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That's the million dollar question. The only planning technique I know is that of Silman, but I find it difficult to actually put into practice, especially because I tend to think that individual positions are sharper than they actually are, and I rarely think that I have a "free move" that I don't have to react.

chessnovice

4/12/2008
20:28:02
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read

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Find a good tactics book, set up a chess board, and follow along until you have a confident understanding of what the book says.

Planning is multifaceted and requires time and practice to do appropriately. Spending quality time with a quality chess book will teach you a great deal.

sf115

4/13/2008
07:24:26
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what's the "Silman technique"?

what type of books?

ionadowman

4/13/2008
13:49:44
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Try this...

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... get hold of Neil McDonald's "Chess Success: planning after the opening".

My own take on this? Planning can be long range or short range (and, I guess, all the "mediums" in between). They can be general, looking to the general shape of where you want to be, to specific, down to actual moves. Executing a 5-move combination (say) is a short-range plan involving specific moves. Steering an endgame towards a particular arrangement or distribution of material might involve a general idea for which you start looking for moves likely to bring the plan to realisation.

If you play a QGD, say, that results in your having a good, active development, but an isolated pawn on d4, that might indicate your planning an attack on your opponent's K that has castled short. In the short term, you might have to plan how pieces are to be arranged in order to launch an effective attack. Meanwhile, your opponent's plan might be to counter in the centre. Going after that isolated pawn might form the central theme of a central counter-action against your flank attack.

In my view, you can't in general plan a whole game from move 1. Your choice of opening might indicate certain plans you have in mind to adopt, but, until the situation becomes clearer, it's not really feasible to settle on any particular plan (except in a very general sort of way). Further to that, there will be times when you have to abandon one plan - even one that is well advanced - and to take up another. So you always have to be flexible about plans. (More than once I've let opportunities slip by being too fixed on a clear cut plan to adapt when the enemy has made a mistake).

Cheers,
Ion

kansaspatzer

4/13/2008
14:31:08
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The Silman technique settles around the idea of imbalances. He lists several imbalances which are basically difference between one player's position and another. He lists bishop vs. knight, material, pawn structure, weak squares, open files, and initiativelead in development, and goes on to say that these imbalances must be nurtured and used so that they are favorable for you, and that whatever plan you have must be based upon turning imbalances into a positive situation.

doctor_knight

4/13/2008
15:15:39
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Silman

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he basically says what every other chess writer on the middle game says. You will find a very similar treatment in Fine's book on the middlegame (though it's in a dry, textbook style and doesn't talk as generally as Silman). Silman is a very good writer, and if his books do it for you, then good. Basically, like chessnovice said, find a quality book and spend quality time with it. I personally like Purdy's writings the best, though he doesn't have any great works specifically on the present topic. Currently, I'm reading (or I'm trying to read) "New Ideas in Chess" by Larry Evans which is a bit old, but covers strategic principles and is quite readable and clear. It has been good so far. Another one is Pachman's "Modern Chess Strategy".

One thing you will learn from Purdy's writings though, is that one of the best ways to get better and to understand how to create a successful plan is to play over well annotated games. In fact, many of these books mentioned present a theory or skill and then show it in practice through annotated games. Especially master-level annotated games. It's just like music: if you want to write good music yourself, you have to study good music that other people have written. In order to get good at planning, you need to study the plans of the masters. (though of course, you need a basic strategy book first to learn all the strategical themes. Just like calculus: you need someone to teach you calculus, and THEN you need to practice it which is actually the reason why many calculus professors and programs are so bad; they just go straight to practicing. You need a roadmap to make sense of where you are, what is actually happening)

I would personally recommend the three volume series of "C.J.S. Purdy's Fine Art of Chess Annotations and Other Writings." Though you'll need a basic strategy book first. And for the basic strategy book, you can still go with a book of annotations: Chernev's "The Most Instructive Games of Chess Ever Played"

wschmidt

4/13/2008
16:58:29
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The Silman books being referred to

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are "How to Reassess Your Chess" and "The How to Reassess Your Chess Workbook". Both are very good and very popular, at least here in the US. However, I agree with ionadowman and dr_knight that reading through books with complete annotated games is a better place to start. McDonald (the most modern of the three), Purdy and Chernev are all excellent. Right now I'm rereading McDonald's "Chess: The Art of Logical Thinking", another excellent collection of his annotations.
*
Basically, Silman selects key portions of many games and annotates them using the framework of imbalances kansaspatzer described above. It's very effective, but I wouldn't recommend it as your first foray into middlegame planning.

