantage of this hole.
3. e3 f5
Another pawn move from White, which I don’t think contributes anything positive to his position. Why not a simple developing move that at least exerts some influence on the whole at e4…perhaps 3.Nc3? My pawn move on the other hand makes sure that the e4-square belongs to me. At the back of my head, however, I think it’s too committal.
The opening of the g8-a2 diagonal is my source of problems later on.
4. Qh5+ g6
Another useless move from White. He even gave my f8-Bishop a good square to develop on. What move would I recommend? Well, why not c4? This helps him advance his pawn to d5…blocking the b7-Bishop. And he can work on getting in e3-e4.
Again, I’m no expert. I’m not sure if this is the right plan.
5. Qd1 Nf6
Now, I’m ahead in development. And my pieces – Nf6 and Bb7, along with my f5-pawn concentrate on the hole left at e4.
6. Nf3 d6
White’s move is just as good as anything else. But I would prefer Nc3 instead…lending some control on the e4-square. My move on the other hand prepares to shift the Knight on d7 – making a c5 or e5 break possible. Opening the position is in my favor since I’m better developed.
7. b3 Nbd7
Yet another pawn move from White. As for me, I just made the expected developing move for my b8-Knight.
8. Bb5 Bg7
White pins my Knight – this makes the e5-break impossible. However, I think better would’ve been Bc4, which helps keep my king in the center for some time. On my turn, I just prepared castling and developed my f8-Bishop to the only sensible square.
9. a4 O-O
Yet another pawn move which doesn’t help his position.
10. Bc4+?! Kh8?
Better would’ve been castling for White. As you’ll see later, he never got the chance to get his King to safety. My move loses material! Saying that this is a 5-minute game is not a good excuse…the right move would’ve been …d5.
11. Ng5 d5
It’s just now that I can see the threat of …Ne6. My move is a little too late. White nets material no matter what happens.
12. Bd3 Qc8
White goes for safety first. However, better would’ve been Ne6 right away. Now, I have a chance to prepare the opening of lines. He may net material but I’m still ahead in development. There’s gotta be a way I can make my advantage count.
13. h4 c5
I’m not sure what’s with h4. Well, there are threats of h4-h5…attempting to bring the Rook in h1 to life. He has some developed pieces pointing on the Kingside but I think I can defend. And let’s keep this rule in mind – only attack on the flanks when you have the center under control. I have 2 pawn breaks that can open the position…that’s what I’m counting on. I was thinking of …Ng4 preparing …e5.
But it’s a 5 minute game!
14. c3 e5!?
White maintains the tension, but of course, here comes my second pawn break. This sacs a pawn with the hopes that somehow, the position will break open, giving my 2 developed Bishops some targets. I think it makes sense since I’m ahead in development.
15. dxe5 Ng4 16. Ne6 Ndxe5!?
This is what I had in mind when I played e5. I don’t think this is correct, but at least, I have 2 imbalances favoring me although I’m down in material – I have the bishop pair and a lead in development which calls for an open position.
17. Nxf8 Nxd3+ 18. Qxd3 Qxf8 19. Rg1?
Another error I believe. I think he should’ve gone for h5…his previous plan of attacking on the Kingside.
19…Re8 20. Ra2
I think better would’ve been the immediate …d4. I was looking for a wide open position…why didn’t I do it? Well, tactical deficiency I guess. However, I think my move would do just as well. White, on his turn, prepares Re2.
20…d4 21. cxd4 cxd4? 22. Re2 Nxe3?
On both occasions, I missed the simple win with …Be4! I was fixated with attacking and mating the King that I completely forgot to look for other options that would secure the victory far more easily.
23. Bxe3 dxe3 24. Rxe3 Rd8 25. Qe2 Bd4 26. Kf2? Re8 27. Kf1 Rxe3 28. Qd2 Ba6+ 0-1
It’s mate in 5 fellas! How? That’s up for you to find out.
