Weak Squares and Outposts | Chess Middlegames
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- Опубліковано 26 вер 2024
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Identifying and utilizing weak squares in your opponent’s position and safeguarding the weak squares and potential outposts in your own is crucial for winning in chess.
I have chosen this topic for the first video in the series on middlegames because I think that most players miss out on this huge part of chess critical thinking.
What differentiates strong players from the weak is that the strong players, and grandmasters in particular, tend to identify weak squares and concentrate on either weakening them further by removing their defender, or increasing the pressure on the squares, hence gaining a huge positional advantage.
A single weakness could mean the difference between victory and defeat, and potential outposts, how to spot and use them is an essential skill in every chess player’s repertoire.
The first stage in utilizing a weakness in your opponent’s camp is thinking about how squares could potentially become weak. Secondly, you have to imagine squares being undefended; if a pawn weren’t on the board, and the square becomes weak, is it a strong outpost? If a piece is off the board, will I be able to use a particular square? Which of my pieces would like to occupy which square?
Questions like these might seem redundant, but you’d be surprised how many players miss out on huge positional possibilities simply because they fail to ask themselves these questions.
Critical thinking and talking to yourself will help you find potential targets. After you have found them, you have to think of ways to use them.
In the four examples I used in the video, you can see how strong grandmasters started to think of certain squares as holes in the position, devised a plan of how to exploit them, and went on to occupy them with (varying) success.
Training and studying can be hard, and positional and strategical training can be especially exhausting. This method, of studying a position and scanning it for weak squares is one of the most effective ways to improve your understanding in the middlegame.
Example games:
Rustam Mashrukovich Kasimdzhanov vs Susanto Megaranto, 2008 Dresden Olympiad
Sergei Azarov vs Bartosz Socko, Ostrava 2009
Spassky vs Fischer, Rejkjavik 1972 (game 13)
Fischer vs Bisguier, 1963/64 US Championship (round 4)
#chess
Sounds so easy because of your great, understandable verbalization of the complex thinking behind ... this is it!
A weakness = a potential outpost, a plan = a possible pawn break ... and so on. Please don't stop explaining chess!
Thank you for the wonderful feedback Walter:)
Again the best chess thumbnails on UA-cam ever ...creative!
:) I appreciate that!
Do you create these yourself ? Or found some help ?
This is an excellent video. Clear presentation, good examples. Digestible concepts.
Happy to hear that Gerhard! Thanks for the feedback.
Very Informative Lecture, before this video i was always looking for pieces, not have any idea about weak squares, i learned a lot by this video. Bravo Sir , Thumbs Up.
I'm glad to help Naveed! Yeah, squares are as important (if not more important) than pieces.
Absolutely amazing! I can't get enough of your videos! You explain Chess so well, you have a gift for coaching! You really do! The way that you reiterate the information is so helpful! As a beginner my brain gets jumbled because so much new information is coming in and then you just do a 5 second recap of what I just learned and I hit an enlightenment! You really are helping improve my Chess so much! I really can't thank you enough! I can't say enough positive and nice things about you! The least I could do is to thank you in a comment! I wish I could donate, you absolutely deserve only the best! Keep being amazing! I'm loving your video pictures, they're so creative and cool! You're the coolest person ever! Thank you!
I have to say your comments always make my day. Thank you! I'm just glad to help and I hope you get to improve along with me, which is why I made the channel in the first place. Cheers!!
@@HangingPawns you are just making my day......stepank
A playlist with 50 videos and my mind is already blown away halfway through the first one. Amazing stuff my friend
I'm a mediocre 1200-1400 player and this channel has been the greatest education I've got. Really appreciate your effort and made me take chess seriously.
How is it going so far?
What's your rating?
you call 1400 mediocre?
@@abdelrhmanragab1620 would love to know as well
@@luisp.3788it is
@@luisp.3788it is mediocre 🙏
Now that I have found this channel, my chess game is about to improve significantly.
Dude. This is an impressive list. Amazing collection of topics. Best structured and comprehensive learning material ever. Big thank you
Superb,thank you.Hvala majstore
Nema problema!
I’ve played you on lichess quite a few times and although I watch all your videos you still win every time :(
Haha:D Sorry for that mate. Blitz isn't really chess though. You should watch the ginger gm or someone else to improve blitz
True enough. I beat folks at 20 points ahead in Blitz. This is weaker than 10 minute play. Funk dat.
Great intro, Stjepan! Fantastic!
Vesna Ćuro-Tomić A very proud mum?
Thank you my favorite viewer:) Hvala mama!
@@tsonus And the best mum:)
Hanging Pawns Of course! 💖
@@tsonus yes, Pink Waters, that is correct! :)
Absolute gold information and delivery for the ones dedicated to learn more. Thanks
Love your style and way of explaining. Best thumbnails for any chess channel.
