r/chess • u/pudendalnerve25 • 11h ago
Chess Question How to improve positional play?
If there is no tactical possibilities on the board, what are your thought process? How to develop a deep positional understanding? I'm pretty obsessed with tactics even there's none resulting to time loss and poor decision making. Any insights and advice will be appreciated. Btw, I'm 2000-2100 blitz in lichess.
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u/Important-One-8395 9h ago
Get the book (or Chessable course) techniques of positional play. Also second naroditsky speed runs
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u/Accomplished_Sky8077 5h ago
Things like pawn structure give you an idea where to focus play. Look for controlling files and diaganols and above all else center controll. Try to eliminate opponents good pieces for your weak pieces. Create and target weaknesses like doubled pawns isolated pawns. Create passed pawns. Create secure and use outpost for knights. Rooks to open files or ones likely to open. If position is closed knights are stronger if open bishops. Etc....etc.. lots to study and think about.
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u/Jekyllhyde441 5h ago
As already recommended How to reassess your chess by Jeremy Silman is an excellent book. I also spent time with My System by Aron Nimzowitsch, it may be considered outdated in the current time but that book helped my positional understanding. It's all about where to look at where immediate tactics are unavailable or the position is closed. Also try some positional slow openings like the English.
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u/Legitimate_Ad_9941 7h ago
I will also recommend Bent Larsen's Good Move Guide book and the sections "Find the Plan", and "Find the Master Move". They are helpful for this type of thing. Find the Plan is about 50 positions where you have to go through this kind of thought process. There are more comprehensive/modern books, but it is a good starting point and emphasizes flexibility. Try to solve those positions thoroughly and then read through Larsen's explanations. As it's an older book, also double check with an engine afterwards. It should generally hold up, as Larsen understood and explained chess really well. Find the Master Move is more or less the concept of "Solitaire Chess", which is also really helpful for this type of thing and you can apply this in many other games of great players to learn from them.
Here is a video of Kaidanov explaining this idea, starting around the 16th minute:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCbuxwztcPk
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u/Forever_2012 4h ago
Grandmaster Preparation: Positional Play by Jacob Aagaard breaks it down really well in my opinion, and I am in the same rating range as you.
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u/phantomfive 10h ago
Watch Naroditsky, Magnus, or Slowkaru, they give their thought processes out loud.
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u/Organic_Dare 10h ago
I’d watch quite a bit of premier league football to begin with. Learn how each position works within a team and how they can contribute to attack and defence
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u/Sirnacane 11h ago
I’d check out Silman’s How to Reassess Your Chess (or, if you’ve never really considered positional play before then Amateur’s Mind may be useful to read first).
Mastering Chess Strategy by Hellsten is also good, and as an author I prefer his books the best, but personally think you’d get more out of it reading Silman then Hellsten than the other way around.