Stratégie d'échecs: Comment battre facilement les joueurs de club

This lesson, titled "Winning Easily," focuses on the simplest way to secure victory against most club players, rather than discussing a specific opening. The core idea revolves around understanding the typical club player's style and weaknesses. The typical club player primarily possesses two "weapons": the ability to attack and the ability to use tactical combinations. They enjoy attacking because the ultimate goal of chess is checkmate, and they see direct attack as the way to achieve this. While logical, this approach is often primitive. Modern players also have access to numerous tactical exercises online and in books, leading many to develop good tactical vision, which they often apply in their offensive play, making them dangerous in such situations. However, these two elements are the only real strengths of an ordinary club player. This implies significant deficiencies in all other areas of chess. In essence, such players often don't truly understand chess, which is fundamentally a strategic game. They play what could be called an "attack-defense" game. Their thought process often involves a sequence of "I will play this move and attack here; he will have to defend. Then I will play this move and attack there, and he will defend." Their thinking is limited to attack and defense. To overcome such a player, the strategy is simple: remove their weapons, and they will be helpless. The key idea is that when there's no direct attacking move, they don't know what to do. Therefore, your objective is to create a strategic position where your opponent has no immediate attacking options. In such a scenario, they will lack constructive ideas, and you will eventually realize your plan and win easily, often without doing anything particularly special. Many modern players, even intermediate ones and some titled players, lack a true understanding of strategic chess. The lesson then provides examples from games between grandmasters to illustrate this concept, arguing that if this idea works against grandmasters, it will certainly work against typical opponents. In the first example, the game opens with Queen's Pawn Game, Knight F6, C4, leading to a King's Indian Defense. The early moves are standard. Black has several possible plans, such as E5 (played in the game), C5, or even B5 after some preparation. It is logical for Black to castle first, then decide on a plan based on White's moves. Therefore, the move E5 is not ideal for Black. White plays Knight E2, E6, Bishop G5. Black responds with Queen A5, which is identified as a strategic error. Black might have been concerned about the pin on their knight, but this is not a significant issue. Black's Queen A5 also creates a tactical threat: if White isn't careful, Black can play E takes D4, creating a discovered attack on White's Bishop G5. This highlights the club player's tendency to attack when they see an opportunity. However, strategically, Queen A5 is a major mistake. Firstly, in the opening, pieces should be developed, and the queen should not be moved prematurely. Secondly, in the King's Indian Defense, White typically attacks on the queenside. Black's queen on A5 will give White additional tempos for their attack. White plays Queen D2, Knight D7, D5. Black already faces problems due to the misplaced queen, as White threatens to take on C6 and win the pawn on D6. Without a queen on D8, Black has no easy way to protect this pawn and is forced to take on D5, relieving the tension. Black plays E6, which is not ideal as it attacks the pawn on H6 and prevents Black from castling immediately, requiring extra time for development. White's Bishop E3 is well-placed, controlling an important diagonal. Black then plays A6, likely preparing B5 to attack, again demonstrating their sole focus on attacking. Strategically, in the King's Indian Defense, White usually attacks on the queenside. Black pushing pawns there will create weaknesses and open lines for White. A6 is also a waste of time given Black's underdeveloped position, indicating a deep misunderstanding of chess, even by a grandmaster in this instance. White plays Knight G3, H5, Bishop D3, Knight H7. Black's Knight B4 is difficult to justify; it places the knight on the edge of the board. Black might have been trying to prepare F5, but this is absurd given Black's underdeveloped position and weakened kingside. White castles, and Black also castles. White can now execute a classic queenside attack with Rook B1 and B4, gaining a strong initiative. White finds an even more interesting plan by playing A4. If Black plays Knight C5 (as in the game), White can play B4, and after Queen takes B4, A5 traps the queen. White then plays Rook B1 to win the queen. If Black plays Knight B3, White plays Queen B2, creating a pin, and then Rook A4 or Rook A1 to win. Black eventually resigns. The black player, despite being a grandmaster, fell into the trap of prioritizing tactical attacks over strategic understanding. The second example begins with D4, Knight F6, C4, leading to the Nimzo-Indian Defense. White plays Queen C2. While playable, this move, followed