The Winning Academy 42: First the Centre, then the Attack

by Jan Markos
4/28/2025 – When an inexperienced young person enters the gym hoping to build big muscles and an attractive body, there are two mistakes they often tend to commit. Firstly, they go weights far heavy for them. Secondly, they tend to focus on one particular body part (especially arms when it comes to boys), omitting the body core. However, the body core is essential.

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Without a strong centre of the body, all the exercises for arms or legs will be less effective. And sometimes even harmful.

In chess, the situation is similar. Many club players love to attack and are trying to attack far too often and far too soon. Typically, they forget about the centre.

First the centre, then the attack! This rule should be written on a wall in every chess club, where young players are taught. Without a good stable centre, few attacks are successful. With a good stable centre, many attacks win almost automatically.

***

I remember that when I was twelve, I was looking at the following French line with amazement. After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 the diagrammed position arises:

Of course, I was expecting 5.Nf3 to be the best move in the position. Or some other developing move, E.g. 5.Bd3. The fact that the two most played move are 5.f4 and 5.Nce2 was confusing for me.

"Really, 5.Nce2, playing with the only developed piece to a square where it stands in the way of the half of my army? You must be kidding!"

That were my thoughts. I needed some more years to understand how important the centre is in a game of chess. If White can cover his central pawns with c2-c3 and f2-f4, he can count with a long and lasting advantage. And an almost automatic attack afterwards.

Let us have a look at three examples of such "almost automatic" attacks.

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Believe it or not, the following position originated not from the French defence, but from a Catalan opening. That is why White's light-squared bishop stands on g2, and not on the b1-h7 diagonal.

Fillipov-Frolyanov, Russian League 2005, White to move:

And yet, even without the aid of the light-squared bishop, White has excellent attacking chances. His centre is very stable, and he was able to transfer his b1-knight to g4, adding one more unit to his attacking firepower.

Is the situation ripe for the Bc1xh6 sacrifice? After a few minutes of calculations, you will surely come up with the understanding that this sacrifice does not lead to any quick mate.

And yet, Fillipov played 19.Bxh6!? and engines are approving his decision. Why? For the bishop White gets two pawns and targets on the kingside. For Black it is almost impossible to transfer defensive resources closer to his king. Fillipov therefore correctly assumed that in the long run, black king's position is untenable.

The game continued 19…gxh6 20.Rc1 Nb8 21.Qd2 Nd7 22.Nxh6+ Kg7 23.g4 and White went on to win gradually.

Here's the complete game:

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1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.c4 c6 4.Qc2 Nf6 5.g3 Nbd7 6.Bg2 Be7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Nbd2 b6 9.e4 Bb7 10.e5 Ne8 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Re1 Ba6 13.Nf1 Rc8 14.Qd1 Nc7 15.h4 h6 16.h5 Nb8 17.Ne3 Nc6 18.Ng4 Re8 19.Bxh6 gxh6 20.Rc1 Nb8 21.Qd2 Nd7 22.Nxh6+ Kg7 23.g4 Rh8 24.g5 Qf8 25.Qf4 Bc4 26.b3 Bd3 27.Ng4 Kg8 28.Rc3 Bb4 29.Rxd3 Bxe1 30.Nxe1 Rxh5 31.Nh6+ Kh7 32.Rg3 Ne8 33.Bf1 Ng7 34.Bd3+ Kh8 35.Nxf7+ Kg8 36.Nh6+ Kh8 37.Nf7+ Kg8 38.Bg6 Qe7 39.Nh6+ Kh8 40.Qf7 Qxf7 41.Nxf7+ Kg8 42.Nh6+ Kh8 43.Bxh5 Nxh5 44.Rf3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Filippov,V2621Frolyanov,D25051–02005E09RUS-chT 12th10

***

In the following example White also benefited from a strong centre.

Topalov-Cori, Chess Olympiad Istanbul 2012, White to move:

Again, it is clear that Black will not be able to undermine White's centre. The …f7-f6 break is impossible, and …c5xd4 does not solve anything, as White simply retakes with the pawn. This gives Topalov a free hand for a kingside attack.

The Bulgarian played 22.Qh3, followed by Nh2-g4 and eventually managed to get the attack rolling. However, I like a more straightforward approach.

White could have played 22.Bg5!?, sacrificing the bishop to open the h-file. After 22…hxg5 23.hxg5 Black is almost helpless against the Nh2-g4-f6+ idea, followed by the invasion via the h-file. His only survival chance is 23…Bg7, and White needs to answer 24.Qf4 to avoid a counter-sacrifice on e5. The line continues: 24…Rc8 25.Ng4 Kf8 26.Nf6 cxd4 27.cxd4 Bxf6 28.gxf6 Qb4, and here White is almost winning after the smart 29.Rc1!, preventively stopping the opponent's counterplay on the c-file.

