Day 29 - The Outpost - 21 Days To Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld

4/29/2015 Day 29: The Outpost — 21 Days to Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld.
com
Positional Package Day 29: The Outpost
Day 29: The Outpost
57% Positional Training Completed
In the previous lesson we have learned about strong and weak squares on the chess board and also about the
importance of exploiting these squares for gaining some sort of positional edge. Today we will continue this
discussion by introducing the concept of the outpost.
Outpost is a strong square where a piece cannot be attacked by the opponent’s pawns or easily exchanged
off without giving up material.
To understand the difference between outpost and other squares let’s take a look at these two examples:
http://www.thechessworld.com/supercharge/positionalpackage/day29theoutpost/ 1/17
4/29/2015 Day 29: The Outpost — 21 Days to Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld.com
When chess players talk about outposts they usually refer to a knight occupying one of the central squares
on the board. This is a very strong position for the knight because it controls a lot of squares and causes
many difficulties for the other side in terms of spatial advantage, and attacking possibilities.
However, an outpost square can be occupied not just by the knight. There are many examples where a
bishop or a rook occupies a strong square and provides a decisive advantage to ultimately win the game.
What are the advantages of having an outpost?
There are many advantages which are associated with a possession of a strong outpost square. The most
important one is that the piece positioned at outpost square becomes stronger or, in other words, more
valuable.
Often, a knight placed on the 6th rank outpost is worth as much as the rook. If that is the case, your opponent
maybe willing to exchange your strong knight for his rook, giving you a material edge.
An outpost square can be efficiently used by the rook in order to occupy the file or to double up to gain the
full control. A rook positioned on the outpost square cannot be easily removed without giving up a serious
positional advantage, a protected passed pawn.
Take a look at the position 1 below. It is black’s turn to move. Black was able to double the rooks first to gain
a control of an open d-file. However, white has its rook placed on a strong outpost square d5. Next, white
threatens to double the rooks on the d-file and take a full control of the game.
Now black has a difficult choice to make: to exchange the rooks and suffer from a protected passed pawn
(such as shown on diagram 2) or to deal with white’s strong doubled rooks. In any case, white’s position is
better.
Another advantage of an outpost that is usually being underestimated by many amateur chess players is the
enhanced ability to launch an attack. An outpost can be used to obtain a control of a file, reorganize pieces,
or place a strong attacking piece closer to the opponent’s king.
In the following example we will learn how a strong outpost square can be used to win the game:
Let's take a look at the following position that

arises in the game Vilner ‐ Romanovskiy. Evaluate
it using our analysis outline. The most important
things that you should notice are: opposite side
castles, opposite color bishops, open d‐file is
controlled by white, black's pawn structure is
better (strong f4 and d4 squares are controlled by
black). Black to move. What should they play and
what plan should they follow? The main plan for
black should be occupying open d‐file and
exploiting the d4 square. e6 Black is planning
to occupy the d4 outpost with a bishop.
2. d3 White is doubling the rooks. f8
3. hd1 c5 4. e2 d4 Black has
succeeded occupying the d4 square with a
bishop. 5. b1 White's king stays away from
weak black squares. They decide to play passive
What have we learned from this game?
1. It is important to learn identifying a strong outpost squares and to be able to occupy them with a correct
piece. In this game Romanovskiy found a strong outpost square d4 and occupied it with a correct piece –
the bishop. Since he was behind in the fight for occupying the open d-file, he closes the file with a
bishop and shifts his attention to another file where he has an edge. It would’ve been a positional
mistake to try occupying the d-file with a rook.
2. If you need to relocate your pieces it is best to do it with tempo (i.e. attacking unprotected pieces or
pawns to save time).
3. Before you open up another file, you should improve the position of your own pieces as much as
possible (if the time permits and your opponent has no clear counter play). That advice is true for many
positional type of position and not so much for the tactical ones.
4. By attacking the target (i.e. weak pawn) with your pieces, not only will you get a clear middle game plan
but also a more efficient coordination. That temporary activity advantage can be used to build up a
momentum for a strong attack on the opponent’s king.
Tactics Lab: Homework 29

Instructions:
Here is your practical (tactical) exercises. Solving these problems is a very important part of the program on your
way to improve your game. Try solving them by looking on the diagram. If that is hard you can setup pieces on the
board and attempt again. Solutions are given at the end. Check them only after your complete/attempt all problems.
#164. Black to move and win
#165. White to move and win
Hide Solution
Barcza vs. Tal
1... d8 ! 2. e3
2. g3 xd2 3. xd2 b4+ 4. c3

xe4 5. e1 d5+ 6. e3 e6+
7. d2 xa2+ 8. e3 e6+
2... xc2 3. f1 d1+ 4. xd1 xd1+

5. e1 d3+ 6. e2 xe2#
Endgame Lab: Position 29
Instructions:
Here is your practical (tactical) exercises. Solving these problems is a very important part of the program on your
way to improve your game. Try solving them by looking on the diagram. If that is hard you can setup pieces on the
board and attempt again. Solutions are given at the end. Check them only after your complete/attempt all problems.
White to move and draw
Hide Solution
In this position it seems like the white's position

is hopeless. He is 2 pawns down and if he
captures on g7 he cannot stop other pawns.
1. g6 However, it is not as simple as it looks.
White can use the combination of threats to
capture the pawns with a promotion threat of his
own pawn to draw the game. b6
If black pushes the pawn right away 1...f5

2. xg7 black has time to retake on g7
and then use the technique of approaching
two targets at the same time. f4 3. f6
f3 4. e6 f2 5. c7 =
2. xg7 f5 White uses the long diagonal to

chase the f‐pawn and at the same time to get
closer to support his own pawn. 3. f6 f4
4. e5 f3 5. d6 White secured safe
Endgame Trainer
Instructions:
Practice the following endgame position against the computer until you are confident that you can play it
correctly in actual game. Take your time and go through the exercise more than once if needed to fully understand
the material. If you have any difficulties please refer to the lesson above.
Hide Practice Position: Day 29
White to move and draw:
Great Job! That's it for today. You can move to the next lesson!
Next Lesson
Copyright 2015 21- Days to Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld com . - All Rights Reserved

Day 29 - The Outpost - 21 Days To Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld

Încărcat de

Informații document

Titlu original

Drepturi de autor

Formate disponibile

Partajați acest document

Partajați sau inserați document

Opțiuni de partajare

Vi se pare util acest document?

Este necorespunzător acest conținut?

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

Day 29 - The Outpost - 21 Days To Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld

Încărcat de

Drepturi de autor:

Formate disponibile

4/29/2015 Day 29: The Outpost — 21 Days to Supercharge Your Chess by TheChessWorld.

Positional Package Day 29: The Outpost

What are the advantages of having an outpost?

Let's take a look at the following position that

What have we learned from this game?

pawns to save time).

Tactics Lab: Homework 29

#164. Black to move and win

#165. White to move and win

#166. White to move and win

#167. White to move and win

#168. White to move and win

#169. White to move and win

2. g3 xd2 3. xd2 b4+ 4. c3

2... xc2 3. f1 d1+ 4. xd1 xd1+

White to move and draw

In this position it seems like the white's position

If black pushes the pawn right away 1...f5

2. xg7 f5 White uses the long diagonal to

Hide Practice Position: Day 29

White to move and draw:

S-ar putea să vă placă și