Middlegame Theory - Chess Strategy

 

 Middlegame Chess Resources

The middlegame is the second phase of a chess game, which typically begins after the opening has been completed.
In this phase, both players have developed their pieces and are often looking to improve their positions, control the center, and create threats against their opponent's king or pieces.
The middle-game is a critical phase of the game, as it often sets the stage for the endgame and can determine the ultimate outcome of the game.

During the middle-game, players will often use a variety of tactics and strategic plans to gain an advantage, such as controlling key squares, developing strong pawn structures, and launching tactical attacks. Successful players in the middle-game often possess a strong sense of positional and tactical awareness, as well as the ability to calculate accurately and make sound decisions under pressure.

 

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Books (Free)

Chess blueprints : planning in the middlegame by Yakovlev, Nikolay  - 282 page PDF

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Chess Middlegame Articles

Chess Middlegame Strategy: The Ultimate Guide For Beginners  - Really Nice Guide (In-Depth)

General Middlegame Advice  - Nice in-depth Guide By Exeter Chess Club

Middlegame Principles - Article on The Chess Improver

16 tips on how to improve your middlegame in chess  -  Chess delights

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Middlegame LiChess Studies

Middlegame Strategies  -  11 Chapters  (495 hearts)
The Art Of The Middle Game  - 11 Chapters (295 hearts)
How to WIN in the Middlegame - 9 Chapter Study  (777 hearts)
11 Middle Game Plans - 12 Chapter interactive Study

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Chess Middlegame Video Lessons

Chess Middlegame - 53 Video playlist  - Remote Chess Academy
Chess Middlegame Ideas - 50 Video Playlist  - Hanging Pawns
The Middlegame in Chess - 35 Video playlist  - Jim's Chess Channel
Learn Chess - Middlegame Strategy - 9 Video Playlist  - Chess Explained
Miss Strategy's Middlegame Show  - 48 Video Playlist  - IM Anna Rudolph

The 10 Best Chess Plans For The Middlegame - Chess Strategy For The Middlegame - Midgame Strategy - 13 Min - NM Nelson Lopez
How To Use Pawns In Chess Middlegames - 15 min - IM Levy Rozman

The Golden Rules for the Middlegame |  IM Andrey Ostrovskiy - 27 Min
Middlegame Strategy of Anatoly Karpov by GM Ben Finegold  - 50 min
Creating Strategic Plans | Chess Middlegames  - 28 Min - Hanging Pawns
Middlegame strategy - Using all pieces in the middlegame - 17 min Jozarov's Chess Channel

Finding the best Squares for your Pieces with Maneuvering | Chess Middlegame | GM Sam Shankland - 16 Min
The Influence of centralized Pieces in the Middlegame | Chess Strategy - 15 Min IM Ostrovskiy

Tactical Motifs MiddleGame

Middlegame Tactical Motifs | Full Lesson | Oxford University Chess Club - 61 Min
Secrets of the Middlegame 🕵 Unexpected Tactical Chess Opportunities - GM Danny Gormally - 40 Min

Middlegame Mistakes

Most Common Middlegame Mistakes of Club Players [FM Viktor Neustroev]  - 47 Min
Typical Mistakes in Practical Middlegame and Endings - 5 Min

NM Robert Ramirez

Chess lesson # 91: Middlegame Strategy - 35 Min
Chess Lesson # 118: Middlegame Mastery  - 23 Min
Chess Lesson # 138: Master The Middlegame - 13 Min
Chess Lesson # 101: Middlegame Strategy Playing VS The Isolani Pawn Structure - 46 Min
Chess Lesson # 149: Middle-game Strategy Tip  - 14 Min
Easy Opening With Easy Middlegame Plan | Chess Lesson # 191 - 16 Min

St.Louis Chess Club

Mastering the Middlegame Lectures  - 15 Video playlist - Ben Finegold 
Saint Louis Chess Club | Mastering the Middlegame  -  47 Video Playlist - Assorted Speakers 

Middlegame Planning | Mastering the Middlegame - GM Josh Friedel  - 46 Min 
Develop a Middlegame Plan - FM Aviv Friedman - 2014.10.22  - 49 Min
The Early Middlegame: What to do?! | Road to 2000  - 52 min  NM Caleb Denby
Restriction: Shutdown of Pieces | Mastering the Middlegame - GM Cristian Chirila - 49 Min
Two Bishops in the Middlegame - GM Eric Hansen  - 47 Min
Endgames & Middlegame Exercises | Grandmaster's Choice - GM Yuniesky Quesada - 66 Min
Akobian at the 2014 Olympiad | Mastering the Middlegame - GM Varuzhan Akobian - 37 Min
My Great Middlegames of 1987 & 1988 - GM Ben Finegold - 41 Min
Ben's Wild European Days | Mastering the Middlegame - GM Ben Finegold - 43 Min
Thanksgiving Open Middlegames - GM Ben Finegold  - 45 Min

