1.

[Okay. Now let's take a look at how pawn structure determines weak squares, and we'll learn how to create outposts for our pieces. It's key to notice squares in or near the enemy camp that can be supported by one or more of your pawns but cannot be defended by your opponent's pawns. If you can occupy that square with a piece that is less valuable than any of your opponent's pieces that can capture it, this can lead to a huge strategic advantage.

{B:rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/32/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR}{D:6500}{B:2kr1r2/p1p2p2/1p2p1p1/1P2N1P1/3B3P/P1P5/8/3RK3}{D:1300}{H2:c6}{D:500}{H2:f6}{D:2200}{A:Gb5c6}{A:Gg5f6}{D:4500}{S:e5c6}{D:1000}{H:b8d8e7e5b4d4a5a7}{D:2000}{H0:b8d8e7e5b4d4a5a7}{D:1000}{S:d4f6}{D:300}{D:1000}{H:d8e7f6d4e5g7h8}{D:3000}{H0:d8e7f6d4e5g7h8}{W:j35a}

]

2.

[Take a look at this position. Here it's white's move. In real chess games, there won't always be a way to win material right off the bat. Far more often we have to improve our position strategically. What do you think white's plan should be here? After you've given this some thought, click "next".

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5N2/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{W:j35c01}

]

3.

[Well, the D6 square is a fabulous potential outpost for the white knight. After knight D2, an excellent move, planning a maneuver, knight E4 to D6, white's position will be dominant. Notice that black can't play D5 beforehand, because of en passant.

  After knight D6, black has little play. The C file is the only open file on the board, and now that the knight D6 guards the C8 square, white has complete control. If you notice, weak squares in your opponent's position, then you can make powerful long-term decisions.

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5N2/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{D:500}{H:d6}{D:2000}{A:Tf3d6}{G:WNd6}{D:1500}{C}{R}{O}{D:500}{S:f3d2}{D:3500}{G:WNd2}{S:d2e4}{D:1000}{S:e4d6}{D:1300}{H:b7c8e8}{A:Cd6b7}{A:Cd6c8}{A:Cd6e8}{D:2500}{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}{H2:e4}{A:Td2e4}{D:1000}{G:BPd7}{S:d7d5}{A:Dd5e4}{D:1300}{C}{R}{S:e5d6}{D:100}{X:d5}{W:j35c02}{W:sil1000}{S:d6e5}{P:BPd5}{S:d5d7}{W:sil1000}{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}{S:d2e4}{S:e4d6}{D:3000}{H2:c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8}{D:2500}{C}{D:500}{H:c8}{A:Dd6c8}{A:Ta8c8}{D:1500}{S:d1c1}{A:Dc1c8}{H2:c1c2c3c4c5c6c7}{D:1400}{C}{R}{W:j35c03}

]

4.

[Okay, let's analyze this position after knight D2 a little bit. If black just sits around, his position will get crunched, so he has to do something. If possible, it would be good to play B7 to B5 and then bishop C8 to B7 to C6. This locks down the C file, defends the weak D7 pawn, and activates the bishop. That's black's plan. After B5, knight E4, bishop B7 is impossible, though. Why? Because of the fork, knight D6 check.

  So black has to castle. Now white plays knight D6, jumping into the square. Let's say black plays queen C7. Of course, now, black can't develop with bishop B7, because the knight guards that square. So queen C7 prepares some development.

  Do you see how white can win some material here?

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5N2/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{D:1000}{S:f3d2}{D:7000}{G:BPb7}{S:b7b5}{D:2300}{G:BBc8}{S:c8b7}{D:500}{S:b7c6}{D:1700}{G:WRd1}{S:d1c1}{H:c6}{H2:c1c2c3c4c5}{D:1000}{A:Gc6d7}{H2:d7}{D:2000}{H2:b7d5e4f3}{H0:c1c2c3c4c5}{A:Gc6b5}{A:Nc6f3}{D:2500}{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}{D:1000}{G:BPb7}{S:b7b5}{D:800}{G:WNd2}{S:d2e4}{D:200}{D:1000}{G:BBc8}{S:c8b7}{D:3000}{S:e4d6}{A:Cd6e8}{A:Cd6b7}{W:j35c04}{W:sil1000}{B:r1bqk2r/3p2p1/p3p2p/1p2P3/3QNP2/8/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{S:e8g8}{S:h8f8}{D:2000}{S:e4d6}{D:3000}{A:Td8c7}{D:1500}{R}{D:1500}{R}{G:BBc8}{S:c8b7}{D:1000}{H:b7}{A:Cd6b7}{D:1000}{B:r1bq1rk1/3p2p1/p2Np2p/1p2P3/3Q1P2/8/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{D:500}{S:d8c7}{W:j35c05}

]

5.