I freaked out when that cable car thing went by, was watching the board before and took a moment to process what was going on and realise there wasn't a blue monster outside your window
Hvala za sve na ovom kanalu.
I was in a position similar to your first example, I didn't really see how getting to that square would benefit me. But as soon as that happened, i saw my opponents defense impaired as my pieces took over. A brilliant video, a brilliant channel. Please keep it coming.
I really like the concept of thematic ideas like "finding and utilising weak squares" together with ACTIONABLE information: instead of saying "look for weak squares", we learn exactly what a weak square is by a definition that even beginners can understand and use. 👍🏻
Love the intro❤️
Thanks mate:)
You're one of the VERY BEST chess channels on UA-cam.
Looked down for a moment to make a note.. looked back up and thought the movie INCEPTION was happening outside your window 4:05
it's the Zagreb's funicular
I love the way you teach, it makes chess a beautiful and interesting game to learn. Also, very creative thumbnails! Keep up the excellent work, Stjepan!
Taking a complex issue and making it easy for us novices to understand. Thank you and keep them coming!!
your video changed the way i think, i just played a game after watching the video, my opponent was only trying to attack my bones, i was trying to have a good position for my night and bishop, the game ended with me wining with a Checkmate , so, thank you very much
Clear, straight to-the-point lessons. Thank you❤️
everything in this video is appealing!! thumbnail, content, presentation examples - Everything!! Amazing
You have by far the best chess lecture videos on youtube. I gotta add you to my watchlist with agadmator/suren!
Thank you Ben:)
Think about weak squares: squares that can't be defended by a pawn - Imagine what you want to do with their weakness: usually the best piece to put is the knight (even more in close positions); before you have to identify and remove the main defender; you can create a weakness by spotting potential weakness and provoking the opponent, making the weakness real. (Think everytime of potential outpost.)
Wow - great video - thanks!
I like this video a lot. I would like to see some more videos where you show how to exploit weaknesses. How to convert the weakness in an advantage that is the most difficult thing for me in chess.
Bro, excellent video, really, I love this Middlegames concepts. Thank you very much for doing this.
Priceless video series. Thanks
You are amazing human ، a great chess player also
Thanks for everything you are putting in the channel, it's one of the best chess channels, maybe it's the best.
Another invaluable video! Thanks a lot, Stjepan. So just to make sure I've got this right: a weak square in my opponent's position would be a square that can not be controlled by any of their pawns anymore, but I myself am (or have the possibility of) controlling it with one of my pawns, right?
Basically, yes. Those two things in conjunction make for a weakness or a potential outpost. And no problem:)
Very useful for me thank you
Great explanation!
Hands down the best chess channel. Keep it up!!!
Wow how great is this video.... just added 200 points to my chess.com IQ
Excellent video on middle game strategy. Thank you.
Thank you, very useful video
AMAZING vid, helped me learn so much!
Excelent channel, I only can thank you for your hard work here.
Excellent video, one of the best I've come across. Thank you!
Thank you
Best chess instruction on the internet. Thank you, sir.
All of your videos are excellent! Really well made and informative. You’re appreciated a lot, keep up the great work!
GREAT VID thank you so much
All of your videos are excellent! Thank you!!
Really amazing lesson. I've just found this youtube channel and will try to get what I can have here at most. Thank you!
Very good Stjepan
Thanks:)
Problem for me is, whenever i go for a nice little square planting my knight ontop of i don't know, connect 4, with a bishop staring at the square, at my elo people would just take the damn knight immediately, so i lose a majorly strong piece for a passive bishop, even if it's a bad move, i wouldn't see how that little trade would benefit me like 10 or 20 moves ahead cause i can only evaluate about 3-5 moves ahead
Fantastic. Thank you!
Really good analysis. Subbed!
You're such a great teacher, keep it up,it's impressive
Absoulutely love it! Great explanation of the key concept.
Thank you Kamil!
Thank you so much! Your videos are very helpful for a newbie like me.
Nice man. can you make a series on queens gambit later or maybe on some response to d4. thanks in regards/ Alfred
I will make a series on the Queen's Gambit. It's coming up in the d4 part of the opening series. My guess would be sometime in April:)
Another classic! So interesting! Thank you!
No problem Brian! I'm glad you think it's interesting:)
Thanks for the great lesson, I realy appreciate it !
I really like the way that you're helping us to be good chess player
Excellent stuff as always. Thank you. Also loved the intro.
keep up those good videos! i am thankfull for your time put in it!
Chess is extremely tough 😪 but I love it. Thanks for the lesson.
Very informative and well explained👍🏽
22:22 why does it have to be gxf4 here, why can't the bishop on e3 take then it would be an equal game and can prevent the knight from coming to the outpost.
Seconded, am quite confused
Easy, taking the horse is the problem. Not how to take it. Because the queen would be attacked regardless and the g-file would be open.
Thank u
Np!
