WEBVTT 00:01.020 --> 00:01.840 Hi there. 00:01.860 --> 00:08.820 In this introduction lecture, I want to talk about when is it appropriate to play the attack attacking 00:08.820 --> 00:11.010 chess or tactics instead of positional play? 00:11.010 --> 00:12.990 Where does positional play actually fits in? 00:13.740 --> 00:19.830 Now, there's an interesting, very interesting quotation by Israeli tactics, which is basically tactics 00:19.830 --> 00:25.500 is what to do when there is something to do and strategy is what to do when there is nothing to do. 00:26.340 --> 00:33.000 I don't find this in its raw form particularly useful myself. 00:33.300 --> 00:43.230 And we could actually extend this to basically say, what if we said tactics is what you do when there 00:43.230 --> 00:48.240 is something to do, non controversially, you know, without risk. 00:48.240 --> 00:51.450 So we're factoring in a risk appetite. 00:51.780 --> 00:58.140 What if we said, well, we can't attack right now or play these tactics because there's a slight concern, 00:58.440 --> 01:03.420 for example, in certain variation in they might have some counterplay. 01:03.990 --> 01:06.530 As an example, what if there is a certain backfire? 01:06.540 --> 01:13.380 What if we've got certain pieces that are unprotected and we have an uneasy feeling about them that 01:13.380 --> 01:16.350 the opponent might actually counter sacrifice, for example? 01:16.740 --> 01:24.080 So quite often there's always a potential attack or tactics to make use of. 01:24.090 --> 01:26.490 But we have this notion of backfire. 01:26.490 --> 01:29.910 It could backfire on us if we have liabilities. 01:30.030 --> 01:34.980 You know, the art of war, the good fighters have all put put yourself beyond the feet before going 01:34.980 --> 01:37.200 on to the attack, basically. 01:37.830 --> 01:46.500 So if we change that quotation, for me, it becomes very useful if we talk about the controversy and 01:46.500 --> 01:48.030 the level of risk appetite. 01:49.230 --> 01:50.970 And we might be encouraged. 01:50.970 --> 01:57.660 If we've got a very low risk appetite, we might be encouraged to put a much greater emphasis on improving 01:57.660 --> 01:59.160 the positions first. 01:59.580 --> 02:05.790 And this ties up actually with quotations about positional players that, for example, if Petrosian 02:05.790 --> 02:12.270 starts attacking you or does a sacrifice, you know you're in big trouble because he wouldn't take such 02:12.270 --> 02:12.690 risks. 02:12.690 --> 02:14.970 Basically, he doesn't tolerate risks. 02:14.970 --> 02:20.610 Whilst Mikhail Tal is probably just gambling, you often like to gamble, so would do combinations and 02:20.610 --> 02:21.690 attacks anyway. 02:21.690 --> 02:27.660 So this level of risk appetite is an interesting thing to think about. 02:28.680 --> 02:34.350 And of course, you know the game context, if it's just speed games online and it's going to take the 02:34.350 --> 02:39.600 opponent time to try and accurately defend, then attacks often work anyway without much preparation 02:39.600 --> 02:44.670 or tactics are just going to confuse the opponent and the time pressure comes in. 02:44.670 --> 02:47.190 So, you know, there's also a context there. 02:47.430 --> 02:55.740 But if we think about this in general, this level of risk appetite, then we're making way for the 02:55.740 --> 02:58.290 potential for playing positionally. 02:58.410 --> 03:01.950 And this ties in with another interesting quotation by Nimzowitsch. 03:01.950 --> 03:07.890 You know, do not always be thinking of attack moves that safeguard your position are often far more 03:07.890 --> 03:12.960 prudent, so prudent for looking at the longer term consequences. 03:12.960 --> 03:15.800 And this this more echoes the war principle. 03:15.810 --> 03:18.360 Put yourself beyond the feet before going on to the attack. 03:18.360 --> 03:23.160 So Nimzowitsch has basically said it there in a different form in a way. 03:24.120 --> 03:30.510 And he's also said the threat is, you know, is stronger than the execution, which we could modify 03:30.510 --> 03:31.380 a little bit as well. 03:31.380 --> 03:37.560 The threats maybe of the attack or tactics we could say is often stronger than the execution, especially 03:37.560 --> 03:43.230 if we improve the circumstances for such attacks or tactics slightly. 03:43.230 --> 03:46.800 We tweak the circumstances and they're a little bit more effective. 