[Knight takes C8, removes the defender of the D7 pawn. So knight takes C8, rook takes C8, queen takes D7, wins D7, removing the defender. 

  This wins material, but it has the downside of relieving the pressure on black's position. This is actually one device when your opponent has a positional advantage on you and is crunching down on your game. For you to relieve that pressure, you can give up a pawn, sometimes even a little bit more, to gain some activity. So it might not even be best for white, here, to win material. You could also just continue to build up, but because white has this option, black has to try something else.

{B:r1b2rk1/2qp2p1/p2Np2p/1p2P3/3Q1P2/8/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{A:Cd6c8}{D:1500}{H:c8}{A:Gc8d7}{D:2000}{C}{R}{D:500}{S:d6c8}{D:800}{S:a8c8}{D:1000}{S:d4d7}{W:j35c06}{W:sil500}{W:j35c07}

]

6.

[So let's say black saw this, and after knight D2, castles instead.

  Now after knight E4, queen C7, knight D6, black tries to defend the D7 pawn with rook D8. Notice of course, here again, white could play knight takes C8, followed by queen takes D7, winning a pawn. So black defends with rook D8.

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}{D:3000}{S:e8g8}{S:h8f8}{W:j35c08}{W:sil1000}{D:500}{S:d2e4}{D:1000}{S:d8c7}{D:1000}{S:e4d6}{D:3000}{S:f8d8}{D:1500}{G:WRd8}{S:d8f8}{D:1500}{G:WNd6}{S:d6c8}{G:WRa8}{S:a8c8}{D:1500}{G:WQd4}{S:d4d7}{D:2000}{B:r1b2rk1/1pqp2p1/p2Np2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{D:500}{S:f8d8}{W:j35c09}{W:sil1000}

]

7.

[In fact, this would be a bad way to defend, because black has all of his pieces tied down trying to defend a pawn. What he should have done, like I mentioned before, was give up the pawn to try to gain a little mobility. I would play rook F3. Preparing to triple up on the D file, rook, rook, and queen are a tremendously powerful battery, aiming at the D7 pawn. One thing that you should know is that the optimal tripling formation is rook, queen, rook, like this. But after rook F3, white has another idea. He wants to play rook G3, shifting to a king's side attack. 

  I want you to see how that knight on D6 lock's down all of black's position. Black has nothing active. This brings up another critical principle. You see, black has the D7 pawn which is weak. He also has developmental problems, which is another weakness, and he has a weak king, because the rook on D8, the queen on C7, the bishop on C8, they're all locked down defending the center and the queen's side. They can't get to the king's side. So black has two main weaknesses, the D7 pawn and the G7 pawn around the king. This is called the principle of two weaknesses. It's very hard when you have a positional disadvantage, like black does here, to defend two weaknesses. If you can just focus on one, sometimes you can keep things together.

{B:r1br2k1/1pqp2p1/p2Np2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP4PP/3R1R1K}{D:2500}{H:c7c8d8}{D:2000}{A:Gc7d7}{A:Gc8d7}{A:Gd8d7}{H2:d7}{D:1500}{C}{R}{D:5000}{S:f1f3}{D:1500}{G:WRf3}{S:f3d3}{A:Tf3d3}{H2:d1d2d3d4d5d6d7d8}{D:1500}{C}{R}{H2:d1}{D:400}{H2:d3}{D:400}{H2:d4}{D:200}{D:2000}{A:Dd1d7}{H:d7}{D:2000}{C}{R}{D:3500}{G:WQd4}{S:d4d2}{H2:d1d2d3}{D:2500}{C}{R}{S:d2d4}{S:d3f3}{O}{D:3000}{G:WRf3}{S:f3g3}{D:2000}{A:Cg3g7}{H:g7}{W:j35c10}{W:sil500}{C}{R}{S:g3f3}{B:r1br2k1/1pqp2p1/p2Np2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5R2/PP4PP/3R3K}{D:1000}{H2:d6}{D:1000}{H:c8e8f7f5e4c4b5b7}{D:3000}{C}{D:4500}{H:d7}{D:2000}{C}{D:500}{H:a8c8c7}{D:2500}{C}{D:500}{H:g8}{D:1000}{H:d8}{D:1000}{H:c7}{D:1000}{H:c8}{D:2500}{H2:d7e6}{D:700}{H2:a6b7}{D:300}{D:2000}{C}{R}{D:2500}{H:d7}{A:Dd1d7}{D:1000}{H:g7}{G:WRf3}{S:f3g3}{A:Cg3g7}{D:4700}{C}{R}{O}{S:g3f3}{W:j35c11}

]

8.

[

{B:r1br2k1/1pqp2p1/p2Np2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5R2/PP4PP/3R3K}{V:So let's say that black plays here B5, trying to develop. What would you do now?{S:b7b5}{SAVE}{W:j35c12};

$Now white should shift all of his pieces to the king's side. The first move should be queen E4.

