July Workshop - Improve Your Play in Closed Positions
Introduction and Free Preview
The workshop dedicated to closed positions is already a digital product. This product includes all the videos from the workshop as well as the PGN file related to the training sessions. Overall, the material consists of approximately 7 hours of video and a PGN database which includes 60 files!
You will find the following lectures:
Long-Term Planning in Closed Endgames - GM Grigor Grigorov
Tactical and Positional Sacrifices in Closed Positions - GM Boris Avrukh
Attacks on Opposite Wings in Closed Positions - GM Mihail Marin
Prophylaxis and Schematic Thinking in Closed Positions - GM Petar Arnaudov
In this article, we will briefly present some interesting moments taken from the lectures.
Long-Term Planning in Closed Endgames - GM Grigor Grigorov
In this lecture, GM Grigor Grigorov explains the different winning strategies in closed endgames. In the introduction to the lecture, he states, "The understanding of the closed endgames is very important for your general chess understanding. One cannot easily analyze this kind of endgames. Even computers often fail to understand the subtleties of these positions. The reason is that the general understanding, as well as the ability to think in schemes, are more important than the calculation of forced lines. There are two main ways to win in a closed endgame - create connected passed pawn (or just a strong passed pawn) by sacrificing material or invade the camp of your opponent with pieces. We can say that all the long-term plans in closed endgames are based on one of these two ideas. In order to achieve these long-term goals, we should use many short-term tools. In closed endgames, such tools are schematic thinking, prophylactic thinking, manoeuvre, exchange, pawn break, the principle of the weaknesses, and fixing the weaknesses of our opponent."
Free Video Fragment
Game 1
Tactical and Positional Sacrifices in Closed Positions - GM Boris Avrukh
The ability to carry out the right sacrifice (positional or tactical) is critical for the improvement of your play in closed positions.
In the PGN version of his lecture, Avrukh introduces the topic in the following way:
Many of my young students do not feel comfortable when playing closed positions. The explanation is logical. The precise handling of these positions is based on deep understanding which comes with the experience. One cannot master closed positions only by working with the computer.
In my lecture, I will deal with the tactical and positional sacrifices in closed positions. Before diving into the examples, we need to answer a relatively simple question: Why we sacrifice material in closed positions?
There three main types of sacrifices in closed structures:
1) sacrifice a piece, an exchange or a pawn in order to open files, diagonals and squares for our pieces
2) sacrifice a piece, an exchange or a pawn in order to create connected passed pawns
3) sacrifice a piece, an exchange or a pawn in order to destroy the shelter of our opponent's king.
In the examples, we are going to witness all these three types of sacrifices.
Additionally, since closed structures might arise out of many openings, my examples feature different opening lines.
Free Video Fragment
Test Position
How should White handle this position?
Attacks on Opposite Wings in Closed Positions - GM Mihail Marin
Very often when the centre is closed, one of the sides has a space advantage on the kingside and the other on the queenside.
According to Mihail Marin, there are 3 important factors to have in mind when we have an attack on opposite wings:
1) Speed - Of course it is crucial who will succeed first with his attack
2) Space - In this case, we refer to the number of available verticals that each side has at his disposal
3) King's position - The rule here is that it is much easier to attack on the side where your opponent king is. This is also a psychological factor - it is always more difficult to defend than to attack.
Free Video Fragment
Test Position
How should White defend this position?
Prophylaxis and Schematic Thinking in Closed Positions - GM Petar Arnaudov
In the current lecture, GM Petar Arnaudov refers to probably the most important abilities that one needs when playing a closed position - prophylactic and schematic thinking.
In the PGN version of his lecture, GM Arnaudov makes the following introduction to the topic:
I will try to give you a short explanation of what prophylactic thinking means: This is the ability to recognize and prevent your opponent's plans, maneuvres, and ideas. Schematic thinking is the ability to visualize where the pieces belong and how they could work optimally together. There are a few important concepts that you will see in those examples:
1. When the centre is closed we should try to gain a space advantage on the wing.
2. We should play on the wing where we have a space advantage
3. When we get space advantage on one wing, we should try to close the other one to avoid any counterplay of the opponent.
4. We should always look for our opponent's plan and try to prevent it
5. When our opponent has no counterplay, we should not hurry but simply improve our position to maximum trying to find the best squares for our pieces (schematic thinking) and open the position.
6. When our opponent has a weakness (a few weaknesses) we should think how we can regroup our pieces and attack them.
Free Video Fragment
Game 1