Game Videos (Emphasis On Middle-game Plans)

Developing a Plan in the Early Middlegame | Climbing the Rating Ladder vs. trhdude (1844) - 31 MIN

Italian Game, Rousseau Gambit C50 Opening Theory

 Rousseau Gambit Resources

Wikipedia Page
The Rousseau Gambit (or Ponziani Countergambit)
is a chess opening that begins with the moves:
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 f5
White has three main choices in the Rousseau Gambit:
1. Defend the e4 pawn with d3 and trust the extra tempo will make itself felt.
(With This move Black can Transpose into the Lucchini Gambit)
2. Accept the gambit with 4.exf5.
3. Strike back in the center with 4.d4.

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Rousseau Gambit Chess Articles

Rousseau Gambit in the Italian Game - Guide w/ Embedded video by GM Igor Smirnov
Rousseau Gambit: Where Italian Game and King’s Gambit Meet - Chessable Blog Opening Guide
Lucchini Gambit: A Little Known Chess Opening - Chessable Blog Opening Guide

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Rousseau Gambit LiChess Studies

Rousseau Gambit - 12 Chapter Study (at Top)
Rousseau Gambit - 11 Chapter interactive Study (80 hearts)
Rousseau Gambit vs. Italian - 25 Chapter Interactive Study
Super Cool Rousseau Gambit Traps! - 5 Chapter Study
Rousseau Gambit in the Italian Game - 5 Chapter Study (Just 5 games Played By Guys 2000+)

Lucchini gambit - 4 Chapter Study (1100 hearts)

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Game Databases

Chessgames.com

Italian Gambits (C50-C55 actually) - 2 Games in this collection

365Chess.com

C50: Rousseau gambit 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 f5 - 104 games

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Rousseau Gambit Video Lessons

Learn This INSANE NEW Gambit!! - 26 min - Gotham Chess
The Rousseau Gambit | Risky Opening Choice for Black in the Italian Game | IM Alex Astaneh - 10 Min
The MOST AGGRESSIVE Gambit Ever? - 34 min - Johnathan Schrantz
The BEST Chess Opening Against 1.e4 - Every Move is a Trap! -19 min GM Igor Smirnov
The BEST Chess Opening Against 1.e4 | TRAPPIEST Gambit for Black - 14 Min GM Igor Smirnov

Lucchini Gambit

(If White Plays Rousseau Gambit Declined. and on move 4.d3 black can transpose to this Gambit)
Lucchini Gambit - Every Move is a Trap - 16 min - TheChesswebsite
Lucchini Gambit - Accepted Variation - 13 min -TheChesswebsite
Top 10 Traps in the Lucchini Gambit | Chess Opening Tricks, Moves, Strategy & Tactics - 9 Min

Rousseau Gambit Chess Traps

Italian - Rousseau Gambit - Equal but in Chains (trap no. 58) - 4Min

Rousseau gambit Game Videos (W/Analysis)

Facing the Rousseau Gambit (3...f5?!) | Climbing the Rating Ladder vs. artur74blef - (1376) - 35 Min IM John Bartholomew
Morphy vs the Rousseau Gambit | Learn Giuoco Piano Ep.1 - 10 Min
Discovering a New Opening Trap | Lucchini Gambit - 4 Min - Im Eric Rosen
Lucchini Gambit || Stockfish 8 vs Stockfish 14 - 8 Min

Carlsbad Pawn Structure - Chess Strategy

 

Unlocking the Carlsbad Pawn Structure: A Comprehensive Resource Hub

Discover an extensive collection of resources dedicated to the Carlsbad pawn structure.

From articles and video lessons to annotated games and studies, delve into the nuances of this strategic framework and elevate your understanding of chess strategy.

Bishops Bounty Main  Pawn Structures Page - Here
Bishop's Bounty Minority Attack Page - Here

Carlsbad Chess Articles

The Carlsbad Structure – Complete Lesson - The Chess World

PLANNING IN THE CARLSBAD STRUCTURE – BOTVINNIK-KERES 1952 (1) - Pawn break
Carlsbad Pawn Structure - Chess.com Article Telling What it is.