  {D:3000}{S:d4e4}

  {W:j35c13}{W:sil1000}{J}

$d4e4;That's right! 

Now white should shift all of his pieces to the king's side. The first move should be queen E4.

  {W:thatsright}{W:sil500}

  {W:j35c13}{W:sil1000}{J};

$c Incorrect.{W:notquiteright}{RETRY};

Shift to the kingside while stalling black's development!}

]

9.

[You see, this attacks the rook on A8 and also plans to shoot into the G6 square. It also stops black from developing one more time, because bishop B7 now loses a piece because the knight and the queen are both piled up on that square. 

  So this is a perfect example of how to win a position with a strategical advantage. White stops all of black's ideas while continuing to go ahead with his. Queen E4 attacks the rook on A8. The rook has to move. Let's say that black plays rook A7. Now white can jump into the king's side. Queen G6. Finally black gets to develop his bishop with bishop G7, but it's too late.

{B:r1br2k1/2qp2p1/p2Np2p/1p2P3/4QP2/5R2/PP4PP/3R3K}{D:500}{A:Ce4a8}{D:2000}{A:Te4g6}{H:g6}{D:2000}{R}{C}{D:2500}{G:BBc8}{S:c8b7}{D:1500}{A:Cd6b7}{D:1000}{A:Ce4b7}{D:500}{H:b7}{W:j35c14}{W:sil500}{C}{R}{S:b7c8}{O}{D:8500}{A:Ce4a8}{D:2500}{R}{D:1000}{S:a8a7}{D:3000}{S:e4g6}{D:3000}{S:c8b7}{A:Cb7f3}{W:j35c15}{W:sil1000}{J}

]

10.

[

{B:3r2k1/rbqp2p1/p2Np1Qp/1p2P3/5P2/5R2/PP4PP/3R3K w}{V:What would you play now with white?{SAVE}{W:j35c16};

$Here it's all over after rook G3. The queen and the rook are piled up on that G7 pawn, which will be check mate. Black can't defend, and white will win this game. 

  {D:1300}{S:f3g3}

  {D:900}{H2:g6}{D:600}{H2:g3}{D:700}{A:Dg3g7}{D:500}{H:g7}{D:200}

  {D:3000}{C}{R}{G:WQg6}{S:g6g7}{H:f8g8h8f7h7}{A:Gg3g7}

  {W:j35c17}{W:sil1000}{W:sil1000}{J}

$f3g3;Good job! 

Here it's all over after rook G3. The queen and the rook are piled up on that G7 pawn, which will be check mate. Black can't defend, and white will win this game. 

  {W:goodjob}{W:sil500}

  {D:2200}{H2:g6}{D:600}{H2:g3}{D:700}{A:Dg3g7}{D:500}{H:g7}{D:200}

  {D:3000}{C}{R}{G:WQg6}{S:g6g7}{H:f8g8h8f7h7}{A:Gg3g7}

  {W:j35c17}{W:sil1000}{W:sil1000}{J};

$c That's not quite right.{W:notquiteright}{RETRY};

Look for a way to pile up on a pinned piece.}

]

11.

[So here you saw a number of strategic and tactical devices flowing together. We used forks, removing the defender, occupying a weak square. We threatened to pile up on the D file, and ultimately we shifted to a king's side attack based upon the principle of two weaknesses. This is what chess is all about. 

  Understanding weak squares and creating outposts are critical to your game. There will be exercises later on in the Mastery Quiz. So if you're unsure about anything about anything in this section, you might want to review it again before moving on. We just covered a lot of ground.

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/5N2/PP4PP/3R1R1K}

{D:500}{S:f3d2}

{D:500}{G:WNd2}{S:d2e4}

{D:500}{S:e4d6}

{D:500}{H:b7c8e8}{A:Cd6b7}{A:Cd6c8}{A:Cd6e8}

{D:1500}{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}

 {H2:e4}{A:Td2e4}

{D:1000}{G:BPd7}{S:d7d5}{A:Dd5e4}

{D:1500}{C}{R}{S:e5d6}

{D:100}{X:d5}{S:d6e5}{P:BPd5}{S:d5d7}

{B:r1bqk2r/1p1p2p1/p3p2p/4P3/3Q1P2/8/PP1N2PP/3R1R1K}

{S:d2e4}{D:300}{S:e4d6}{D:300}

{D:2400}{H2:c1c2c3c4c5c6c7c8}

{D:2500}{C}

{D:500}{H:c8}{A:Dd6c8}{A:Ta8c8}

{D:1500}{S:d1c1}{A:Dc1c8}{H2:c1c2c3c4c5c6c7}

{D:1400}{C}{R}

{W:j35c18}{W:sil500}{W:j35c19}

]

