Middlegame facts for kids
The middlegame is the exciting part of a chess game that happens after the opening. It starts when most of your chess pieces are out and ready to play. This is where most games are won or lost! Often, games finish here, even before the very last part, called the endgame.
The best way to get good at the middlegame is to pick a few openings you like and learn them well. For example, you could study the English opening or the French defence.
Contents
Key Parts of a Middlegame Position
Every middlegame position has a special "structure" that comes from how the game started. Here are some important things to look for when you're playing in the middlegame:
Material Balance
The material is about how many pieces each player has. Losing a piece for nothing can often mean losing the whole game! Usually, players have a similar number of pieces. This balance often stays the same for many moves. But sometimes, a player might sacrifice a piece. This means giving it up on purpose, usually to start a strong attack on the other player's king.
Development Lead
Development means getting your pieces off their starting squares and into the game. If one player gets their pieces out faster, they have a "lead in development." This player often gets to attack first. But this advantage doesn't last forever! If you don't use your lead quickly, it will disappear.
Controlling the Centre
The centre of the board (the d4, e4, d5, e5 squares) is super important. Pieces are strongest here because they can reach more squares. The player who controls the centre usually has a big advantage.
Piece Mobility
Mobility means how easily your pieces can move around. You want your pieces to be able to go where they need to! Most middlegame positions have some limits on how pieces can move. Look for open lines for your rooks and open diagonal paths for your bishops. Knights love "outposts," which are squares where they can't be easily kicked away by enemy pawns.
King Safety
Where is your king? Ideally, your king should be castled and protected by a wall of pawns. But things don't always go perfectly! If your king is in danger, your opponent might try to attack it directly. If both players castle on opposite sides of the board, and the queens are still on, both players might try to attack the other's king.
Pawn Structures
Pawns are like the backbone of your position. They move slowly and can get stuck for many moves. Everything else on the board happens around the pawns. Different openings create different pawn patterns. This means the opening you choose can affect the whole game! Here are some pawn patterns to watch for:
- Isolated pawns: These pawns don't have friendly pawns next to them. They often create "weak squares" in front of them, which are squares that can't be attacked by your own pawns.
- Doubled pawns: These are two pawns on the same vertical line. They can also be a weakness.
- Pawns side by side: These pawns are strong and flexible. They are a good thing to have!
- Chains of pawns: These are pawns lined up diagonally. The pawn at the base (the one furthest back) is often weaker than the one at the front.
- Passed pawns: These are pawns that can't be stopped by any enemy pawns on their way to promotion. They can be very dangerous and can break through your opponent's defenses.
- Blocked pawn chains: When pawns are blocked, your pieces are forced to go around them, often on one side or the other.
As you play, you'll notice these things on the board. Then, you can make a plan that uses these features to your advantage. Of course, your opponent will try to stop your plan at every step!
Types of Middlegames
Middlegames can feel very different depending on the pawn structure and how pieces are developed.
Central Struggles
Some middlegames are all about fighting for control of the centre of the board.
Isolated Queen's Pawn
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In some openings, like the Tarrasch variation of the French defence, you might end up with an "isolated queen's pawn." This is a pawn on the d-file that doesn't have friendly pawns on the c-file or e-file next to it.
This isolated pawn gives the middlegame its special feel. The pawn itself can be both a weakness and a source of strength. For example, it might control an important square like e4, but it can also leave the square in front of it (like d4) much weaker. These positions are often quite balanced, but understanding the isolated pawn is key.
Rapid Development
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Some openings, like certain lines in the English opening, focus on getting your pieces out very quickly. This is called "rapid development." Sometimes, a player might even give up a pawn (a "material sacrifice") to get their pieces out faster and gain an advantage.
These games often involve a lot of fighting for the centre of the board. Old-style openings like the Danish Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4) are great for learning how to use rapid development to your advantage, even if they aren't played much today.
Central Pawn Chains
Many middlegames are played around pawn chains that are blocked or partly blocked. These pawn chains are super important because they help decide what each player's plan will be. Often, these plans involve attacking on one side of the board (the kingside or queenside) while defending on the other. Each player tries to attack the base of their opponent's pawn chain.
French Defence Structures
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In some variations of the French defence, like the Winawer variation, the game can become very "asymmetric." This means one player might be strong on the kingside, and the other player strong on the queenside.
In these positions, each side tries to make as many moves as possible attacking their opponent's weak side. At the same time, they try to make as few moves as possible defending their own weak side. This is a key idea for these unbalanced kingside versus queenside games.
King's Indian Structures
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Here's an example from the King's Indian Defence. In this position, White will mostly play on the queenside, and Black will mostly play on the kingside. This is because the black pawn on d6 and the white pawn on e4 are the bases of their pawn chains. A famous chess player named Aaron Nimzovich taught us that these base pawns are often the most vulnerable to attack.
White, to play, might want to stop Black from playing a knight to f4. White could play 10.g3, or 10.Re1 to protect the bishop if the knight moves. Or White might push ahead with 10.c5, which is a key move on the queenside.
Chess databases show that 10.Re1 has led to better results in tournament games. This shows how important it is to look at the board, make a plan, and then choose your moves carefully.
Keeping Your King Safe
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The safety of your king is often the most important thing in the later part of the middlegame. This example is a classic! White is up two pawns and could win by trading queens and going into an endgame. But White thought they saw something even better:
- 1.Rc7
This move is a "skewer." It means if the black queen moves, then the rook can capture the pawn on g7, leading to checkmate!
- 1... Rc5!!
This is a brilliant reply from Black! It points out White's weak spot: the back rank (the first row of squares).
- If White plays 2.Rxd7, then Black plays 2... Rc1, which is checkmate!
- If White plays 2.dxc5, then Black plays 2... Qd1, which is checkmate!
- If White plays 2.Rxc5, then Black plays 2...Qxb7!, winning the queen!
How Much Are Pieces Worth?
In chess, pieces have different "values" that help you decide if a trade is good. Here's how their value is usually thought of:
- Pawn = 1 Pawn
- Knight = 3 Pawns
- Bishop = 3 Pawns
- Rook = 5 Pawns
- Queen = 9 or 10 Pawns
Garry Kasparov, a famous chess champion, had a slightly different idea:
- Pawn = 1 Pawn
- Knight = 3 Pawns
- Bishop (not part of a pair) = 3 Pawns
- Bishop (as part of a pair) = 3.25 Pawns (because two bishops together can be very strong!)
- Rook = 5 Pawns
- Queen = 9 Pawns
