IM Mark Plotkin

NEW COURSE: Maneuvering – An Essential Skill for the Serious Player

IM Mark Plotkin's exciting new ACC online course is "Maneuvering – An Essential Skill for the Serious Player" and it will commence on Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 7:00 PM. Below are some notes Mark has prepared in order to explain his new Zoom course. Each class runs 1.5 hrs. and is aimed at club players (both adults and juniors) already playing in rated tournaments.

Maneuvering refers to the strategic positioning of your pieces in a way that improves your chances of winning the game. It involves identifying weaknesses in your opponent's position, creating threats, and improving the mobility and coordination of your own pieces. Maneuvering is an essential skill for any serious chess player, and here are some reasons why:

Control of key squares: Good maneuvering helps you control important squares on the board, which allows you to restrict your opponent's movements and create opportunities for your own pieces. By controlling key squares, you can also limit your opponent's options and force them into a defensive posture.

Creating weaknesses: Maneuvering can help you create weaknesses in your opponent's position that you can exploit later in the game. For example, you can target weak pawns or isolate an opponent's pieces by controlling key squares around them.

Prophylaxis: Maneuvering can also help you prevent your opponent's counterplay by making prophylactic moves that anticipate and prevent their plans. By restricting your opponent's options, you can force them into passive positions and limit their opportunities to attack.

Efficient use of resources: Good maneuvering allows you to make the most of your pieces' strengths and coordinate them effectively. By improving the mobility and coordination of your pieces, you can increase their value and create more threats on the board.

Endgame play: Maneuvering is particularly important in the endgame, where even small positional advantages can lead to significant advantages. In endgames, good maneuvering can help you create passed pawns, promote your pawns, and win the game.

Below are the individual 8 classes being taught by Mark in his Maneuvering course:

Each class is a mix of lecture and reviewing example positions.  Homework problems are given each week in order to reinforce the principles learned in the previous week. The homework is reviewed at the start of each class. Students also receive links to the recorded Zoom sessions for their personal use as well as access to the related Lichess studies. 

Compare with Thursday Evenings – Online with FM Michael Humphreys

Back to ACC Online Classes