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1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Nc6 4.Ngf3 Nf6 5.e5 Nd7 6.Nb3 a5 7.a4 Be7 8.Bb5 0-0 9.0-0 Ncb8 10.Re1 b6 11.g3 c6 12.Bf1 Ba6 13.Bxa6 Rxa6 14.h4 h6 15.c3 c5 16.Nh2 Re8 17.Qg4 Kh7 18.Qh5 Kg8 19.Re3 Bf8 20.Rf3 g6 21.Qg4 Qe7 TUTO 22.Qh3 Bg7 23.Ng4 Kh7 24.Bg5 Qf8 25.Kg2 h5 26.Ne3 Nc6 27.g4 Ndxe5 28.dxe5 Nxe5 29.gxh5 gxh5 30.Rg1 f5 31.Kh1 Ra7 32.Nc1 d4 33.cxd4 cxd4 34.Ng2 Ng4 35.Nf4 Qf7 36.Nce2 e5 37.Nxh5 e4 38.Rf4 e3 39.Rgxg4 fxg4 40.Rxf7 Rxf7 41.Qxg4 exf2 42.Neg3 Re1+ 43.Kh2 Be5 44.Bf4 d3 45.Bxe5 Rxe5 46.Qc4 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Topalov,V2752Cori,J24961–02012C04Olympiad-405.1

***

In the last example White also sacrificed material for a long-term compensation based on his strong centre.

Nakamura-Hjartarson, Pro League Stage Rapid 2018, White to move:

Nakamura was able to stop any Black's counterplay on the queenside. But how to continue with his own play on the kingside? An average player would probably move his king to h1, rook to g1 and patiently prepare the g2-g4 break. But Nakamura is not an average player!

He played 21.f5!, opening the lines as quickly as possible, before Black's heavy pieces even get the chance to return to the kingside. Of course, 21…Nxf5 was forced, as the knight was hanging on h6. But after 22.g4! Ng7 (opening the h-file would be suicidal for Black) 23.Qh6 White had an irresistible attack. He is threatening to get his knight to g5 (after the exchange of the bishops) and double the rooks on the f-file, and Black has little to show against these plans.

Here's the complete game:

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1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.f4 a6 5.Nf3 b5 6.Bd3 Nd7 7.Be3 Bb7 8.e5 e6 9.Be4 Bxe4 10.Nxe4 d5 11.Nf2 h5 12.a4 Nh6 13.Nd3 0-0 14.0-0 Qb8 15.h3 Nb6 16.a5 Nd7 17.Re1 Rc8 18.Qd2 Bf8 19.b4 Re8 20.Bf2 Be7 TUTO 20...Be7 21.g4 21.f5 Nxf5 22.g4 Ng7 23.Qh6 Nf8 24.Kh1 24.Bh4 Bxh4 25.Nxh4 Qd8 26.Nf3 Nh7 26...f6 27.exf6 Qxf6 28.Nfe5 27.Re2 24.Nf4 Qd8 25.Kh2 Nh7 26.Rg1 hxg4 27.hxg4 27.Rxg4 Nf5 28.Qh5 Ng7 29.Rxg6 fxg6 30.Qxg6 Kh8 31.Rg1 Rg8 32.Qh6 27...Bg5 28.Nxg5 Qxg5 29.Qxg5 Nxg5 30.Kg2 Ne4 31.Rh1 g5 32.Nd3 Nxf2 33.Kxf2 f5 34.exf6 Rf8 35.Ke2 Ne8 36.Ne5 Nxf6 37.Rh6 24...Nh7 25.Rg1 Qd8 26.gxh5 g5 21...hxg4 22.f5 Nxf5 22...gxf3 23.Qxh6 23.hxg4 21.f5 Nxf5 22.g4 Ng7 23.Qh6 Nf8 24.Nf4 Qd8 25.Kh2 Nh7 26.Rg1 hxg4 27.hxg4 Bg5 28.Nxg5 Qxg5 29.Qxg5 Nxg5 30.Kg2 Ne4 31.Rh1 g5 32.Nd3 Nxf2 33.Kxf2 f5 34.exf6 Rf8 35.Ke2 Ne8 36.Ne5 Nxf6 37.Rh6 Rae8 38.Rg6+ Kh8 39.Rh1+ Nh7 40.Rgh6 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nakamura,H2781Hjartarson,J25361–02018B06PRO League Stage7
Nakamura,H2781Hjartarson,J25361–02018B06PRO League Stage7

***

Strong and stable space advantage in the centre is one of the most comfortable advantages in chess. In a middlegame, it allows you to attack on one of the flanks, benefiting from your better capability to manoeuvre with the pieces. In an endgame, your pawns are closer to the promotion square, and that is often an important advantage.

Therefore, take a good care for your centre, in French, Kings Indian or any other defence where the pawns are blocked in the middle of the board. Once you stabilize your pawn chain, you are destined to have a tangible edge to the end of the game.


Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!


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Jan Markos is a Slovakian chess author, trainer, and grandmaster. His book Under the Surface was the English Chess Federation´s 2018 Book of the Year. His last book, The Secret Ingredient, co-authored with David Navara, focuses on the practical aspects of play, e.g. time-management over the board, how to prepare against a specific opponent, or how to use chess engines during the training process. Markos was the U16 European Champion twenty years ago. At present he helps his pupils from several countries to achieve similar successes. Apart from focusing on the royal game, he is also the author of several non-chess books, focused on critical thinking, moral dilemmas, and phenomenology.
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