kansaspatzer

4/13/2008
17:25:34
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I honestly don't know any different way of planning. Silman writes as if his plan is the only possible way of planning and I suppose I've never considered that.

schnarre

4/13/2008
20:32:49
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I tend to have 1-2 replies based on whether my opponent is a Classical or Hypermodern player (playin 1.a3 like I do helps this out--to see how how my opponent plays). My Strategy is pretty simple: I will either defeat whoever it is, or make them earn their draw/victory.
As for books, I've found Fred Reinfeld's, Lasker's, Nimzovich's etc... all have something of value. The big question is then, "What do I feel applies?"

doctor_knight

4/13/2008
21:39:34
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schnarre, that is what I think every chess player in his right mind plans to do: win or put up a good fight. I think the discussion here is more directed towards the planning on the board that helps to accomplish this goal. For example, should I develop my knight to c3 or to d2 (though that is probably a little more on the opening theory side), or should I trade this pawn in order to get an isolated d-pawn position, or do I advance the pawn in order to gain some space and close the position up. Or should I build my heavy pieces up behind this flank pawn and try to sac a knight to break through the enemy pawn structure with the heavy pieces, or should I overprotect and force the opponent to give up concessions. And then how do I carry this out and what move order gets me there (these may not be great examples, but I think they serve the purpose of showing what I think is being discussed)

schnarre

4/14/2008
22:44:44
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Sounds about right to me doctor_knight. Knowing an opponent's playing style can shape how you go about it, however--whether that's the good news or the bad would remain to be seen. Considering each player has their own way of playing each style, it strikes me as a case-by-case basis--begging the question of "Is there one general plan that will suffice?" A number of those here have alluded to Silman's work: great as they are, do they apply to the player in question?

doctor_knight

4/15/2008
00:24:36
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Message:
Yeah. I agree. No one plan is always right in every situation. For example, while advancing to gain space and lock the position may not be the strongest continuation in certain positions, if the opponent is very uncomfortable in constricted positions, it may actually be the best continuation.

I don't think Silman gives a certain plan to always follow; rather he presents a method to help one find a plan. He proposes a thought process to use to come to a plan. Of course this is really a mere guide to get you used to the right way to think about a position. Basically, he gives a method that helps you consider the imbalances of the position.

Many chess authors do this as well, just maybe not so clearly as Silman. However, like you said, Silman's way of thinking or teaching to think may not be for everyone. Purdy also talks a lot about thought process during and between moves and stuff.

Probably the most beneficial thing to do though is play over annotated games and practice yourself. When you are playing casually, you could ask a friend if he/she would like to practice an opening that leads to a particular positional theme like isolated d-pawn or whatever and practice coming up with plans in those positions. Also when playing noncompetitively, be adventurous and double up the opponent's pawns or trade knight for bishop or something and see how the game plays out (and don't forget to record your games for analysis). Start to learn to use these positional themes. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think proper planning is eventually just something that comes by experience.

schnarre

4/15/2008
20:53:20
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Experience is usually the best teacher, mate! A good set of casual games allows one to try a few things in a more comfortable atmosphere before the seriousness of tournament play.

lighttotheright

4/15/2008
21:45:47
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List the openings that you prefer. Find Grandmaster games that illustrated variations you prefer. Let the Grandmasters give you a variety of plans, and then use them in your games. It might also help to see masters play much weaker opposition, so you get a better sense of what else is possible when the best move is not played by your opponent. Databases are extremely helpful in this endeavor.

doctor_knight

4/16/2008
13:41:44
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There is also a book called "Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur" by Max Euwe which has annotated games of masters playing amateurs. I haven't read it though, so I'm not sure how good it is. I might get it though.

sf115

5/12/2008
14:23:48
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I've seen that:

"Chess Master vs. Chess Amateur" by Max Euwe

Neil McDonald's "Chess Success: planning after the opening".

Has anyone read any other good books about plans?

thaumaturgy

5/12/2008
18:11:08
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Out of all the books by Silman on plans, Amateurs Mind is the best. Hands down. How come nobody mentioned this? *ponders* :-)

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