GM Misa Pap just concluded his interesting series about the best World Championship Matches, and now he's on with a new feat. Misa, in this brand new video series, tackles one of the most thorny aspects of the game: developing a plan starting from typical positions in the middle game. How many times do we find ourselves trying to think about a plan when our knowledge of the opening has already led us into the middle game? It's the most challenging part of the game, and how the plan our next moves can affect the final outcome. Here is GM Pap's presentation of the course:  Most of us already know that calculation in chess means tactics.

On the other hand, strategy usually includes:

Correct evaluation of the position Making a game plan Finding the right plan Choosing the right plan in the game.

This might sound easier than it actually is in practice. Strategy is probably the most challenging part of chess – for example, if you ask somebody to find a win in a given position or a forced draw in another one, usually people would find it (it is about tactics), but if you ask somebody to show how to build up position and outplay the opponent in a given position, that is not so easy!

That is why we need more time to learn how it works and grasp all the strategic methods we have in chess.

These are the main reasons that led me to think and develop this series: it is all about finding and executing the right plan. Also, I make it easier by presenting material in typical structures (positions) that arise most often in chess and standard plans used for both sides.

In 15 videos, I will explain around 10 different most often played structures and plans for both sides.

If you follow the series until the end and master these positions, it should improve your overall chess understanding and knowledge.

I hope that you will enjoy and learn something!

Chapters:

Isolated pawn – breakthrough Isolated pawn - piece play Isolated pawn – blockade Hanging pawns 1 Hanging pawns 2 Open center Blocked center 1 Blocked center 2 “Small” center Carlsbad structure – white plans Carlsbad structure – black counterplay Mobile center e and f pawns phalanx 4 pawns cluster (Spanish game and Russian defense) 4 pawns cluster (Sicilian)