--- title: How you should create and execute your middlegame plans description: The process of selecting and achieving your post-opening ideas image: https://image.lichess1.org/display?fmt=webp&h=550&op=thumbnail&path=cKRx9w4OLG_C.webp&w=880&sig=d523c465502450ab5a57f5d8ab2ef486f12930c8 --- You just faced an opening you have little to no idea how to counter. After a few normal moves, you find yourself in a middlegame position you've never seen in your entire life. You naturally think to yourself, *What am I supposed to do now?* Regardless of your positional knowledge or level, **selecting and completing a** **plan** is the **most important part of the middlegame**, and playing aimlessly while your opponent knows what they're doing certainly won't end well for you. So, you may be curious about how you're supposed to even form a plan in the first place. Well then, fear not—this blog conveniently entails a breakdown on exactly how to do so! *** ## Forming your plan There are a few different routes you can choose from to help you identify and execute your plans. ### Route 1 — Identify a (potential) weakness/target The first thing you should do when forming a plan is to **try to scan for existing or potential weaknesses or targets in your opponent's position.** These may come in the form of... * poor pawns — doubled, backwards, isolated, etc. * outposts * weak squares * accessible open files * an exposed K-side/Q-side — mainly for mating attacks This weakness or target often serves as the foundation of your middlegame plan, as exploiting or attacking it will likely provide you the advantage you need to convert the game and win in the later middlegame or endgame. Here is a real-game position for you to practice identifying and exploiting a weakness. https://lichess.org/study/PaBGaQzp/IEiKOJZD ### Route 2 — Find pieces you need to trade off/improve/maneuver If you can't find or create a feasibly exploitable weakness to target, the next best thing to do is to **look at your pieces.** You should ask yourself... * *Are there any bad pieces I would like to trade off?* * *Does my opponent have any great pieces I should try to get rid of?* * *Do I see a great square for a piece to maneuver to?* * *Are any of my pieces misplaced?* One thing that helps me a lot with piece placement specifically is **imagining the ideal place for each piece.** For example, if you would love your queenside knight to be on an e5 outpost, you could conclude that *Nd2-Nf3-Ne5* is a possible plan in your position (I'm not saying it's great every time, but you get the point). Here's an in-depth position for you to practice making a variety of piece-based decisions. https://lichess.org/study/PaBGaQzp/TuPNcj1R Sometimes, finding these piece-based plans indirectly **helps you discover your opponent's weaknesses.** In the case study we just saw, for example, our plan to put our knight on d6 actually *revealed* Black's unstable dark squares, which we later exploited to gain significant material. ## An essential technicality — keeping your opponent's ideas & threats in mind Amazing! You managed to find a plan in your position and are ready to complete it. Not so fast, though—you have to **consider your opponent's plans, too.** You should both try to **identify their ideas** and **assess if they pose a threat to your position** or **prevent your ideas.** For example, if your opponent is clearly attempting to bulldoze your kingside and their attack is hard to defend, you *probably* shouldn't focus on a four-move knight maneuver on the other side of the board. Don't panic if your idea gets overridden by your opponent's. You're just going to have to **respond to the threat accordingly** and either **complete your original plan later** or **form a different one based on the new position.** Here are a couple of positions for you to practice identifying and dealing with your opponent's plans. https://lichess.org/study/PaBGaQzp/Q2gyLrLY https://lichess.org/study/PaBGaQzp/iEqViasS *** Thanks for reading, and hope you found this post helpful!