How to analyze complex midgame positions? (1700)

I'm lost in complex midgame positions when many pieces are on the board and pawn structures are non-trivial.

In the example, I thought hard but still blundered on move 12 because I didn't have any sense of which direction should I take and what threats there are. So just made a semi-random move and it ended very quickly.

Do you have any general rules that I could apply to:

• better spot threats in such positions?
• find good directions to take?

Thank you!

jm

If opponent move something, you must think his/her next move too. Is this threat or normal move or blunder? Should i go attack or defense?

12. Qe3?? was too passive, and let opponent attacked.

13. ... Nd4, the threat was Nxc2, forked king, queen, and rook.

14. Nxd4? With this move, you let opponent did cxd4, forked your queen and knight.

15. ... Qa5, the threat was Qxc3+, forked king and rook.

I didn't think 12 Qe3 was that bad (it certainly doesn't qualify as a "blunder"). The problem with it though is that it doesn't do anything.

What in fact was your idea? All I can see is that it allows Nd2 (and that's not too great).

In a position like this the threats are more positional (at least, for the moment) than tactical. So you have to think in terms of plans.

One such is castling queenside, followed by starting up a pawn storm on the kingside. At the moment though that looks like it will take a bit of a struggle; so you might try 12 Ne2 first (with the notion of g4 kicking the Black knight back; it also prepares to move the White knight over to the kingside).

There's another notion too: 12 Nd5, with the idea of b4 (or perhaps c3 and d4). Now you'll castle kingside and play in the queenside (or the center).

Some things about the position:

1. the black knights are about to access the very good f4 and d4 squares and I would like to prevent that.
2. You have the very nice d5 square for your knight on c3.
3. It may be prudent to castle queen side and play f4 to break through blacks defenses, launching a kingside attack.

I would consider the following plan:
12. g3 prevents the knight from accessing f4 and locks it on the edge of the board. It also prepares f4 later.
If black plays 13. Nd4, I would play nxd4, then after black recaptures, nd5. Your next moves may be o-o-o, protect your g pawn with a rook or queen to prepare f4, then play f4.

@MrPushwood @ShaneTrain thank you for the tips. They make perfect sense... in the hindsight.

MrPushwood: What in fact was your idea?

That's the root cause. There was no idea. Saw none of what you suggested. I made a move just to stop wasting any more time, hoping that the position will simplify itself somehow and I can start playing again.

I'm often confused in early midgames. Many entangled pieces on the board kind of intimidate me. With no obvious winning combinations every move looks as good as any other.

Trying to figure out if there are systematic ways to improve my board vision in situations like these.

I don't think "board vision" (or anything as vague as that) really has much to do with it. When there are no combinations to be found, you have to think positionally. And--most importantly--learn how to plan.

One book that did me a lot of good in this respect was Soltis' Pawn Structure Chess. Andy shows you the various types of plans associated with common pawn setups coming out of the opening.

And here a remark of Rudolf Spielmann's seems appropos: "I can comprehend Alekhine’s combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from – that is beyond me." That's where positional play and planning come in. ;)

"Everyone can comprehend Alekhine's combinationns, but nobody can win a game, even when he plays a blindfold simul."
An old proverb.

A question even I am trying to find the answer of!

Jeremy Silman's book "The amateurs mind" could be something for you...

Have fun!