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Lessons from my crazy horde journey

What would your beginner tips be for Horde

What would your beginner tips be for Horde

This is such a good article!! Keep up the good work!!

This is such a good article!! Keep up the good work!!

@Jadon9 said in #16:

What would your beginner tips be for Horde
Sorry for a late reply, I'd been busy on the last two days.
Beginner friendly resources are mentioned on this page:
https://adjva4.dpdns.org/team/lichess-horde

I might give a few bits of advice as well, but I'm no horde expert, just an intermediate player who is primarily good in classical chess.

For both sides:

  1. Please note that the exchanges which are disadvantageous in standard chess might be good in horde. Forget about how to count material in standard chess, other factors can be more important in horde!
  2. Learn something about horde strategy, it differs a lot from chess strategy. (Some bits of advice are mentioned in the sections below.)
  3. When you are winning, beware of stalemate!
  4. Be ready for games which can last even above 70 moves! (Relevant if you play bullet or blitz without increment.)

For the side with the pawns (White):

  1. Keep your pawn mass intact, without big weaknesses, keep at least one pawn (better more) on the central files even in the middlegame.
  2. Prevent infiltration of the opponent's queen (or even a rook) to your back rank, behind the pawns. From there the queen can collect them quickly from behind, one after another. If you can't prevent it, slow it down as much as possible.
  3. If your opponent didn't penetrate with the queen or a rook, advance your pawns simultaneously.
  4. Try to create connected passed pawns which are well protected.
  5. Create pawn chains where the most advanced pawns are protected by the others.
  6. Avoid a zugzwang, i.e. a position where each move deteriorates your position, e. g. drops a pawn.
  7. Prevent your opponent from creating a second queen.

For the side with the pieces (Black):

  1. Try to penetrate with your queen (or at least a rook) behind the opponents pawns and collect them from behind. This can often be achieved by exchanging your a7-pawn, then exchanging a minor piece (often Nb8 or Bc8) for two pawns on a5 or a4 and then creating a battery Qa8, Ra7/6/5/4 and sacrificing the rook for two pawns on a3 and/or a2. Such an infiltration is often worth a rook and two or even three minor pieces, depending on the situation.
  2. Beware of White's advanced passed pawns. Be ready to sacrifice a piece of the most advanced/dangerous ones!
  3. Sometimes you can play for a zugzwang: block the opponent pawns, prepare for breakthroughs and wait until the opponent has to sacrifice some of them.
  4. A an exchange of a minor piece for two pawns is often good, but it depends on the dangerousness of the pawns and on the damage which such an exchange causes to the opponent's pawn structure.
  5. If you can exchange all opponents' pawns on a central file, it is worth some sacrifices. Your major pieces can then penetrate to d1 or e1 and start collecting the opponent's pawns.
  6. An infinite number of passed pawns on two files (e.g. "g" and "h") with no neighbours next to them can be stopped by a single king.
  7. If you can queen a pawn, it is usually very good. (It is rare, but might happen.)

I'm sure that many people could provide a better set of recommendations, but this one isn't too bad.

@Jadon9 said in #16: > What would your beginner tips be for Horde Sorry for a late reply, I'd been busy on the last two days. Beginner friendly resources are mentioned on this page: https://adjva4.dpdns.org/team/lichess-horde I might give a few bits of advice as well, but I'm no horde expert, just an intermediate player who is primarily good in classical chess. For both sides: 1. Please note that the exchanges which are disadvantageous in standard chess might be good in horde. Forget about how to count material in standard chess, other factors can be more important in horde! 2. Learn something about horde strategy, it differs a lot from chess strategy. (Some bits of advice are mentioned in the sections below.) 3. When you are winning, beware of stalemate! 4. Be ready for games which can last even above 70 moves! (Relevant if you play bullet or blitz without increment.) For the side with the pawns (White): 1. Keep your pawn mass intact, without big weaknesses, keep at least one pawn (better more) on the central files even in the middlegame. 2. Prevent infiltration of the opponent's queen (or even a rook) to your back rank, behind the pawns. From there the queen can collect them quickly from behind, one after another. If you can't prevent it, slow it down as much as possible. 3. If your opponent didn't penetrate with the queen or a rook, advance your pawns simultaneously. 4. Try to create connected passed pawns which are well protected. 5. Create pawn chains where the most advanced pawns are protected by the others. 6. Avoid a zugzwang, i.e. a position where each move deteriorates your position, e. g. drops a pawn. 7. Prevent your opponent from creating a second queen. For the side with the pieces (Black): 1. Try to penetrate with your queen (or at least a rook) behind the opponents pawns and collect them from behind. This can often be achieved by exchanging your a7-pawn, then exchanging a minor piece (often Nb8 or Bc8) for two pawns on a5 or a4 and then creating a battery Qa8, Ra7/6/5/4 and sacrificing the rook for two pawns on a3 and/or a2. Such an infiltration is often worth a rook and two or even three minor pieces, depending on the situation. 2. Beware of White's advanced passed pawns. Be ready to sacrifice a piece of the most advanced/dangerous ones! 3. Sometimes you can play for a zugzwang: block the opponent pawns, prepare for breakthroughs and wait until the opponent has to sacrifice some of them. 4. A an exchange of a minor piece for two pawns is often good, but it depends on the dangerousness of the pawns and on the damage which such an exchange causes to the opponent's pawn structure. 5. If you can exchange all opponents' pawns on a central file, it is worth some sacrifices. Your major pieces can then penetrate to d1 or e1 and start collecting the opponent's pawns. 6. An infinite number of passed pawns on two files (e.g. "g" and "h") with no neighbours next to them can be stopped by a single king. 7. If you can queen a pawn, it is usually very good. (It is rare, but might happen.) I'm sure that many people could provide a better set of recommendations, but this one isn't too bad.