Strategies Vol. 4 for Android

11 things about Strategies Vol. 4

1. “Hanging pawns in the centre” structures are difficult to master because a good feeling for the “transformation timing” is needed! Sometimes those “transformations” are pawn-break related, unleashing dynamic power; while sometimes they are related to taking space and not being bothered about surrendering central squares.

2. In this video course I have picked up isolated pawn structures coming from the classical Tarrasch defence D34; for which a considerable part was inspired by the games of Garry Kasparov.

3. I believe studying the classical Tarrasch isolated pawn structures (and related pawn structures) to be an excellent way to improve understanding of those types of positions.

4. Choosing my games selection, I wanted to show typical plans for both sides based on high level instructive games.

5. I have tried to show typical plans aiming to improve the viewer’s knowledge, and also practical play level.

6. While it is difficult to give exact set of rules here, typical ideas do repeat themselves and I have tried to show these in this video course.

7. Isolated pawn structures can obviously come from many different openings.

8. Dynamic timing is everything! Most of the time, temporary pawn sacrifices are an essential part of this “dynamic timing”.

9. Sicilian Rauzer double f-pawn structures are fashionable nowadays and are seen at all levels.

10. Hanging pawns in the centre can come from different (though usually 1.d4 systems) openings.

11. Ivan Sokolov is a Dutch chess Grandmaster and author of popular chess books.