Answers.Body: <p>Start by making a plan based on the assumption that your opponent will "waste" moves, e.g. by moving the same piece back and forth between two squares until directly threatened. Opponents have been know to do this, especially novices.</p>
  
  <p>For instance, in the first position shown in Bad Bishop's answer, White has several things he wants to do. 1) "Connect" his rooks by moving his queen off the first rank (e.g. Qd2). 2) Strengthen his control of the e file by moving a rook there (R a1- e1) after the queen move, since his f rook is already doing good work on the f file 3) move Ne5 to gain control of that square. If Black exchanges, knights, recapture with the e1 rook, and you have a "big" piece on a strong central square (Black has no black squared bishop to chase it off e5).</p>
  
  <p>The Black moves given in the example, b5 and Qd6 are "passive" and don't counter White's "creeping" centralization. </p>
  
  <p>Chess is basically a "race." You and your opponent start with "level" positions at the beginning. This can be true even early in the midgame when you are "neither attacking nor defending." There's always something to do. The only question is can your opponent prevent you from doing it (in the above example, the answer is no). Whoever activates his pieces and executes first is likely to win.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-10-21T16:26:40.123Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-10-21T16:26:40.123Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Tom Au
Answers.Body: <p>Gah.</p>
  
  <p>Go to Amazon and do a search for "Complete Chess Course" and purchase a used copy of either Fred Reinfeld's or I.A. Horowitz' book. It is right up your alley. They teach you classic chess in a course format and that gives you a good footing. You'll make simple moves that make sense. </p>
  
  <p>You gotta walk before you run.</p>
  
  <p>Recommended - Link: <a href="http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1941270247" rel="nofollow">https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chess-Course-Beginning-Reinfeld/dp/1941270247</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-10-19T19:57:30.373Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-10-19T19:57:30.373Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Priyome
Answers.Body: <p>The reponse for this situation you described, in which every chess player found himself, shoud be learning how to make a <strong>strategy</strong></p>
  
  <p>As GM Savielly Tartakower said :</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><em>Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do; strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do</em></p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>You have to ask yourself "What am I going to do to win this game ?"</p>
  
  <p>Your can decide that your strategy will be a direct attack on the king, or that you will try to gain a positional advantage (this decision can be determined by the position, but also by you playing style). It's the part of the game when you have to take time for thinking and coming with an idea.</p>
  
  <p>Then, when you have a strategy, you will need to build a <strong>tactic</strong> to fulfill it and the question here is "How am I going to do it ?" (actually, the succession of moves you will play) Is there an exploitable fail in your opponent pawn structure ? a hole that can be occupied by one of your pieces ? is there a weakness in the king's defense ?  etc.</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p><em>Strategy require toughts, tactics require observation</em> (Max Euwe)</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>So my advice is to look for books about GM's startegies, thinkings and ways of coming with a plan and to learn from them.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-10-20T14:37:44.370Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-10-20T14:43:17.113Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2016-10-20T14:43:17.113Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Koblenz
Body: <p>I am a novice in chess. After about ten moves, I sometimes get into a situation where I am neither attacking nor defending and really can't figure out what my next move should be (that is I don't want to launch a premature attack, but not getting any offense from the opponent too). Is this common? and what should I do in such a situation?  </p>
  
  <p>Update:</p>
  
  <p>What should be the general attitude while playing the game? of course, the goal is to win, but rather, what should be in the back of the mind when moving pieces? Should it be always according to a plan or is there something else?</p>
  
Tags: <strategy><beginner><defense><attack><development>
Title: Neither Attacking nor Defending?
ThreadText: # Neither Attacking nor Defending?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-10-19)
  
  I am a novice in chess. After about ten moves, I sometimes get into a situation where I am neither attacking nor defending and really can't figure out what my next move should be (that is I don't want to launch a premature attack, but not getting any offense from the opponent too). Is this common? and what should I do in such a situation?
  
  Update:
  
  What should be the general attitude while playing the game? of course, the goal is to win, but rather, what should be in the back of the mind when moving pieces? Should it be always according to a plan or is there something else?
  
  **Tags:** strategy, beginner, defense, attack, development
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-10-21. Score: 1
  
  Start by making a plan based on the assumption that your opponent will "waste" moves, e.g. by moving the same piece back and forth between two squares until directly threatened. Opponents have been know to do this, especially novices.
  
  For instance, in the first position shown in Bad Bishop's answer, White has several things he wants to do. 1) "Connect" his rooks by moving his queen off the first rank (e.g. Qd2). 2) Strengthen his control of the e file by moving a rook there (R a1- e1) after the queen move, since his f rook is already doing good work on the f file 3) move Ne5 to gain control of that square. If Black exchanges, knights, recapture with the e1 rook, and you have a "big" piece on a strong central square (Black has no black squared bishop to chase it off e5).
  
  The Black moves given in the example, b5 and Qd6 are "passive" and don't counter White's "creeping" centralization.
  
  Chess is basically a "race." You and your opponent start with "level" positions at the beginning. This can be true even early in the midgame when you are "neither attacking nor defending." There's always something to do. The only question is can your opponent prevent you from doing it (in the above example, the answer is no). Whoever activates his pieces and executes first is likely to win.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2016-10-19. Score: 1
  
  Gah.
  
  Go to Amazon and do a search for "Complete Chess Course" and purchase a used copy of either Fred Reinfeld's or I.A. Horowitz' book. It is right up your alley. They teach you classic chess in a course format and that gives you a good footing. You'll make simple moves that make sense.
  
  You gotta walk before you run.
  
  Recommended - Link: [https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Chess-Course-Beginning-Reinfeld/dp/1941270247](http://rads.stackoverflow.com/amzn/click/1941270247)
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-10-20. Score: 1
  
  The reponse for this situation you described, in which every chess player found himself, shoud be learning how to make a **strategy**
  
  As GM Savielly Tartakower said :
  
  > *Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do; strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do*
  
  You have to ask yourself "What am I going to do to win this game ?"
  
  Your can decide that your strategy will be a direct attack on the king, or that you will try to gain a positional advantage (this decision can be determined by the position, but also by you playing style). It's the part of the game when you have to take time for thinking and coming with an idea.
  
  Then, when you have a strategy, you will need to build a **tactic** to fulfill it and the question here is "How am I going to do it ?" (actually, the succession of moves you will play) Is there an exploitable fail in your opponent pawn structure ? a hole that can be occupied by one of your pieces ? is there a weakness in the king's defense ? etc.
  
  > *Strategy require toughts, tactics require observation* (Max Euwe)
  
  So my advice is to look for books about GM's startegies, thinkings and ways of coming with a plan and to learn from them.
  
  
  ---
  
  