This is highly valuable information here, in my opinion after watching many high level games, structural weaknesses are a large part of what separates the top level players from everyone else; in that top players know how to create and exploit these weaknesses. Thank you for this post!
Besides "Chess Structures," which I have started reading and really like, I just noticed that Chapter 2 of "Zlotnik's Middlegame Manual" deals with various plans in the Carlsbad structure, so that might be another useful resource for those interested in studying this structure.
I bought Mauricio Rios "Chess Structures" and it was more than fine. I am a 1.e4 not positional player but with black you have to face 1.d4, 1.c4 and other positional setups with many pawns and I lack the knowledge so I am vulnerable to this type of refined strategies. Frankly, I am the player who attacks on the Kingside, play fast and finish soon, for good or for bad. At endgame time I wish to be back to home in the subway :)
Yes, that's a great book! It's not really possible to cover every pawn structure in a single book, but he hits a lot of the most common ones and explains them very well.
Thanks for this great post - I remember being blown away the first time I learned about the Botvinnik plan and tried to implement every single time regardless of whether or not the position seemed to justify it. I'd add one thing to this idea of multiple plans from the same structure: a lot of times you can sort the plans by the amount of risk involved, how committal they are - in this way, I think the minority attack is typically the lowest risk plan in the Carlsbad, but also often has the least payoff.
It's low risk in the sense that it doesn't weaken your own structure, but there's the risk of Black counterattacking on the kingside and trumping your queenside shenanigans with checkmate. It can lead to some nice grinds when Black doesn't manage to get the counterattack going though!
Excellent, very detailed and well-explained post, with good references!
I remember looking at that botvinnik game and thinking why Rb1-Rd1 😄 Great post! 🔥
This is highly valuable information here, in my opinion after watching many high level games, structural weaknesses are a large part of what separates the top level players from everyone else; in that top players know how to create and exploit these weaknesses. Thank you for this post!
Besides "Chess Structures," which I have started reading and really like, I just noticed that Chapter 2 of "Zlotnik's Middlegame Manual" deals with various plans in the Carlsbad structure, so that might be another useful resource for those interested in studying this structure.
I bought Mauricio Rios "Chess Structures" and it was more than fine. I am a 1.e4 not positional player but with black you have to face 1.d4, 1.c4 and other positional setups with many pawns and I lack the knowledge so I am vulnerable to this type of refined strategies. Frankly, I am the player who attacks on the Kingside, play fast and finish soon, for good or for bad. At endgame time I wish to be back to home in the subway :)
Yes, that's a great book! It's not really possible to cover every pawn structure in a single book, but he hits a lot of the most common ones and explains them very well.
Thanks for this great post - I remember being blown away the first time I learned about the Botvinnik plan and tried to implement every single time regardless of whether or not the position seemed to justify it. I'd add one thing to this idea of multiple plans from the same structure: a lot of times you can sort the plans by the amount of risk involved, how committal they are - in this way, I think the minority attack is typically the lowest risk plan in the Carlsbad, but also often has the least payoff.
It's low risk in the sense that it doesn't weaken your own structure, but there's the risk of Black counterattacking on the kingside and trumping your queenside shenanigans with checkmate. It can lead to some nice grinds when Black doesn't manage to get the counterattack going though!