The Great Pawn Hunter
Chess Tutorial

Learn like a Master

Follow the P.A.C.K. (Notebook required)

An easy introduction into the thought processes of a master is with a notebook. As you are reading over a chess game. Fill in a blank diagram and paste it into your notebook. The master formula I am recommending is to "Follow the P.A.C.K."

The following analysis, plans, and variations are to be written down under each diagram in your notebook.

Pawn structures

Are there any holes, isolated pawns, or backward pawns in both pawn structures. Where?
Can any levers or piece maneuvers be used to force isolated pawns, backward pawns, or holes in both pawn structures? Where?

Avenues of attack for the pieces

Do my rooks have full open files? Do my opponent's?
Do my bishops have full open diagonals? Do my opponent's?
Do my knights have potential outposts? Do my opponent's?

Central control

Do I own the center squares or does my opponent?
Can I use a lever or piece maneuver to exert more pressure in the center.

King safety

Is my king safe? Is my opponent's king safe?

After you have followed the above P.A.C.K. method, it is time for you to write down your plan (where you want to place your pieces according to your analysis above).

Then you repeat the whole process following the P.A.C.K. method and then writing down your plan for black.

Now that you have written the plans, you can choose "Candidate Moves" that are either "attacking" and fulfill your plan or "Defensive" and stop your opponent's plan. When deciding what plan to follow, you should always try to limit serious counterplay before going on the attack. In modern games, some great attacking grandmasters have doubled edged positions where it seems they have ignored their opponent's threats completely while they are on the attack. However, in reality they have calculated defensive and offensive move variations that give them a level of confidence that their plan will work out.

Which brings us to the next part...which is to start the "Move Variations." This means picking each move in your plan and seeing what the opponent's moves might be in response. If the variation doesn't seem to work then try the same moves in a different move order before you give it up. Write down each variation as you are thinking it horizontally across your notebook.
Also, remember to look for piece sacrifices and exchanges in carrying out the plans. Become aware of pieces that have a distance of a knight fork and other tactical ideas. Work up to making, at least, three moves for you and three moves for your opponent. Your visualization of the chess board will get better with time.

Note: the dots ".." in the above analysis #2 stand for the moves that have already been played in your first analysis of the position. With lots of analysis trees, it is easier just to write down two dots that says repeat the moves in the previous analysis up to and including this move.

As you get better at notebook analyzing, you will start to do it all in your head. Your notebook will serve as a reference for a chess teacher to study where your game can improve. I wish you all the best.

I truly want you to become a better chess player.
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I wish for you all the joy that the royal game has given me over the years.

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