Lessons in positional play with J. Krayenbrink. Part 3: “When occupying the center is useless”

21.09.2025

At the moment, there is very little material on positional play on a large board. We decided to fill this empty niche. We are starting a series of publications on the books of J. Krayenbrinka about the problems of positional play with the analysis of system errors by most players and coaches. You can purchase all of J. Krayenbrink’s books in our store.

In the last lesson, we discussed the topic: “When an attack is justified.” We provided several positions on this topic for you to solve at home. Today, we will analyze them in more detail to help you determine whether the decision was correct or incorrect.

Additionally, we will explore a new and important topic: “When occupying the center is useless.”

Many schools and coaches have a strong belief that occupying the center or central fields is essential for victory. Students, absorbing this knowledge, often do not subject their desire to occupy the center to critical comments. And security clearance.there are a lot of mistakes, as a result, occupying the center in any game situations.

We analyzed the errors and summarized them according to the following criteria:

Players always try to occupy the center, even if there is no good reason to do so.
Players are under the false belief that the center or occupying the central fields is always good
Players like to do at least some active action. Such an action they consider to be the occupation of the center.
Occupation of the center over time becomes an obsessive automatism.
When occupying the center, the factor that it can be exchanged at any time is not taken into account.
Occupation of the center is not a desire to gain the initiative or to continue attacking actions in the future.
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Now let’s look at practical examples:

Part 1

Part 2


	The task for this position was as follows: Black attacked 1. … 17-22 Please answer the following questions: 1.1. How would you respond for Black? 1.2. Options for White’s moves (plans). 1.3. Evaluate the position for both colors after the attack. The correct answer is as follows: Black’s attack 1….. 17-22 is a possible move that accomplishes several tasks. After the attack, White loses the initiative in the center and the structure of the position changes. In a deeper analysis, it is worth considering Black’s plan related to moves 1-7 and 3-9. In this position, White does not have enough moves to occupy the center, and Black’s position appears more “elastic.”

	The task for this position last time was as follows: White attacked 1. 30-25. Please answer the following questions: 1.1. How would you respond for Black? 1.2. Options for other moves (plans) for White. 1.3. Evaluate the position for both colors after the attack. Correct answer: The attack for White 1. 30-25 is correct and timely. The idea of the attack is to take control of the field 30 and fix the poorly positioned Black’s 15 and 5 (in the future 14). Unfortunately, in the party, they delayed with the attack and played 1. 31-27??. Black has time to attack the 30th checker themselves, by the move 1. … 20-25!. Then they will have time to create a quite successful pyramid, bringing the 4th and 5th checkers.

	The task for this position was as follows: White attacked 1. 34-30. Please answer the following questions: 1.1. How would you respond for Black? 1.2. Consider other moves (plans) for White. 1.3. Evaluate the position for both colors after the attack. The correct answer is: Attack 1. 34-30 is useful and serves to increase the pressure through the 30th square on the Black flank. Additionally, one of the goals of the attack is to capture the 15th and 20th side pieces. However, this plan is not mandatory. Upon further analysis, the plan can be replaced with a priority formation through the following moves: 44-39, 32-28, and 37-32.

	Today’s position on a new topic: “When the occupation of the center is useless.” At first glance, it’s a very simple position. Most draughts players will probably succumb to the temptation and try to take a central position even more by exchanging black 22 checkers. But… this is nothing more than an active action for the sake of action. In the game, the player who played white chose a more subtle and competent plan. Using the unfortunate arrangement of checkers 22 and 25, White made a move of 1. 44-40. To the Black response 1…… 4-9, White responded with 2. 32-27!, maintaining the initiative and forcing Black to make a difficult choice. The White checkmate maneuver 45 is also noteworthy. By making two moves, 1. 45-40 and 2. 40-35, and waiting for Black’s response, White maintains the initiative and retains the decision to occupy the center by choosing from several options. Therefore, you should not rush to occupy the center and make exchanges to the center just because you want to do something.

	Now try to find the factors and reasons for the following actions on the board. Also, evaluate which positions are “Center occupation useless” Try to evaluate White’s move 1. 33-29 in this position with a characteristic central structure.\ What did you consider when choosing White’s move and Black’s response?

	Now try to find the factors and reasons for the following actions on the board. Also, evaluate which positions are “Center occupation useless” Try to evaluate Black’s move 1. 19-23 in this position with a characteristic structure of the center struggle. What did you consider when choosing White’s response? Try to solve both positions for homework, spending no more than 5 minutes on each one.
	to be continued