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Middlegame Strategy Essentials · Kapilash Chess Academy

The Art of Exchanging

Which pieces to trade

In this lesson you will learn

  • Exchanging your bad pieces for the opponent's good ones
  • Trading the defenders of weak squares and of the king
  • When to exchange: ahead in material, cramped, or defending
  • Exchanging into a winning endgame

Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.

11.1 Good Trades and Bad Trades

Every exchange changes the position. Ask what remains on the board after the trade. Good exchanges remove your worst piece or your opponent's best piece, remove a defender, or bring you into a better endgame.

  1. Trade your bad pieces, keep your good ones.
  2. Trade the defenders of weak squares or of the enemy king.
  3. When you are ahead in material, exchange pieces (not pawns) to make your extra material count.
  4. When you are cramped, exchange pieces to gain room.
  5. When you are attacking, avoid exchanges that weaken your attack.
Diagram 11.1Black to move

Example 11.1 · Trading the bad bishop

In the French, Black's light-squared bishop is the problem piece. Black often tries to exchange it.

With ...♘f5 Black puts pressure on d4, and after ♗d3 the knight can be exchanged for White's good bishop — or Black can later play ...♗b5 to trade the bad bishop. Exchanging your bad bishop for the opponent's good one is a classic strategic goal.

Remember

  1. Ask what remains on the board after an exchange.
  2. Trade bad pieces for good ones, and remove defenders.
  3. When ahead in material, trade pieces.
  4. When cramped, trade pieces; when attacking, keep them.

Exercises · Lesson 11

Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine. Find the best move or choose the right plan.

Solve these 10 exercises on the boardCreate a free account to check your moves, open hints and solutions, and save your progress.
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Exercise 11.1Question
Black to move

Black to move. White has doubled c-pawns. Which plan fits Black's position?

Exercise 11.2Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.3Find the move
White to move

White to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.4Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.5Find the move
White to move

White to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.6Find the move
White to move

White to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.7Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.8Find the move
White to move

White to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.9Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Find the strongest move.

Exercise 11.10Find the move
Black to move

Black to move. Find the strongest move.