Elo 800–14008 weeks
Strategic Thinking
Stop reacting — start planning
An 8-week path that teaches you to evaluate positions, form plans, and make decisions based on long-term factors rather than only immediate threats. The foundation of consistent improvement.
✓ By the end you will be able to assess any position, identify the key strategic features, and form a coherent plan.
For: Players rated 800–1400 who want to move beyond pure tactics
Path Units (8)
1
Positional Evaluation
- •Assess pawn structure for weaknesses
- •Evaluate piece activity and coordination
- •Identify who stands better and why
2
Open Files and the 7th Rank
- •Control open files with rooks
- •Invade with rooks on the 7th rank
- •Create open files through pawn trades
3
Weak Squares and Outposts
- •Identify weak squares created by pawn advances
- •Plant pieces on outpost squares
- •Restrict enemy outpost use
4
Pawn Majorities and Minorities
- •Create and advance passed pawns
- •Use pawn majorities to create weaknesses
- •Understand minority attacks
5
Good and Bad Bishops
- •Identify good vs bad bishops
- •Trade bad bishops for good ones
- •Create positions where bishop beats knight
6
Planning
- •Form concrete plans based on position type
- •Adjust plans when opponent changes direction
- •Recognise typical plans in standard structures
7
Piece Exchanges and Simplification
- •Know when to trade pieces vs keep them
- •Trade into winning endgames
- •Use simplification as a winning technique
8
Strategic Game Analysis
- •Annotate positional games by top players
- •Find strategic improvements in your own games
- •Build a personal positional checklist