Thanks for the video
greetings from India. so much talent is lost in the rat race of this world. if more people found ways to make a living while doing what they love, world would be a better place for everyone. I have great appreciation for ur content and even greater appreciation for ur choice to produce it. I hope u get what u seek through this endeavor. godspeed
I do not even play Chess, but I subscribed. Excellent teaching.
Haha, thank you:) That really means a lot!
Thanks Hanging pawns, a great concept. May I suggest, if you have time😁 proposing a situation with a weak square and the answer the next day ? (So we can lose some sleep over it...)
Great idea!
Hey Rachel! Thanks for the input. I have thought about a concept like that already. I think I'm gonna start posting problems in the community tab. They will always revolve around the topic of that day's video. Thanks again:)
Problem in the community tab:) Thanks for the suggestion again!
I'd really like your take on ´incentive´ I am a really aggressive chess player, Smith Morra Gambit/ Tennison Gambit/Kings Gambit/ Latvian gambit, basically ANY gambit. I find it so fun and dynamic. However sometimes I run out of gas because I attack too soon vs preparation. A video on recognition vs incentive would be amazing
Very informative.
Thanks sir.
Thank you for educating us!
You deserve a 🏅 thank you
Beautiful video. It does make me wonder though how often Fischer used the plan of tempting with a great outpost defended by only one pawn, and then trading off to give the opponent a passed pawn that might become a weakness that could later be rounded up!
You are such a great chess teacher, thanks for this tutorial!
I'm learning so much from your videos. Thanks.
Glad to hear that! Thank you!
Thank you so much sir for your valuable videos.. Some of the best chess videos i have ever seen. The examples are appropriate and your way of teaching is so great. Thanks for all the hard work. Love from India..
Great video!!!
thx for the class
Very good job! I understand this concept thanks Your lecture. Thanks a lot.
All the best.
I think you need to work on your chess keywords for the UA-cam search algorithm. I have been watching many chess videos for a long time and barely came upon your channel. Your content beats most other channels BY FAR. You deserve so many more viewers. Please keep up the good work
Awesome concepts explained easily
Thanks a lot Jishnu!
Very good video..thanks
Excellent presentation, and well spoken! If you could slow down a bit, it would make it better. Subscribed!
Thank you so much for this ❤
After watching this video, I'll become a better chess player. I'll never forgot this lesson. It is so useful, easy to watch and to understand. I can only give you one blue thumb up, but with thousands of thanks !
Very Nice explanation ❤ ❤ ❤
I looked at some of the other videos on UA-cam regarding weak squares that tried to explain what weak squares were and I was completely lost until I came here! What did I learn? A weak square is a square attacked by a pawn unless it is defended by pawn. 2. Good players focus on squares rather than material 3. Get your knight to an outpost.
What I still need to know/ would like to know is:
Is there a limited amount of particular formations containing pieces and pawns that have weak squares that would necessitate a particular strategy for example: In the Carlson formation attack c6 with the knight and bishop and the opponents rook won't be able to prevent the outpost, however in the Nakamura formation with the enemy Queen and Rook here start by attacking the h7 pawn with the knight and then the Queen and the Bishop wont be able to challenge the outpost here.
Also some mistakes have been shown and some preventative strategies have been shown briefly. Can I see some more examples? Perhaps some videos on pawn structural weaknesses to avoid that would result in outposts being created? How do we use outposts? For checkmating attacks? How are these done? Forks? What developmental problems do outposts create for the opponent and how are those weaknesses that are created by those developmental problems exploited? What specific attacking tactics should be employed in this regard?
Also if we fall into the trap of letting our opponent establish an outpost how do we defend against the checkmating attacks created by outposts, defend against forks? How do we effectively develop our pieces while our opponent has an outpost in our territory without creating too many new weaknesses? In addition, how do we effectively address weaknesses that already have been created by the outpost?
Can we also see some videos on how other pieces such as the Bishop which you mentioned briefly is used as an outpost? Can other pieces such as the Rook or Queen be used to create an outpost? What position necessitates an outpost of a particular piece over the other e.g. a knight over a bishop? Also what kind of developmental structures does an outpost by the each of the different pieces necessitate in our opponent's development and what weaknesses do they create and what specific tactics do they necessitate to exploit?
Wow, I just discovered your channel. It seems you have great content. Subscribed!
You made an signboard to win the middle game..
Thanks..
Many thanks for a very interesting video.
Wonderful explanation, I like your dedication to explain in detail.many youtubers don't explain that deep concept.You are the best.hope you continue to teach chess for free after becoming grand master.best of luck for your journey
Thanks!
Whoa
Thank you! Excuse the late reply!
Very good!
Very valuable lesson! Great Job Bro!
i think in next video you should tell us
How to create Weakness in Opponent Camp
amazing thanks for posting
Incredible 😍
:) Thank you!
thank you for this video ..learned a lot .
I'm glad you have Silkam! No problem!