How to Play

Equal Positions
Vassilios Kotronias

Chess Stars
www.chess-stars.com
How to Play Equal Positions

Editing by Semko Semkov

Cover design by Rustam Taichinov and Semko Semkov

Copyright © 2020 by Vassilios Kotronias

Printed in Bulgaria
ISBN: 978-619-7188-32-5
Contents
Preface 4

Chapter 1
Handling equal positions without a clear plan. Rules that govern the play 6

Chapter 2
Equal positions with a choice of bailing out or playing on.
Calculated risk 27

Chapter 3
Common wise sayings. Do they apply to positions where not much is
going on 52
Dealing with the slogan “It is better to play with a wrong plan than no
plan whatsoever” 52
Plain-plan vs no-plan situations 79
“Attack is the best defence” syndrome 94

Chapter 4
Fighting the Fear of Exchanges 145

Chapter 5
Long-term Assets 177

Chapter 6
Overpressing 202

Game Index 227

 Chapter 1

Preface

“By three methods we may learn The purpose of this book is to shed
wisdom: First, by reflection, which some light on the underlying prin-
is noblest; Second, by imitation, ciples that govern “boring” chess
which is easiest; and third by ex- positions, bordering on equality.
perience, which is the bitterest.” Such positions have gradually be-
Confucius come the main dish of nowadays’
chess menu because people have
This book aims to spare you a part increased their level, their stamina,
of the bitter experience and teach their desire to grind down wins out
you the easiest way – by imitat- of nothing.
ing the example of great players.
Of course, I will also provide a fair Chess has definitely changed over
deal of my own reflections. the past few decades, becoming
more and more dense, energy de-
The first steps in chess are manding, technical. To win (or sur-
easy. You quickly learn to fight vive, if you so prefer) you need a
for the centre, to attack and mate full arsenal of weapons and a well
the enemy king. Books and train- worked out home front. You have to
ers teach you a lot of wise things understand, classify, combine, im-
– to develop your pieces quickly, to plement a complex set of rules, find
take open files, to sacrifice for the exceptions, and even create new
initiative. You learn basic openings, rules out of them.
improve your calculation. All that
knowledge brings quick results – I propose a clear streamlined
most talented could become candi- method of thinking in dry
date-masters in two years. equal positions without long-
And then you reach a plateau. term plans. It is based mostly on
Whatever you do, you cannot make correct evaluation and categoriza-
the next step. You can see already tion of the position, and on move
enough tactics, you are able to by move play. We’ll see that some
develop initiative, but you horri- widely accepted slogans as “Attack
bly “drift” without clear plan and is the best defense” and Marshall’s
targets. You simply cannot play famous remark “a bad plan is better
“equal” positions. than none at all”, are rarely valid.

4
 Foreword

We’ll also discuss calculated risk, sitions hasn’t been covered ad-
fear of exchanges and the danger of equately in chess literature and I
overpressing. would like to thank Semko Semkov
But most of all we’ll discover that for bringing this topic to my atten-
dry equal positions could hide a lot tion. It was a pleasure and highly
of positional subtleties and even instructive for my chess under-
top grandmasters fail to cope with standing to analyse the games this
them successfully. book contains. I hope that it will
The method of playing equal po- prove so for the readers as well.

Vassilios Kotronias
Athens, 24/11/2020

5
 Chapter 1

Chapter 1
Handling equal positions without a clear plan
Rules that govern the play
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.”
Yogi Berra

Defining the terms ed player will seldom “drift” in such

situations as he will recall good
We should start by making clear models to follow.
what I mean under the term “equal We are not interested in games with
position”. It is obviously based on long forced variations either – the
evaluation. However, any evalua- player’s task is clear and it is up to
tion is subjective, and depends on his calculation abilities to choose
the player’s strength. For novices, the right continuation.
even pieces could be enough, and We’ll try to improve our handling of
for computer engines a lot of crazy dry positions, where it is difficult to
positions get “0.00” at a big depth find a target.
of calculation. So I expect from you Look at the following diagram:
fair understanding of chess and a
human approach. We are not ma- Carlsen – Kramnik
chines and will never be able to as-
Wijk aan Zee 2019
sess the game by “brute force”. A
position full of complications and 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
life, with great imbalances, isn’t “an 4.d3 Bc5 5.c3 d5 6.Nbd2 dxe4
equal position”, even though com- 7.dxe4 0-0 8.0-0 Qe7 9.b4 Bd6
puters may assess it as “0.00”. 10.a3 a5 11.Rb1 axb4 12.axb4
Be6 13.Re1 Rfd8 14.Qc2 h6
The simplest way to define equality 15.Bf1 Ra2 16.Bb2 Qe8 17.Nc4
is when neither side has strategic b5 18.Ne3 Ne7
or material advantage and lacks a XIIIIIIIIY
clear plan to improve. 9-+-trq+k+0
9+-zp-snpzp-0
The last point is very important - 9-+-vllsn-zp0
games when one has typical play, 9+p+-zp-+-0
for instance, the possibility to build 9-zP-+P+-+0
a minority attack in a Cambridge- 9+-zP-sNN+-0
Springs pawn structure, are not 9rvLQ+-zPPzP0
subject of this book. A well educat- 9+R+-tRLmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
6
 Equal positions without a clear plan

