Most of the time when there're some chances of using tactics, I can found it and gain advantage. But sometimes in an absolutely closed position (QGD for example), I found it hard to launch an attack. Pushing fgh pawns could create so many weaknesses, and when I make some random moves, my opponent somehow break through my fortress and I lose. My friend told me to sac my knight to open the position but this just never works.
What should I do?
@TopologyJZ said in #1:
> But sometimes in an absolutely closed position (QGD for example), I found it hard to launch an attack. Pushing fgh pawns could create so many weaknesses, and when I make some random moves, my opponent somehow break through my fortress and I lose.
Sounds like it's only hard for you to create an attack. If that is the case, you should work on your skills.
Look for weak pawns. Or find isolated piece and use more attackers than they can defend.
But also make sure the position after all the exchanges is in your favor.
Winning a Bishop isn't all that exciting if you get mated in 2 moves because you opened a diagonal or file and nobody was there to protect your king.
If you don't have an attack improve pieces not doing anything. Rook still protecting a2? Queen just sitting there? Why is your Bishop staring at it's own pawn? Find a diagonal.
@TopologyJZ said in #1:
> But sometimes in an absolutely closed position (QGD for example), I found it hard to launch an attack. Pushing fgh pawns could create so many weaknesses, and when I make some random moves, my opponent somehow break through my fortress and I lose.
So you want to look for pawn breaks, especially thematic pawn breaks that happen a lot in a particulair opening. In GQD for instance, Black is trying to get in c5, while in the French defense, Black is trying to play c5 or f6. But openings like the QGD aren't really geared as much toward a kingside attack. There are more attacking openings like the Jobava London that can play into consistently more aggressive/attacking/double-edged positions, and there are a lot of videos on how to play, thematic pawn breaks, common ideas, etc.
On the topic of advancing kingside pawns, don't worry about creating weaknesses if you don't think your opponent can take advantage of them. For example, if I have a lot of pieces in the center or kingside, I would have little to no fear of pushing my h pawn down the board. If you are concerned, try to calculate what you can, and don't worry about your opponent's threats if you can calculate that they don't work or are easily repelled. Finally, try to avoid random moves by asking yourself questions like... (what is my least active piece and how can I improve it? What pieces can I move forward and attack something?) Hope this helps.
"... A beginner should avoid the Queen's Gambit and the French Defense and play open games instead! While he may not win as many games at first, he will in the long run be amply compensated by acquiring a thorough knowledge of the game. ...
... A position is called open after some of the center pawns have been exchanged, so that the pieces command open lines. The openings beginning with [1.e4 e5] are more apt than others to lead to open positions, since as a rule [d4] and exchange of center pawns will follow. On the other hand it is obviously more difficult to carry out the move [e4] after [1.d4], inasmuch as the [e4-square] is originally unprotected. This is the reason why [d-pawn] openings as a rule lead to closed positions. ..." - Richard Réti (~1929)
https://www.amazon.com/Masters-Chessboard-21st-Century-Richard/dp/1936490218?asin=B006ZQISDY&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1
If you want to continue to work on 1 d4 and 2 c4, maybe look at the sample games in a book like Opening Repertoire: 1 d4 with 2 c4.
https://www.amazon.com/Opening-Repertoire-d4-Cyrus-Lakdawala/dp/1781945098?asin=1781945098&revisionId=&format=4&depth=1
To attack successfully, you need
1. A weakness to attack
2. A material superiority in the area you're attacking.
If neither of these conditions is met, an attack is unlikely to succeed. The weakness you attack doesn't have to be the king - it could be an undefended piece, a weak pawn, weak squares etc.
And there are positions where an attack is impossible. Keep improving your pieces and try to prevent your opponent from doing the same.
What bothers me after thinking your statement through is that it implies that an attack should always arise in every position which is just not the case. Some times all you can do is improve your pieces and try to create weaknesses and problems on your opponents side in order to get something to "attack". Attacking isnt some sort of forced thing and actually you need to be very certain before starting an attack that it has potential and that the requirments such as closed center etc are met.
No violent attack can succeed without controlling at least two of these squares (e4, d4, e5, d5) , and possibly three. - Capablanca
@tpr said in #8:
> No violent attack can succeed without controlling at least two of these squares (e4, d4, e5, d5) , and possibly three. - Capablanca
Wow! hearing this for the first time but makes sense. Probably many exceptions to the rule right?: I mean you can have some pretty strong attacks e.g. from an open h-file or 7th/backrank? Just a noob-player so i'm trying to understand this
@TopologyJZ said in #1:
> How to create an attack
> An attack ... is only justified if there is a prospect of concentrating with all speed a superior force ... to take advantage of [a] weakness ... before the opponent has time for a counter attack. -- Edward Lasker
https://lichess.org/@/CaseyReese/blog/attacks/WhVqs8En
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