Positional Chess Puzzles

[@raajeshchess]

When i start learning new opening which i know nothing about am i suppose to first look up model games and then delve deeper into specific lines or visa versa. Please reply. Also how to decide on a perfect model game

[@benedictineonchessable]

Hi, it's a little bit of both to be honest. As you look at a new opening you want to be getting a very general overview of plans and ideas and then later you can dig deeper if you feel it suits you. There's no point in spending ages looking at specific lines if the opening just doesn't suit your tastes and style. I would quickly look at some of the main lines and read the general set up and plans. For example if I looked at the Sicilian Dragon and read about how aggressive and cut throat it can be that might not suit someone who favours slower positional chess. The other way with a Colle system for example. In terms of how you might go about choosing model games. What you ideally what are games that are short and memorable or express the opening's main themes. For me, I play the d3 Ruy and a model game for that would be a game showing how the knight on f5 helps support a short king side attack. I would find a brilliant game or games which do that. I wouldn't choose a d3 Ruy game that was unusual even if it was brilliant, it would have to cover the most typical themes and plans in that particular opening. How do you know what the typical plans are if you are just starting? Well, you can read about them and also quickly flick over dozens or even 100s to sample the typical plans and ideas. Good question that. I might do a video on the topic. Thanks.

[@raajeshchess]

@@benedictineonchessable what is the recommended length of short game is that 17 moves or 20 moves or 30?

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@raajeshchess It will depend on the opening. Some openings lead into the endgame more like Caro Kann for example so model games might have more moves in different opening as long as they have the key themes that's all that really matters. You can even change the games via the engine if the games could have been won cleaner.

[@raajeshchess]

@@benedictineonchessable Yeah for opening like Catalan or Kalashnikov Sicilian this both opening are quite positional in nature how to choose model games for them as sometimes games could go beyond 30 moves. Also to identify themes I am i supposed to play attention to moves which are played repeatedly right?

[@benedictineonchessable]

@@raajeshchess Yes, finding the repeated moves played is what you are looking for. I'm just doing a video on this question. I will post it here shortly. Or if you sub with the bell you will get a notification. Thanks again for the question I bet a lot of people will want to know this.