Taulbut Shaun, Jones S. Chess Exchanges

Pergamon Press, 1986. — 225 p. — ISBN: 978-0-08-029752-8.Chess has been often compared to war; planning of strategy and tactics are common to both. The chess player and the general have many similar decisions to take. For the chess player it is an absolute war; a fight to the death. Wars of attrition, sacrifice and wholesale exchange are common to him and no victory is too expensive. One may give up a whole army to mate with a solitary pawn.For the general the nature of the terrain significantly influences his strategy and tactics. Deserts, woods, mountains and cities all require different methods and equipment if the attack (or defence) is to be successful. Long-range weapons are of little use when visibility is limited; high speed is of less importance than manoeuvrability when travelling across country.The chess player too has to con­ sider his terrain; but for him the terrain in which he operates is itself a function of his pieces and the way he has disposed them. For this reason the relative value of his pieces is not absolute but is changing during a game. Recognizing these changes is the basis of this book, which seeks to lay some theoretical foundations for chess planning, particularly in the opening and middlegame phases.