Hello,

a couple of friends and I have gotten back into chess after some years. There was a slightly heated debate between two of them about points advantage and if positional advantage really matters when your down by points.

One of my friends mainly concerns himself with points and trying to gain a points advantage over the other player. He considers it the only important factor, to the point that he doesn't consider a player with positional advantage a threat if he has three or more points over that player. So I wanted a opinion from some more seasoned players on there view of pieces vs. position when it comes to having the advantage...

excuse any incorrect terminology. I am a novice and I was always horrible in remembering terminology, not just in chess.

derek wolcott

Everything depends on the situation at hand.

? One of my friends mainly concerns himself with points and trying to gain a
? points advantage over the other player. He considers it the only important
? factor, to the point that he doesn't consider a player with positional
? advantage a threat if he has three or more points over that player.

When you are a beginner it isn't a bad idea to think a bit like this, but as you get stronger you learn that the placement of the pawns and pieces is often more important than a material advantage - just look at some games from Tal to see that he could be a queen down and still winning!

Thanks for the answer,

I was making that logical assumption, I understand that making sacrifices can make the way for check and mate, if handled properly.

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live life on the verge of the Apocalypse...
-dw