Answers.Body: <p>The middlegame is too vast of a topic to be fully covered in an answer here.</p>
  <p>We already have a question with book recommendations on middlegame strategy: <a href="https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/14640/best-books-on-middlegame-strategy">Best books on middlegame strategy?</a></p>
  <p>So I will take this opportunity to recommend some other resources which aren’t books.</p>
  <hr />
  <p>The Wikipedia article is a nice high-level introduction: <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_middlegame" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chess Middlegame (Wikipedia)</a></p>
  <hr />
  <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/c/HangingPawns" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hanging Pawns</a> on YouTube has a playlist titled <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEehFvnO3ZA&amp;list=PLssNbVBYrGcD2mB7JrHbpP5qyT_ncxCRj" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chess Middlegame Ideas</a> with around 50 videos on the middlegame.</p>
  <p>Also on YouTube, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78LcnqlzGHk" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The Golden Rules for the Middlegame | Chess Principles | Improver Level | IM Andrey Ostrovskiy</a> is a great 30-minute video on the middlegame.</p>
  <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL22TDi13zM" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chess Middlegame Strategy | Chess lesson # 91</a> (35 minutes) by NM Robert Ramirez is also good, but it focuses on examining different positions to find a strategy, so perhaps you can use it to practice or to assess what you have learnt.</p>
  <hr />
  <p>Finally, there are some (paid) Chessable courses on the middlegame with good feedback:</p>
  <p><a href="https://www.chessable.com/mastering-chess-middlegames/course/10057/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Mastering Chess Middlegames by GM Alexander Panchenko</a></p>
  <p><a href="https://www.chessable.com/chess-calculation-training-middlegames/course/12376/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Chess Calculation Training: Middlegames by GM Romain Edouard</a></p>
  <p><a href="https://www.chessable.com/sharp-middle-games-a-practical-guide-to-chess-calculation/course/17599/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Sharp Middle Games: A Practical Guide to Chess Calculation by GM Daniel Gormally</a></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2022-02-07T09:55:44.087Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2022-02-07T09:55:44.087Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: hb20007
Body: <p>Many times, I can play the opening correctly and find myself in a favorable position. This is because the opening has clear principles that I can follow (i.e. develop minor pieces, control the center, safe king). This positional advantage is especially exaggerated when my opponent makes mistakes that cost them some tempo, for example through early queen attacks.</p>
  <p>However, upon securing a comfortable position, I am usually clueless as to how to play the middlegame. Usually, I end up pushing pawns recklessly or shuffling pieces and hoping for the best.</p>
  <p>So, what are some things that I can do after I develop to milk a positional advantage? It would be great if you can address specific cases such as:</p>
  <ol>
  <li>What to do when your opponent is underdeveloped?</li>
  <li>How do you pawn storm without creating weaknesses?</li>
  <li>How do you conceive long-term plans?</li>
  <li>Aside from attacking pieces outright, are there better strategies for putting pressure on your opponent?</li>
  </ol>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2022-02-07T09:55:59.250Z
Comments.Text: This type of general questions hardly ever has a valid answer. You'll have to ask about and analyze more specific positions
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Tags: <strategy><middlegame><development>
Title: What is the best way to play the middlegame?
ThreadText: # What is the best way to play the middlegame?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2022-02-07)
  
  Many times, I can play the opening correctly and find myself in a favorable position. This is because the opening has clear principles that I can follow (i.e. develop minor pieces, control the center, safe king). This positional advantage is especially exaggerated when my opponent makes mistakes that cost them some tempo, for example through early queen attacks.
  
  However, upon securing a comfortable position, I am usually clueless as to how to play the middlegame. Usually, I end up pushing pawns recklessly or shuffling pieces and hoping for the best.
  
  So, what are some things that I can do after I develop to milk a positional advantage? It would be great if you can address specific cases such as:
  
  1. What to do when your opponent is underdeveloped?
  2. How do you pawn storm without creating weaknesses?
  3. How do you conceive long-term plans?
  4. Aside from attacking pieces outright, are there better strategies for putting pressure on your opponent?
  
  **Tags:** strategy, middlegame, development
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: This type of general questions hardly ever has a valid answer. You'll have to ask about and analyze more specific positions  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2022-02-07. Score: 2
  
  The middlegame is too vast of a topic to be fully covered in an answer here.
  
  We already have a question with book recommendations on middlegame strategy: [Best books on middlegame strategy?](https://chess.stackexchange.com/questions/14640/best-books-on-middlegame-strategy)
  
  So I will take this opportunity to recommend some other resources which aren’t books.
  
  ---
  
  The Wikipedia article is a nice high-level introduction: [Chess Middlegame (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_middlegame)
  
  ---
  
  [Hanging Pawns](https://www.youtube.com/c/HangingPawns) on YouTube has a playlist titled [Chess Middlegame Ideas](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEehFvnO3ZA&list=PLssNbVBYrGcD2mB7JrHbpP5qyT_ncxCRj) with around 50 videos on the middlegame.
  
  Also on YouTube, [The Golden Rules for the Middlegame | Chess Principles | Improver Level | IM Andrey Ostrovskiy](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78LcnqlzGHk) is a great 30-minute video on the middlegame.
  
  [Chess Middlegame Strategy | Chess lesson # 91](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL22TDi13zM) (35 minutes) by NM Robert Ramirez is also good, but it focuses on examining different positions to find a strategy, so perhaps you can use it to practice or to assess what you have learnt.
  
  ---
  
  Finally, there are some (paid) Chessable courses on the middlegame with good feedback:
  
  [Mastering Chess Middlegames by GM Alexander Panchenko](https://www.chessable.com/mastering-chess-middlegames/course/10057/)
  
  [Chess Calculation Training: Middlegames by GM Romain Edouard](https://www.chessable.com/chess-calculation-training-middlegames/course/12376/)
  
  [Sharp Middle Games: A Practical Guide to Chess Calculation by GM Daniel Gormally](https://www.chessable.com/sharp-middle-games-a-practical-guide-to-chess-calculation/course/17599/)
  
  
  ---
  
  