Two Weaknesses

The two weaknesses principle is one of the most important techniques for exploiting an advantage. When you are facing your opponent in a tough game of chess and your opponent has developed a weakness it is your job to exploit the weakness in position that has been created. No matter how good your opponent is at chess, he or she will create weaknesses in his or her defensive structure as the game progresses. This is simply the normal flow of the game. You too will create weaknesses in your defensive structure as you become more aggressive on defense.

Your opponent will likely notice his or her weakness and attempt to securely defend this weakness. The weakness may not just be a vulnerable pawn, but may also be an invasion square that needs to be defended or a passed pawn that needs to be blocked. An experienced chess player will be able to defend one weakness without much difficulty. Try not to focus on this one weakness that your opponent is defending. Instead focus on finding or creating a second weakness for your opponent. By attacking this second weakness, and if necessary switching back to the first weakness, you are able to break down and eventually defeat your opponent's defense.

Experienced chess players will use this dual attack in the end game to win games. This can be an effective tactic in the middle game, but is probably used the most in the end game since there are so many weaknesses for your opponent to try to defend against. Conversely, try to make sure that you do not find yourself in this trap of defending two weaknesses at the same time. The player who finds themselves doing this will usually end up losing the game.



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1. Offense or Defense
2. God Save The Queen
3. Bluffing
4. Keep from Blocking Yourself
5. Middle or sides
6. Skewering and Pinning
7. Castling
8. Put your Pieces to Work
9. The Power of the Pawn
10. The Double Threat

21. End Game Ideas
22. Doubled Pawns
23. End Game Goals
24. Middle Game Tactics
25. Chart Your Progress
26. Deflection
27. Master An Opening
28. Chess Notation Part 1
29. Chess Notation Part 2
30. Chess Notation Part 3

41. The Classic Kings Pawn Opening
42. Chess Variants
43. Checkmate
44. Defend Yourself
45. Simplicity
46. Attack on the Kings Side
47. Play Against a Computer
48. Zwischenzug
49. Do Not Fret
50. Take Advantage of Your Opponents Doubled Pawns

61. Memorizing Openings
62. Winning a Won Game
63. You Are Going to Lose
64. Castling Ideas
65. A Winning Attitude
66. Develop Your Pieces
67. The Best Move
68. Ways to Protect an Attacked Piece
69. What is Your Opponent Trying to do?
70. When to Capture a Promoting Piece

81. Pinning
82. Plan Ahead
83. Retreat
84. Take a Risk
85. The Best Move 2
86. The Center of the Game
87. The Problem With Pawns
88. The Skewer
89. The Unopposed Bishop
90. Two Weaknesses

(more coming)

Other Chess Resources
11. The Trade Off
12. Three Types of Draws
13. The Strategic Sacrifice
14. Hidden Attacks
15. Understanding The Three Stages of a Chess Game
16. Four Move Checkmate
17. Use Your Moves Wisely
18. Utilizing Your Bishops
19. King Of The World
20. Pony Up


31. Join a Chess Club
32. Chess Etiquette
33. Pay Attention
34. Gambits
35. Have Your Game Analyzed
36. Long Term Thinking
37. Think Ahead
38. Watch Others
39. Learn from Grandmasters
40. The Spike or Grob Opening

51. The King as an Offensive Piece
52. Blockades
53. Chasing
54. Study Chess Problem Diagrams
55. Exchanging Pieces
56. Exploit Weaknesses
57. Learning About Bishops
58. Play the Board
59. The Lone Pawn
60. Why Play Speed Chess

71. When to Capture the Pinned Piece
72. Doing Nothing
73. Which Forked Piece to Capture
74. Explore Variety
75. Studying is Hard Work
76. Activity
77. Center Domination
78. Development
79. Pawns on the Third Rank
80. Piece Values

91. What is your opponent doing?
92. Chess History
93. Lack of Tempo

Books:
Chess History And Reminiscences
Chess Strategy