03:47.490 --> 03:50.130 So it can be in the time it came in the preparation. 03:50.550 --> 03:57.720 So you improve your position better, perhaps specifically in relation to whatever attack or tactics 03:57.720 --> 04:04.440 you're thinking of because you would reveal certain tactical liabilities if you take certain attacking 04:04.440 --> 04:06.510 paths versus others. 04:06.510 --> 04:08.970 And what if you sealed those up first? 04:09.600 --> 04:12.510 So you knew, for example, your back row was going to be weak. 04:12.510 --> 04:17.910 So you play a move to give some air for your king and then you go onto this attack. 04:18.120 --> 04:22.470 And we see that in, you know, in classic games all the time. 04:22.470 --> 04:29.640 Basically, these these slight improvement moves first are a prelude to a thunderstorm style attack. 04:31.230 --> 04:41.010 So we could say that attacks and tactics still crown positional play in general, but positional players, 04:41.010 --> 04:47.280 we could say only celebrate with concrete things when it's very, very low risk do so. 04:47.790 --> 04:54.030 So they're often just happy, in fact, to grind out end games with tiny advantages if we take Casablanca 04:54.030 --> 04:55.200 or Karpov. 04:55.530 --> 04:58.770 But quite often they are blowing away players. 04:58.770 --> 04:59.790 They are brilliant, tactical. 05:00.010 --> 05:05.920 And so it petrosian they're all brilliant tactically, and if the situation arises, they will be happy 05:05.920 --> 05:08.170 to blow the opponent away in the middle game. 05:08.530 --> 05:15.670 Now, a famous comp off game I'd like to show you against Topalov actually has a fine display of tactics. 05:16.570 --> 05:22.510 And this has been called Karpov's immortal because people will absolutely love tactics and combinations. 05:22.510 --> 05:26.500 So it's funny to see Karpov in the role of the attacker here. 05:26.800 --> 05:32.860 So in this position, which stands nicely, we have a nice move 95 to start off with. 05:34.060 --> 05:36.190 So this night wasn't doing too much. 05:36.190 --> 05:41.260 And now because of this pin, well, Black accepts that. 05:41.260 --> 05:49.090 And why is taking the light square bishop which subtly weakens or not so subtly, the light squares 05:49.090 --> 05:50.050 around the board. 05:50.050 --> 05:52.960 Why has this bishop with that counterpart a dangerous weapon? 05:54.340 --> 05:58.000 So this game is analyzed in detail in the course, by the way. 05:58.000 --> 06:01.360 So this is just a light view on it, a light interpretation. 06:01.360 --> 06:09.670 We have Rook eight and now a slightly clever point in here that if Bishop takes six, black has to be 06:09.670 --> 06:12.430 careful and play Rook a seven. 06:13.240 --> 06:16.120 And in this way black's minimizing the damage. 06:16.120 --> 06:16.270 Why? 06:16.270 --> 06:19.390 It might be able to claim a small edge, but nothing more. 06:20.560 --> 06:26.200 The key point here is if Rook c seven, then Queen takes C seven once getting far too much material. 06:26.560 --> 06:32.050 But in any event, Karpov actually bypassed Bishop take C six. 06:32.770 --> 06:36.210 So there's a level of controversy there. 06:36.220 --> 06:42.280 But he found something really emphatic here to do with the light squares of Black's position. 06:42.280 --> 06:44.410 Can you see what it is for 100 points? 06:44.410 --> 06:46.300 So this is positional player. 06:47.010 --> 06:52.110 But the position is ripe here for a very, very low risk attack. 06:52.110 --> 06:56.610 And, you know, combinations and tactics or that mixture of attack and tactics. 06:56.940 --> 06:58.980 So it's a beautiful mixture here. 06:59.280 --> 07:00.870 We have a beautiful move. 07:00.870 --> 07:02.460 So I'm about to reveal. 07:02.820 --> 07:03.630 Okay. 07:05.330 --> 07:12.380 Yeah, a couple played Rook takes E six and actually reflects quite a deep exchange sacrifice. 07:12.380 --> 07:17.810 But it has got attacking implications as well because it is potentially opening up the king. 07:18.740 --> 07:23.720 We have rook a seven if F takes e six, the point would be queen size. 07:23.750 --> 07:24.200 E six. 07:24.200 --> 07:25.400 Check king G seven. 07:25.400 --> 07:29.030 And now as an example, bishop takes C six and why? 07:29.030 --> 07:32.270 It has a huge position here. 07:32.750 --> 07:34.250 The king has been compromised. 