Evaluation and Plan (9h Running Time) 

Evaluation and Plan

Introduction and Free Preview

The camp Evaluation and Plan is already a digital product. This product includes all the videos from the camp as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of approximately 9 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 119 files!

You will find the following lectures:

Typical Evaluation Mistakes - GM Petar Arnaudov

Evaluating Exchange Operations - GM Dejan Bojkov

Finding the Right Plan - GM Grigor Grigorov

Schematic Thinking - The Art of Long-Term Planning - GM Mihail Marin

Dynamic and Static Play - GM Ivan Sokolov

Decision Making in Critical Positions - GM Ioannis Papaioannou

Q&A Session with GM Grigor Grigorov and GM Petar Arnaudov

In this article, we will briefly present some interesting moments taken from the lectures

Typical Evaluation Mistakes

In this lecture, GM Petar Arnaudov examines the most typical evaluation mistakes that you should know. As you will see very well in this lecture, the wrong evaluation of the position might provoke a lot of mistakes. Even though it's very difficult for anyone to provide 100% valid rules of thumb, GM Arnaudov manages to present the topic in a very systematic way.

The PGN version of the lecture consists of 15 annotated model games and 10 test positions. Below, you shall see one of the model games.

Evaluating Exchange Operations

Exchanges are one of the most important positional elements in chess. Therefore, the right evaluation of the different exchange operations is one of the most crucial skills in chess. There are many players who manage to calculate long sequences including multiple exchanges. At the end of the day, however, they fail to come up with the right evaluation. 

In this lecture, GM Dejan Bojkov will be talking about the basic principles that you should have in mind when evaluating a certain exchange operation.

Below, you shall take a look at one of the model games.

Finding the Right Plan

It goes without saying that chess the plan is one of the most important elements in chess.

In the introduction to the current lecture, GM Grigor Grigorov states:

Building the right plan is one of the most essential elements in chess. Everyone knows the old saying stating that having a bad plan is better than having no plan at all. In this lecture, I will try to share my knowledge related to planning in chess. First of all, we should understand when the long-term plan is actually needed. Usually, we make plans in static positions. In dynamic positions with many hanging pieces, one should rather concentrate on calculating variations. One position is static when the long-term elements (pawn structure, space, etc) are more important for the evaluation of the position. Every plan consists of the following positional operations

1) exchange

2) manoeuvre

3) pawn break

Each one of these three operations is designed to fulfil a short-term goal which is part of the global plan.

Below, you can take a look at one of the model games

Schematic Thinking - The Art of Long-Term Planning

In order to progress in chess, you should be able to build bridges between the different phases of the game. Hence, when preparing your openings, try to understand how to handle the typical middlegames and endgames. In this way, you will improve your opening knowledge as well. Obviously, only long-term planning will allow us to connect the dots.

In this lecture, GM Mihail Marin provides 5 extensively annotated classical games. Each one of these games features deep long-term plans. 

Below, you shall see one of the games.

Dynamic and Static Play 

Dynamic and static decision-making is a topic that you obviously need to study when you advance in chess. When you are thinking about your next move, it's very important to understand whether dynamic or static factors are more important. Top-level grandmasters can feel all these aspects even without thinking about them on purpose. 

In this lecture, GM Ivan Sokolov provides 7 model games, featuring dynamic and static decision-making.

Below, you shall take a look at a position taken from the lecture.

How should Black handle this position?

Decision Making in Critical Positions 

Identifying the critical moment in the game is one of the most important skills for every player. This problem is closely related to time management. As a rule, one should invest a lot of time when making a decision in a critical position. 

According to GM Papaioannou, a critical position arises when our next move will dramatically change the character of the game. For example, if you should make a decision about the pawn structure or exchange, this is a critical moment. Sometimes, the critical moment might arise right from the opening. For example, when your opponent surprises you, you should immediately make an important decision.  Even though your opponent might know the position very well, for you, this would be a critical moment. Your decision will impact the future course of the game.

Try to make the right decision in the following critical position.

Black to move