An appropriate description for the any slight uncoordination in the

situation on the board is “equality, enemy camp that would allow him
without a clear-cut plan for either to transform his minute advantage
side to stir up some play”. Let’s see into something of a more endur-
the arguments: ing nature. I would say that the ap-
proach employed in the second case
• The pawn structure is symmet- should be also the key for those who
rical. want to excel in creating a playable
• Both kings are absolutely safe. balance out of an apparently sterile
• The possibilities of pawn equality. Since the sterile equali-
breaks are extremely limited. ties are often based on symmetry,
They are c3-c4 for White and one important thing is to be alert
...c7-c5 for Black, but these ad- enough to exploit any given op-
vances cannot be carried out portunity to break it. Or even lure
without weakening the respec- our opponent (within reasonable
tive b-pawns for either side. boundaries) to do it himself. The
• The piece mobility is about present game is an example of this
equal. particular theme.
• Space is finely shared between
the two sides. 19.Ra1

It is extremely difficult in such a White doesn’t have any illusions

situation (for either side) to cre- about the position. He knows that
ate winning chances or even some it is equal and starts with some
shreds of play. The first thing that simple chess, removing the annoy-
comes to my mind is to improve the ing intruder. In doing that, he ac-
position of our own pieces and to knowledges the fact that this may
try to exploit the opponent’s move- result in an exchange of his central
ments. What do I mean by that? pawn for a wing pawn. However,
that would be already some sort of
There are two kinds of advantages progress from the viewpoint of cre-
in chess: those of permanent na- ating chances, wouldn’t it?!
ture and those which are transient I would have also considered
or temporary. In both cases the 19.Red1!? at this point, with the aim
superior side’s method of action is of passing the move to Black and
standard: In the first case we devise keeping more pieces on the board
our short-term or long-term plans (at least for a while).
according to the source of our ad- Another option is 19.c4 Bxb4
vantage. In the second case the se- 20.Rec1, but it is obvious that
cret is alertness: the strong player 20...bxc4 21.Bxc4 Bxc4 22.Nxc4
keeps a hungry eye for any tactical Ng6 23.Qb3 Qa4! 24.Qxa4 Rxa4
opportunity that might pop up, or 25.Ncxe5 Nxe5 26.Bxe5 Bd6=

7
 Chapter 1

leads to a position where neither intent on drawing without allowing

side can hope for anything more any imbalances occur? The answer
than a draw. is certainly not easy, but before try-
ing to address it, we first have to
19...Rda8 20.Rxa2 Rxa2 21.Ra1! take into consideration a couple of
Rxa1 22.Bxa1 things:
XIIIIIIIIY A 2500 player would have had a
9-+-+q+k+0 good chance of going wrong at an
9+-zp-snpzp-0 earlier stage; few chess players in
9-+-vllsn-zp0 the world can match the level of
9+p+-zp-+-0 Kramnik’s opening preparation.
9-zP-+P+-+0 Carlsen’s reputation as a technician
9+-zP-sNN+-0 is so powerful that it often works for
9-+Q+-zPPzP0 him. People who have to play him
9vL-+-+LmK-0 are most often facing this dilemma:
xiiiiiiiiy Should I allow the position to re-
22...Qa8!? main symmetric at the risk of being
eventually squeezed, or should I
Black shows that he is ready to seek counterplay at the earliest op-
take up the gauntlet. This is a duel portunity in order to unsettle him?
between a former and a reigning Those two things considered, there
world champion, so obviously both is already a good chance that many
players are out there to prove some- people would have gone down in
thing. Considering that Vladimir flames earlier, or having reached
Кramnik is a man who has the cour- the game position, they would have
age to vindicate his convictions, his reacted in Kramnik’s manner.
choice isn’t surprising. After all
Carlsen isn’t the only player in the Still, let’s suppose that Black choos-
world capable of profiting from im- es a method of play where the sym-
balances. On the other hand, Black metry persists. What do we do
succumbs to the lure as Carlsen was then? The answer is the most im-
hoping for, allowing him to create a portant rule of the book:
fight out of nowhere.
We start playing move by move.
23.Bb2 Qxe4
This method should serve us well in
The question at this point is: How such situations and should save us
would have Carlsen continued a lot of time on the clock. It would
against a more conservative top be futile to look for a long-term
player who would have been sat- plan, and even if we came up with
isfied to keep the symmetry? Or a one, it would certainly be wrong.
2500 player who would be solely A plan makes sense only when we