07:34.250 --> 07:36.170 The bishop is amazing here. 07:36.980 --> 07:40.640 If Rook C seven, then Queen D five. 07:40.640 --> 07:44.420 And it keeps up this idea of the exchange sacrifice. 07:46.230 --> 07:48.510 So White would have two points for the exchange. 07:48.750 --> 07:49.170 We can. 07:49.170 --> 07:52.050 KING We can evaluate this as really great prospects for. 07:52.050 --> 07:54.570 WHITE So in the game, we have real K seven. 07:56.130 --> 08:00.920 And in fact, now guess what Karpov plays. 08:01.590 --> 08:04.020 He still keen on the exchange sacrifice as a concept. 08:04.020 --> 08:06.930 He plays rook takes g sex check. 08:07.410 --> 08:08.520 Wonderful stuff. 08:08.520 --> 08:16.140 So f takes is played if King F eight Queen H three is nasty frightening credential mate. 08:16.140 --> 08:18.240 And here if fg6. 08:18.240 --> 08:22.770 Queen h h check King of seven Bishop RD five will be checkmate. 08:23.580 --> 08:31.860 Or if King H seven Queen H free check is possible and the King is brought out here and is in big trouble. 08:32.970 --> 08:35.610 So for example there Queen H six Checkmate. 08:36.240 --> 08:42.540 Or if F five, queen size F five check and the tax really strong and this this is all very very nice 08:42.540 --> 08:47.910 and powerful the kings really in big trouble we're restricting now the king fretting queen G ancient 08:47.910 --> 08:56.160 mate and this is just a winning attack because the light squares, the light squared domination actually 08:56.670 --> 09:00.390 means this is a very, very strong attack, which is difficult. 09:00.540 --> 09:02.190 Blacks can end up crumbling. 09:02.760 --> 09:04.320 So, for example, like this. 09:04.650 --> 09:10.710 So yeah, some very interesting variations here, but F takes was played and we're going back to the 09:10.710 --> 09:13.800 main idea of a kind of positional exchange sacrifice. 09:14.040 --> 09:15.720 So, Bishop, take C six. 09:17.520 --> 09:22.770 So if we count the pawns, six pawns, black for two pawns of the exchange we have. 09:22.770 --> 09:26.280 Rook eight What else? 09:26.940 --> 09:29.310 If Queen B six, there's Queen C eight. 09:30.030 --> 09:33.930 So rugby eight and here C takes B five. 09:34.050 --> 09:42.720 Bishop 694 We have Bishop D four, B takes a six, and our Queen B six here. 09:42.720 --> 09:45.480 If rook takes a six, there's a weakness of the last movement. 09:45.480 --> 09:49.980 Then E seven we can use E seven here and now 9g5. 09:49.980 --> 09:53.070 This is a very strong position for white. 09:53.070 --> 09:57.900 For example, here we have authority on the E foe and the attack carries on. 09:58.230 --> 10:02.790 So Queen B six was try and rook D one queen takes a six. 10:02.790 --> 10:06.180 And now more tactics, more pressure. 10:07.230 --> 10:09.180 Can you guess what Karpov plays here? 10:11.850 --> 10:14.040 Another great move. 10:14.040 --> 10:20.860 Rook takes DD for another exchange sac and it opens up the opportunities on the dart squares. 10:20.880 --> 10:24.000 We have rook tanks D4 and now Queen have six check. 10:24.000 --> 10:26.820 So once that bishop's gone, we can plan the dance squares. 10:27.240 --> 10:29.780 Queen takes g sex check we have king for. 10:30.390 --> 10:35.220 If rook g seven here there's 9f6 check and Queen H six. 10:35.220 --> 10:36.690 And this is mating. 10:36.810 --> 10:39.310 So King of eight, Queen eight, check. 10:39.360 --> 10:40.530 King G seven, Queenie. 10:40.530 --> 10:41.370 Five check. 10:41.370 --> 10:48.510 King J nine have six shapes, all running with with tempo Jennings checks, which is important in itself 10:48.510 --> 10:50.250 not to give too much counterplay sometimes. 10:50.250 --> 11:00.420 So Bishop check King F eight if King G seven instead, then 97 disconnects the rook and then we can 11:00.420 --> 11:02.970 play for a checkmate soon. 11:02.970 --> 11:04.260 For example like this. 11:04.290 --> 11:09.660 So King F eight Queen, take C five check why it's got so many pawns. 11:09.660 --> 11:13.860 And here after Queen takes a seven, Queen takes F six. 11:13.860 --> 11:16.350 There are so many pawns here. 11:16.410 --> 11:18.900 Yeah, five pawns for the exchange. 11:18.900 --> 11:20.920 Unless black's got something concrete. 11:22.050 --> 11:23.490 And this is big trouble. 11:23.490 --> 11:28.470 So we have rook B two, King G two and and here top have resigned. 