by A3 to gain the two bishops, violates fundamental opening principles of developing pieces. White's subsequent moves, including F3, are mostly pawn and queen moves, indicating a lack of true understanding, despite being "theoretical" moves. Many players simply repeat theoretical moves without comprehending their purpose. Black plays C5, a strategic refutation of White's previous F3. Normally, White would play Knight F3 to protect the pawn, but F3 makes this impossible, forcing White to take on C5. This shows true strategic thinking by Black, exploiting White's dubious move. White then gives up the center, and Bishop G5 leads to a more typical development. Black is ahead in development, but White has the two bishops. If White completes development normally, they will have a slightly better middlegame due to the bishop pair. Black finds an interesting way to restrict White's bishops by playing Queen A5, followed by Knight E2, E4. After F takes E4, the position becomes blocked. White's Bishop D3 becomes passive, and Black aims to bring a knight to E5 to keep the position blocked, neutralizing White's bishops. Black's I4 is not an attack for mate but a strategic plan to restrict the bishops. Black plays Knight G4 to transfer the knight to E5. White plays Bishop F4, controlling E5 and preventing Black's plan. Black plays Bishop E6, developing a piece and eyeing the C4 pawn. White plays Rook D1, a move whose purpose is unclear. White cannot use the D-file, and no one is attacking the D3 bishop. White could have castled or, better, understood Black's strategic plan (occupying E5 to block the position and keep White's bishops passive) and prevented it. White could have played E5, Knight F6, forcing the knight to the edge and away from E5. Then White could push H3 to dislodge the knight, preventing it from reaching E5. After Knight F6, White could protect C4 with Rook C1, and White would be fine, perhaps even slightly better with a doubled pawn providing a slight material advantage. However, White ignores these strategic considerations and plays Rook D1. Black plays F6, realizing their plan. Then H3, Knight E5. Black attacks C4 and D3, gaining a favorable position. White is stuck. After E takes E5, the position is completely blocked, and White's Bishop D3 is rendered passive. White then plays A5, Queen takes E5. C4 is attacked, forcing White to play Rook C1 to protect it, confirming Rook D1 was an error. Black now controls the F-file, and White can no longer castle, which was a simple solution earlier. White's position becomes passive, and Black develops their initiative, winning the game easily. Black did not use any special novelties or deep calculations, but played normal positional moves while White didn't know what to do. The final example shows more theoretical opening moves. White plays H3, preparing bishop development, and Black responds with Rook E8, Bishop E3. Black plays A5. White develops pieces step by step, while Black makes many pawn and rook moves, indicating a dubious strategy. White plays Queen C2, Black plays A4, White plays Rook D1. White continues to bring pieces into play, while Black attempts tactical tricks. Black cannot take the pawn because after Rook D1, Black would play E takes D1, then take the E4 pawn. Black prioritizes tactical tricks over strategic thinking. After Rook D1, Black plays Queen A5, then White plays Rook B1. Black plays E takes D4. The black player likely made these moves without deep thought, simply repeating a known idea by Bronstein. However, Bronstein understood his moves, whereas modern players often repeat them without understanding that E takes D4 gives up the center, which is a strategic error. Generally, the center should be maintained. White plays Knight D4, Knight C5, which provokes White to play B4, which White will certainly do. Black hopes to attack in some way after Queen B4, perhaps attacking the weakness on B3. Again, Black tries to create an attacking position without sufficient strategic reason. White has a central advantage and active pieces, so Black's attacks will not be dangerous. Black uses the queen to block White's pawn, which is a mistake as the queen is a poor blocker and easily attacked. White plays Bishop F4, attacking the D6 pawn, then Bishop D2. Black faces problems due to the misplaced queen. Queen B6, then Bishop E3, with White's bishop again opposing Black's queen. Queen B4. White plays Queen D2, finding another way to disrupt Black's queen. White will play Knight C2, attack the queen, and when it moves, push B4, pushing back all of Black's pieces and gaining a strategically winning position. Black plays Queen B6, but White can now play B4 immediately for a forced win. After Queen D3, White attacks the knight, and after Black deals with it, White plays Knight E6, attacking the queen. After the queen moves, White plays Knight C7, attacking everything and gaining a decisive material advantage. The general conclusion of this lesson is simple: create a strategic position where your opponent has no direct attacking moves and must think strategically. In such a situation, they will not know what to do, and you will win the game easily.