Aggressive, or Positional?

Find Your Style

Alright, let's get into it. There are two styles of chess: Aggressive and positional. Let's define what that even means...

Aggressive chess, it sounds awesome, right? Well, that's because it is. The "aggression" I'm talking about is tactics, attacking, pressure, ect. When you play "aggressive chess," your almost always putting pressure on your opponent, finding tactics, and making him inevitably stressed out.

Positional chess... the style that makes games last a lifetime. This style of chess is completely opposite of "aggression." Instead of attacking, finding tactics, and being risky, you actually focus on putting your pieces in comfortable, nice squares. You most likely won't be attacking your opponent until the opportunity presents itself. Other than that, you're just getting a great position, setting up for a long, fun game.

What sounds more appealing to you? They are both equally good, but I personally like positional chess because I don't like taking all the risks with aggressive chess. Most aggressive chess players start with e4, which is more than half of every chess player! e4 usually turns into openings with tons of tactics, on both ends. While on the other hand, most positional openings start with d4.

Why Positional?

Positional has its pros and cons, but it's still an amazing style of chess. Some of the pros in positional chess are:

1. It's a very strong style, you last much longer. (Usually)
2. You set up for a great endgame, if played right.
3. It sets up for long-term tactics.
4. Your pieces are most likely going to be in better spots than your opponent.
5. Less stressful/less work.

The cons to positional chess are:

1. You're not putting as much pressure on your opponent.
2. It takes a lot more studying.
3. You can't really mess up.
4. Sometimes gets you into closed positions.
5. Tons of lines to memorize.

Overall, positional chess is a solid way to go if you're trying to beat stronger opponents. It might take more time, but the outcome is well worth it. GM Mikhail Botvinnik plays positional chess (My all-time favorite master!)

Why Aggressive?

Aggressive chess also has its pros and cons, let's take a look at them. A few of the pros found within Aggressive chess are:

1. It's very powerful if played right.
2. You can win the game easily if they mess up.
3. Less studying.
4. Makes the game more fun. (Depends on the persons point of view)
5. It really stresses out people who haven't studied it before.

We can't forget the cons!

1. It's really risky.
2. You lose a really good position for an attack.
3. It doesn't always work.
4. You sometimes have to sac.
5. It mostly is blocked if the opponent knows what he's doing.

In conclusion, aggressive chess is for those who want to make the chess game "spicy." If played right, this style of chess can be amazing! WGM Judit Polgar plays aggressive chess, and it really good at it.

Openings for Positional Chess

There are plenty of openings to try out for positional chess. I'll give you my top 3:

1. The Queens Gambit!
2. The Zukertort opening.
3. The Hungarian opening.

All of these openings are amazing, and they always set up for positional play. I personally would recommend The Queens Gambit because it's a mix between aggressive and positional, but mostly positional.

I started using positional play when I hit around 1400 in blitz. I wanted to try something new, and I really liked the style. Ever since, I've stuck with that style! Why? Because I love how strong the pieces are throughout the game.

Openings for Aggressive Chess

Now, aggressive chess has by far way more possibility's when it comes to openings, but not all of them are good. I'll list my top 3:

1. The Italian opening!
2. The Kings Gambit.
3. The Ruy Lopez.

All of these openings are such powerhouses! Picking the right one for you is going to be really hard. I would recommend trying out the Italian. When I first started playing chess, I used this opening all the time. It's a very strong opening, putting pressure on the opponent very early in the game.

I want to give a warning for the Ruy Lopez... It's a very complex opening, and there are tons of lines. Then why play the opening? Because it's a SUPER strong opening, and almost all the lines involve tactics!

Conclusion

Now that you have a good understanding on what the styles of chess are, what do you think you'll play? It's up to you, they are both amazing. I would recommend trying out both styles and see what you like.

Side note: Let's say you already know what style you like, and you keep losing, why not try the other style? You might be surprised! Trying new things is a great way to get better at this crazy game called chess.

Thanks for reading! If you're in the mood for an interesting chess story, Read This Blog!

Credit: God himself! All glory to Him :)