11:28.710 --> 11:34.800 It looks futile if it to say we'd check we have bishop free. 11:34.800 --> 11:39.780 And what we can do is just try and get the Queen's off here and just win this resulting end game. 11:39.990 --> 11:41.790 There's so many pawns now. 11:42.090 --> 11:45.180 It's overwhelming for just the rook and the king here. 11:46.440 --> 11:49.500 So yes, this is a really sparkling display. 11:49.500 --> 11:52.260 You wouldn't have four if you were giving this game without the names. 11:52.260 --> 11:54.990 Would you have really thought it was Anatoly Karpov? 11:55.230 --> 12:00.780 But on the other hand, if you check my petrosian course, where I've kind of biased on his wins and 12:00.780 --> 12:07.140 is relatively shorter wins, you'll see that Tigran Petrosian was an amazing tactician and there are 12:07.140 --> 12:09.090 discussions on the internet generally. 12:09.090 --> 12:17.520 It's like Petrosian in a way, is just as tactical as TAL, but he chooses to use them for prevention 12:17.520 --> 12:19.170 rather than for attacking. 12:19.170 --> 12:25.410 So he puts his emphasis on not losing, whilst TAL puts his emphasis on winning brilliantly. 12:25.410 --> 12:28.860 So is the emphasis of the use of tactics. 12:28.860 --> 12:33.960 And we can say that a risk appetite is the distinguishing feature. 12:33.960 --> 12:40.710 So as a positional player, tactics are vitally important to be aware of, but you'll see that the positional 12:40.710 --> 12:47.520 players, you know, for example, like Capablanca, if we take Capablanca, you know, his tactics 12:47.520 --> 12:52.770 and combinations were often very low risk and and logically born out of the position. 12:52.770 --> 12:57.600 There was a great substantiation for why they should be successful. 12:57.600 --> 12:59.100 So we're talking about that here. 12:59.100 --> 13:02.610 So basically, it's our risk appetite. 13:02.610 --> 13:08.430 If we want to play recklessly all the time, then we might not give a full to improving our position 13:08.430 --> 13:10.050 slightly gently. 13:10.050 --> 13:13.350 We might play an attack and not really care. 13:13.380 --> 13:16.050 Maybe it's a fast time that maybe it would just confuse opponents. 13:16.050 --> 13:23.550 Works for me a lot in the fast time that's online, but positional play is a nice refinement on our 13:23.550 --> 13:30.150 chess that quite often if we want to beat stronger players, quite often it's a very useful category 13:30.150 --> 13:34.650 of move to think about, to slightly improve the possession. 13:34.650 --> 13:40.170 And you know, with this style of play, we're even without any direct attacks or tactics or just little 13:40.170 --> 13:40.980 tactics. 13:40.980 --> 13:45.660 We see, for example, Michael Adams winning games very, very quickly in one day. 13:45.660 --> 13:50.700 Chess less than 30, moves against games quite often just with the improving method. 13:50.910 --> 13:59.280 So it's effective also in its own right, even if we're talking small, very small tactics at the end 13:59.790 --> 14:02.600 to crown the positional play. 14:02.610 --> 14:04.860 So it's a very powerful idea. 14:04.860 --> 14:13.590 You could also say contrary to this, of course, that what if delaying the tactics or the attack is 14:13.590 --> 14:15.860 actually worse than playing them out? 14:15.870 --> 14:21.990 So you've got to have that tradeoff consideration that sometimes it is good to try and kick the boot 14:21.990 --> 14:23.550 in rather than improve your position. 14:23.550 --> 14:27.630 So chess is a complex game, but we can factor in. 14:27.810 --> 14:34.860 There's a risk appetite for playing attacks immediately, all playing attack or playing tactics immediately 14:34.860 --> 14:35.790 or combinations. 14:35.790 --> 14:39.990 And there's a certain risk associated with also improving your position. 14:39.990 --> 14:45.540 Maybe you let your your opponent reorganize if you improve your position too much before going on to 14:45.540 --> 14:45.990 the attack. 14:45.990 --> 14:47.760 So there's this balancing act. 14:47.760 --> 14:53.700 You're going to get the right balance for this nice blend between tactical attacking and positional 14:53.700 --> 14:54.330 play. 14:54.930 --> 15:01.410 So I hope this is interesting, this example, and we will see some beautiful attacks in this course 15:01.410 --> 15:07.410 as well, because it's interesting to see how positional players are limiting the risk prior to such 15:07.440 --> 15:09.540 attacks or tactical combinations. 15:11.110 --> 15:12.360 I did so much.