Mastering Mini-games - FM Nate Solon - Article on Why The Minority Attack is not The Most Important Thing to Learn with the Carlsbad

THE MINORITY ATTACK BY NIGEL DAVIES - Chess Cafe Article
The Minority Attack in Action - iChess Article
Who's afraid of the Big Bad Minority attack? - Long Exeter Chess Club Article

Pawn Structure 101 - Part 2: The Minority Attack - Chess Kid Video 

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LiChess Studies

Carlsbad Structure - 5 Chapter Study (Info and Annotated games)
Minority Attack - 7 Chapter Study
Carlsbad `pawn Structure ' - 16 Chapter Study (Top of Page)

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Games Databases

Chessgames.com

Pawn Structures - 246 Games - 16 Carlsbad games (Incredible Collection with many Pawn Structures)

Middlegame Strategy - 177 games (With the Carlsbad Structure)

365Chess.com

D17: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Carlsbad variation - 1344 games

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Carlsbad Video Lessons

Advanced - 6.Unit: Carlsbad Structure - 6 Video Playlist - GM Alex Lenderman
Carlsbad Structure -  17 Video playlist- GM Sune berg Hansen

Master the Carlsbad Pawn Structure - The Full Course with GM Sune Berg Hansen - 3 Hrs

GM Neiksans Boot Camp #32 - Carlsbad Structure - 2 Hr

Lesson on the Carlsbad Pawn Structure - 8 Min - NM Bryan Tillis

Top Ten Middlegame Ideas #4: Minority Attack - The Carlsbad structure - 35 Min - Jim's Chess Channel

Carlsbad pawn structure / Chess strategy explained - 12 Min - Bad Bishop Channel

St.Louis Chess Club

Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange | Carlsbad Structure - Chess Openings Explained - 39 Min
Minority Attack! | Pawn Structure - GM Yasser Seirawan - 32 Min St.Louis Chess Club
Minority Attacks in the Carlsbad Structure | Road to 2000 - 64 Min
Heavy Piece Carlsbad Endgames | Insane in the Endgame - GM Denes Boros - 55 Min

Chess Dojo

Why the Minority Attack is for Commoners w/ Kaspar/SuperBaguette33 | Dojo Lessons - 24 min
Two Games in the Carlsbad Structure | GM Kraai's Game Review #19 - 16 Min
Kaspar's Karlsbad | Dojo Lessons - 23 Min
IM Kassa Korley: Dissecting the Carlsbad | USCS Class 11.10.20 - 90 Min
IM Kassa Korley: Revisiting the Carlsbad | US Chess School 4.07.2021 - 56 Min

Carlsbad Game Video Lessons

What Is The Carlsbad?? | Queens Gambit Declined | The Sensei Speedrun | GM Naroditsky - 37 Min
AlphaZero g-pawn attack against the Queen's Gambit Carlsbad structure - Opening Strategies #7 - 14 Min
Blitz Chess #4592 vs Johnhendra QGD Exchange Carlsbad White - 11 Min IM Christof Sielecki
Magnus Carlsen vs Wesley So / Caro-Kann: Exchange variation / Carlsbad structure - 12 Min
A masterpiece chess miniature! || Caro-Kann: Two knights attack (Carlsbad structure) - 15 Min

Nimzo - Larsen Attack A01 (Opening Theory)

 

Nimzo - Larsen Opening Resources

Wikipedia Page 
1. b3
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, modern variation            1. b3 e5         27%        < 2000 >     33%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, Indian variation              1. b3 Nf6        10%       < 2000 >    16%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, classical variation           1. b3 d5         31 %       < 2000 >      25%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, English variation            1. b3 c5             5%       < 2000 >       5%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, Dutch variation               1. b3 f5             1%       < 2000 >       1%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, Polish variation               1. b3 b5            > 1%    <  2000 >     >1%
Nimzovich-Larsen attack, symmetrical variation      1. b3 b6           3%        < 2000 >      2.5%

Larsen's Opening (also called the Nimzo–Larsen Attack or Queen's Fianchetto Opening) is a chess opening starting with the move:

A01 Sub-variants:

Nimzovich-Larsen attack               1. b3

(Percentages Above are a rough Estimate of How often each variation is Played by people under 2000 and over 2000 off LiChess Database  (( 25 Million+  1.b3 Games)  This is Rough , not including Transpositions etc and all the other crazy Moves)

BOOKS (Free)

Short & Sweet: 1. b3  -  FREE Chessable Course -  26 Trainable Lines w/59 min Video  - GM Adhiban Baskaran  

Nimzo-Larsen Attack Chess Articles

Chess Opening Basics: The Nimzo-Larsen Attack  - Opening Guide Chessable Blog
Larsen’s Opening: 1.b3 Guide for White & Black  - In-Depth Chessable Opening Guide

Larsen’s Opening 1.b3 – A Positional Powerhouse  - ichess Guide w/ 2 Embedded Videos

“Larsen’s Beach”: A fun sideline in the Nimzo-Larsen Attack - Bristol Chess Times Article
Larsen’s Opening by Bill Wall  -  Old Text page By Bill Wall w/ Games
Nimzo-Larsen 1.b3 surprise opening system reloaded!  - LiChess Blog Article

How amateur chess players respond to 1.b3 (Larsen’s Attack) -  Nice Article Breaking Down Variations into How Often you see Lines Played in Chessbase