8
 Equal positions without a clear plan

sense that the first imbalance has or become slightly more passive by
occurred, be it an imbalance in retreating his bishop to d7!
space, in the pawn structure, or in The other move would most cer-
the quantity/quality of the pieces. tainly be 24.Nd2, but it leads to the
Let me now try to become more exchange of too much wood after
specific. 24...c5! 25.Qd3 Qd7, making the
What do I mean with this move draw trivial. So I am sure Carlsen
by move motto? I’ll be discussing would have avoided it.
this term many times during the Therefore, 24.Qd3!? Bd7!?. I am
book. Let’s start here with a short not examining the captures on e4
explanation. Playing move by move because we assumed that Black in-
means that we do not build com- sists on the symmetry. Now e4 is
plex long-term plans or calculate hanging, so White has to make a
long variations. Instead we make decision:
a list of candidate-moves and try It seems that White would finally
to build a variation tree with short, have to do something, like 25.c4.
but dense branches. But I am not sure Magnus would
have played it, especially if facing
To give you an idea of what I mean, a significantly lower rated player
we should go one move back, to than him. Here we have basically
the position after 23.Bb2. If Black one of the cases where we should
chooses to keep the symmetry, he pick a move depending on the
would have to defend his b-pawn strength of our opponent, his time
with his queen, pawn or bishop. management, tournament situa-
XIIIIIIIIY tion, etc. However, the basic thing
9q+-+-+k+0 is to play a move which doesn’t
9+-zp-snpzp-0 weaken strategically our posi-
9-+-vllsn-zp0 tion.
9+p+-zp-+-0 25.Nd2 isn’t liked by the engines
9-zP-+P+-+0 as it removes the pressure from
9+-zP-sNN+-0 the e5-pawn. Still, it doesn’t dis-
9-vLQ+-zPPzP0 rupt the equilibrium, and keeps
9+-+-+LmK-0 the game going. Well, if only for
xiiiiiiiiy a couple of moves: 25...Ng6!
In the given situation Black would 26.g3 Bf8!. This is the recom-
most probably put his queen to b7 mendation of the machine, but
or the bishop to d7. also my own logical thought.
After 23...Qb7 White has two moves Now Black is ready for ...c7-c5.
that adhere to our motto: In such a situation, when the
24.Qd3!? is the best one. White opponent has found all the best
hits the b5 pawn, again challeng- moves, it is logical to call it a
ing Black to break the symmetry, day.

9
Returning to 25.c4, play will most attention to small 2-3 move deep
likely proceed 25...bxc4 26.Nxc4 skirmishes is absolutely essential
Qxe4 27.Qxe4 Nxe4 28.Nfxe5 Bxe5 in our effort to create something in
29.Nxe5 Be6=. White has gotten apparently barren situations.
the bishop pair, but it is insignifi-
cant as the queenside pawns are 24.Qxe4 Nxe4 25.Bxb5 f5
bound to disappear. XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+k+0
23...Bd7 is the other logical conti­ 9+-zp-sn-zp-0
nuation for Black. Here again both 9-+-vll+-zp0
24.c4 and 24.Nd2 are possible, 9+L+-zpp+-0
with similar ideas and evaluations. 9-zP-+n+-+0
However, on this occasion 24.c4 9+-zP-sNN+-0
requires an accurate reply from 9-vL-+-zPPzP0
Black: 9+-+-+-mK-0
XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy
9q+-+-+k+0 Carlsen’s “luring strategy” has suc-
9+-zplsnpzp-0 ceeded. While theoretically the
9-+-vl-sn-zp0 game remains equal, it isn’t sterile
9+p+-zp-+-0 anymore. Both sides have a plan
9-zPP+P+-+0 now. White’s one is the easier to
9+-+-sNN+-0 carry out in practice as he has the
9-vLQ+-zPPzP0 prospect of an outside passed pawn
9+-+-+LmK-0 on the queenside. I am almost cer-
xiiiiiiiiy tain that Magnus would score at
24...Nc6!. Definitely not a piece of least 75-80% against 2500+ op-
cake to find. position if he is offered the chance
Most likely many people would to play this position several times.
choose the simplistic 24...bxc4?! In the present game, the legendary
25.Nxe5 Bxe5 26.Bxe5 Qxe4 Volodya manages to keep the ba­
27.Qxe4 Nxe4 28.Bxc7 when lance in style.
suddenly White comes out on
top. 26.Bd3 Nf6 27.Bf1 g5
25.Qc1!?. Planning either c4xb5 or XIIIIIIIIY
c4-c5 and the game is going on. An 9-+-+-+k+0
important point is that when play- 9+-zp-sn-+-0
ing 24...Nc6! Black would have to 9-+-vllsn-zp0
evaluate that 25.c5 Nxb4 26.Qc3 9+-+-zppzp-0
Na2! is at least okay for him. Usu- 9-zP-+-+-+0
ally seeing such small tactical ideas 9+-zP-sNN+-0
(or overlooking them) can change 9-vL-+-zPPzP0
the course of the game, so paying 9+-+-+LmK-0
xiiiiiiiiy