The English Language

[Andy Stoker]

Yes, I think so - more or less

'drum up' seems to mean differntly in
Black needs some primi­tive action, but this is not easy to drum up.
right?

No - this seems exactly like we had discussed before: " it means to encourage, to bring to greater activity (the idea of people responding to the beat of a drum) - in a chess sense, I suppose it could be used about - for example - drumming up a king side attack by advancing pawns, or re-activating a bishop by re-deploying it ... it has the sense of attack, I think." This seems a typical example - Black apparently needs some "primitive action" (for example to attack white's king) but the author cannot see how this could be generated ("drummed up")

[soheil_hooshdaran]

That may well be so.

However, it has nothing to do with your question.

Chess 'practice' in your q. means chess games.

I added the nice distinction that the word is spelled with an 's' instead of a 'c' when used as a verb rather than a noun.

Can practice mean activity?

Yes in a sense, e.g. -

Q. What extracurricular activity are you going to this evening?

A. Football practice - I'm practising to become a pro.

So let me put it this way:
How does 'practice' differ from 'games' here?

[soheil_hooshdaran]

Yes, I think so - more or less

'drum up' seems to mean differntly in
Black needs some primi­tive action, but this is not easy to drum up.
right?

No - this seems exactly like we had discussed before: " it means to encourage, to bring to greater activity (the idea of people responding to the beat of a drum) - in a chess sense, I suppose it could be used about - for example - drumming up a king side attack by advancing pawns, or re-activating a bishop by re-deploying it ... it has the sense of attack, I think." This seems a typical example - Black apparently needs some "primitive action" (for example to attack white's king) but the author cannot see how this could be generated ("drummed up")

Thanks.

[soheil_hooshdaran]

What's the difference between 'thrust' and advance (of a pawn)?

[Barry Sandercock]

No real difference.

[John McKenna]

Q. What extracurricular activity are you going to this evening?

A. Football practice - I'm practising to become a pro.

So let me put it this way:
How does 'practice' differ from 'games' here?

In sports 'practice' (training) is quite distinct from games (contests).

While in chess 'practice' is terminology for (recorded) games.

(A "nice distinction", but not a fine one.)

[soheil_hooshdaran]

Hi.
What's the difference between 'plus' and 'advantage' in:

• As I cannot see any counterplay by my opponent coming, I think that I could obtain a slight but perma­nent plus.

• White actually holds the advantage, because Black lacks serious counterplay. However, by choosing Plan A (0 points),White forfeits his plus after 20 i.e5 ? i.h6 ! with the idea ".f6.

• Plan B (10 points) gives White a slight plus, but still things look far from easy, as Black can set up an appropriate defence.

• This position would give White a slight plus in the endgame.

• Plan B (10 points) is not bad in general, but gives Black a chance to restrict White's plus.

• Plan A (10 points) gives White a slight plus due to his better pawn-structure and is only an inferior choice here because Plan C is so strong.

• 21 .l:dl 4Jd3 22 e5, with a clear plus for White.

• After 14 ... 0-0-0! IS �e4 hS ! 16 �xb7+ 'ixb7 17 gxhS llxhS 18 llabl fS Black even gets a plus.

Thanks in advance

[John McKenna]

There's far too much context above - the wood cannot be seen for the trees. Chop a clearing.

What's the difference between 'thrust' and advance (of a pawn)?

No real difference.

I agree that in chess the difference between the 'advance' and the 'thrust' of a pawn is not really much at all since pawns only move forwards.

A difference exists more in the manner in which the pawn is moved (or the way a writer expresses that).

If it is picked up and put down at normal speed that can be called an advance.

If it is quickly grabbed and pushed forward with alacrity that would be called a thrust.

Also, a 'thrust' is more likely to be done into, or in, the opponent's half of the board while an advance is more likely to done anywhere on the board.

Vizualise the following -

The fencer advanced along the piste then thrust his rapier at his opponent scoring a palpable hit.

[soheil_hooshdaran]

What does it mean to 'seize' the initiative or to 'zeize even more space'?

[soheil_hooshdaran]

If I can combine this kind of prophylaxis with active, positional or tactical threats, then my position should be quite acceptable

Means threats are 3 kinds (active - positional - tactical) or 2 kinds?

[Roger de Coverly]

active, positional or tactical

Normal English grammar.

A,B or C means one of the three
A,B and C means all of the three

[soheil_hooshdaran]

White's king side pawns must be my target.

Target or targets?

Thanks in advance

[soheil_hooshdaran]

active, positional or tactical

Normal English grammar.

A,B or C means one of the three
A,B and C means all of the three

I mean, is it active threats, positional treats, tactical threats
or active threats, [wheather tactical orf positional?

[John McKenna]

Now that Roger has neatly nailed the grammar down that leaves the vocab and semantics -

'Threat' is the wrong word to emphasise- the word 'possibility' works instead.

'Prophylaxis' is the attempt to reduce, prevent, or even eliminate the opponent's possibilities of play against you - including any kind of threat.

Nimzovitch was the father of this approach and raised it to high art in own theory and practice.

Steinitz, before him, set the scene by recommending the accumulation of small advantages rather than mad dashing attacks or the purposeless pursuit of pointless possibilities. (Sounds exactly like Mrs M's Brexit playlist!? Which, by the way, the EU have met with a successful stolid Stonewall strategy.)

And, before him, Philidor pointed the way by by emphasising pawn play and the development of the pieces behind a pawn front.

Your author is following in their footsteps and probably trying to go beyond.

But, has history and the advent of computers shown that Nimzovitch over-egged the prophylactic pudding?

It is somewhat ironic that some of the best first successful attempts to soundly and roundly defeat chess computers were based on a Nimzo-Steinitzian-Philidorian approach - set up an extensive pawn front that reduces the computers' possibilities of play while preparing a strategical and/or tactical breakthrough that allowed little or no counterplay.

I believe the best chess programmes can now outplay even the very best humans who try the above prophylactic approach. Which, perhaps, indicates that Nimzovich overstated his case - prophylaxis is the be-all and end-all of chess!?

[soheil_hooshdaran]

after 15 ... bxc3 16 i.xc3 i.a6 17 i.xa6 1:1xa6 18 1:1c l a4! Black should be satisfied.

'Should' implis advice or guess?