Nimzo-Larsen Attack LiChess Studies

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack - 7 Chapter Study   (300 hearts)
The Nimzo-Larsen Attack  - 19 Chapter Interactive Study  (100 hearts)

The Nimzo-Larsen Attack move by move - 60 Chapter Study  (All Games)

Nimzo-Larsen as black  - 3 Chapter Study  
Beat the Nimzo-Larsen Attack with the Lc0 Gambit  - 6 Chapter Study  (50 hearts)

LISTUDY   (Learn Openings Here and Practice them with Movetrainer or Play them against Computer)

Nimzo-Larsen Attack  -  5 Studys here To learn and Practice Opening

Game Databases

Chessgames.com 

Nimzovich-Larsen Attack (A01) 1 b3  - 4933 Games

365Chess.com

A01: Nimzovich-Larsen attack 1. b3  - 15,446 Games  (Broken Down into 7 Variations)

Larsen's Opening Video Lessons

Nimzo- Larsen Attack -  8 Video Playlist - Palm beach Chess (NM Bryan Tillis)

Beat Black with Larsen’s Opening 1.b3: A Positional Powerhouse ⚔ - GM Damian Lemos (Chess Openings) - 41 Min
Larsen's Opening: 1.b3 | Chess Openings Explained - 57 min - St.Louis Chess Club

The Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack: Lecture with GM Ben Finegold - 57 Min  - GM Ben Finegold
Learn the Larsen Opening (1.b3)  - 18 Min   - Chess Geek

Nimzo Larsen Attack (Modern Variation) in Hindi - Strategies and Ideas - 18 Min - Hindi Chess Videos

GM Igor Smirnov

1.b3 Chess Opening for White (More POWERFUL Than You Think!) - 18 Min 
1.b3 Part - 1 by GM Igor Smirnov  - 33 Min
1.b3 Part - 2 by GM Igor Smirnov  - 20 Min

Playing Against 1. b3

GM Eugene Perelshteyn teaches you how to face 1.b3 Larsen's Opening - 15 Min - GM Eugene Perelshteyn
How To Beat The Larsen Opening - 8 Min  - IM Alex Banzea
An Easy and Effective System Against 1. b3!  - 10 Min  GM Jesse Kraai  (Chess Dojo)
WIN IN 3 MOVES | Beat the Nimzo-Larsen Attack (1. b3) - 20 Min - Jonathan Schrantz

1.b3 Traps

Insane traps for 1.b3! Win their Queen or Checkmate! - 8 Min
Top 3 Favourite 1.b3 Opening Traps | GM Moulthun Ly  - 6 Min
Dirty Chess Tricks 35 (Knock out the Nimzo-Larsen - 1) - 17 Min

Nimzo-Larsen Attack Game Videos (w/Analysis)

Nimzo-Larsen Attack - 6 Video Playlist  - Chess School  (Famous Games)
The Nimzovich-Larsen attack  - 38 Video Playlist - kingscrusher

Master Class | Nimzowitsch–Larsen Attack | Chess Speedrun | Grandmaster Naroditsky - 21 Min
Master Class | 1.B3!! Nimzo-Larsen | Chess Speedrun | Grandmaster Naroditsky  - 33 MIN
Bobby Plays 1.b3 | Fischer vs Filip | Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970)  - 11 Min
Boris Spassky's 17-move crush of Bent Larsen's 1.b3  - 8 Min
EVERYONE loses to this opening  -  10 Min - GM Aman Hambelton  (Speed run )
This Is Nimzo–Larsen Attack Or Fischer's Shiny Zwischenzug - 6 Min
Praggnanandhaa Plays Larsen's Opening Against An Experienced Opponent - 7 Min
When the beast goes 1.b3! | Adhiban vs Praggnanandhaa - 12 Min

FM James Canty III

Fighting The Nimzo Larsen - 1. b3 - Game Analysis  - 13 Min   
Crushing 1. b3 - The Larsen System - Game Analysis  - 8 Min
Tate Memorial Round 4 - Nimzo Larsen System  -  24 Min
Tate Memorial Round - 6 - Nimzo Larsen - 20 Min

IM John Bartholomew

Standard Chess #29: robwilby vs. IM Bartholomew (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 25 Min
Standard Chess #223: IM Bartholomew vs. seeuingoa (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 30 Min
Blitz Chess #244: Hultin vs. IM Bartholomew (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 20 Min
Blitz Chess #455: IM Bartholomew vs. GM Melikset Khachiyan (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 21 Min
Blitz Chess #143: IM Joorge vs. IM Bartholomew (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 17 Min
Blitz Chess #60: GM Mareco vs. IM Bartholomew (Nimzo-Larsen Opening) - 12 Min
Blitz Chess #455: IM Bartholomew vs. GM Melikset Khachiyan (Nimzo-Larsen Attack) - 21 Min