- Blind mode tutorial
lichess.org
Donate

Why Development Matters and How to Use It with Purpose

Good examples.

However, why does development matter?

After 1 d4 d5 the preferred move is 2 c4 to challenge black's center and it is not a developing move.
Nevertheless is is considered better than 2 Nc3 which develops a knight.

Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 and 1 e4 c6 are considered about as good as the developing 1 e4 e5 and 1 e4 e6.

Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6.

It appears that center > development.
If appears development only matters when it contributes to the center.

Good examples. However, why does development matter? After 1 d4 d5 the preferred move is 2 c4 to challenge black's center and it is not a developing move. Nevertheless is is considered better than 2 Nc3 which develops a knight. Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 and 1 e4 c6 are considered about as good as the developing 1 e4 e5 and 1 e4 e6. Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6. It appears that center > development. If appears development only matters when it contributes to the center.

Here are some more examples where development seems less important

after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 the good moves are 5 f4 or 5 Nce2 and not the developing moves 5 Nf3, 5 Be3, 5 Bd3
after 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 the most solid move is the un-developing 5...Qd8 as the queen is safer there than on a5 or d6
after 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 white has a huge lead in development, but the black position is OK

Here are some more examples where development seems less important after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 the good moves are 5 f4 or 5 Nce2 and not the developing moves 5 Nf3, 5 Be3, 5 Bd3 after 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 the most solid move is the un-developing 5...Qd8 as the queen is safer there than on a5 or d6 after 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 white has a huge lead in development, but the black position is OK

@tpr said in #2:

Good examples.

However, why does development matter?

After 1 d4 d5 the preferred move is 2 c4 to challenge black's center and it is not a developing move.
Nevertheless is is considered better than 2 Nc3 which develops a knight.

Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 and 1 e4 c6 are considered about as good as the developing 1 e4 e5 and 1 e4 e6.

Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6.

It appears that center > development.
If appears development only matters when it contributes to the center.

Development matters most when there is a competition for development cause if you fall behind, your opponet will simply control much more squares and have much more threats. In your queens gambit example, white as always has an extra move, so they can allow them to spend it on a pawn move, its an investment for further development, cause Nc3, although developing move, doesnt lead to such complex positions as c4 does, its also a developing move, cause white have the options of Qc2, Qc3 etc while also attacking the center and forcing the black to answer with a pawn move too: e6, c6 or dxc4, cause Nf6, a "development move" isnt that great, white simply exchanges on d5 and play e4 attacking the knight and taking the center or Nc3 with tempo if queen takes

@tpr said in #2: > Good examples. > > However, why does development matter? > > After 1 d4 d5 the preferred move is 2 c4 to challenge black's center and it is not a developing move. > Nevertheless is is considered better than 2 Nc3 which develops a knight. > > Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 and 1 e4 c6 are considered about as good as the developing 1 e4 e5 and 1 e4 e6. > > Likewise the non developing 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6. > > It appears that center > development. > If appears development only matters when it contributes to the center. Development matters most when there is a competition for development cause if you fall behind, your opponet will simply control much more squares and have much more threats. In your queens gambit example, white as always has an extra move, so they can allow them to spend it on a pawn move, its an investment for further development, cause Nc3, although developing move, doesnt lead to such complex positions as c4 does, its also a developing move, cause white have the options of Qc2, Qc3 etc while also attacking the center and forcing the black to answer with a pawn move too: e6, c6 or dxc4, cause Nf6, a "development move" isnt that great, white simply exchanges on d5 and play e4 attacking the knight and taking the center or Nc3 with tempo if queen takes

#6
"white as always has an extra move"

  • Yes, but I gave 5 examples where black chooses less developing moves.
#6 "white as always has an extra move" * Yes, but I gave 5 examples where black chooses less developing moves.

@tpr said in #7:

#6
"white as always has an extra move"

  • Yes, but I gave 5 examples where black chooses less developing moves.

Indeed, but generally even with c5 or c6 black invests for further development and they can do it cause white cant punish black for it right away, in fact as we know, black is perfectly fine, cause as you mention they will strike in the center or control it. Simply, you can do whatever you wont, as long as your opponent cant exploit or threat anything with his superior development

@tpr said in #7: > #6 > "white as always has an extra move" > * Yes, but I gave 5 examples where black chooses less developing moves. Indeed, but generally even with c5 or c6 black invests for further development and they can do it cause white cant punish black for it right away, in fact as we know, black is perfectly fine, cause as you mention they will strike in the center or control it. Simply, you can do whatever you wont, as long as your opponent cant exploit or threat anything with his superior development

#8
OK, but
1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6.
Not only 1...c5 is less developing than 1...e5 or 1...e6, but also 5...a6 is less developing than 5...Nc6, 5...e6, or 5...g6.

1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 the most solid move is the non-developing 5...Qd8 as the queen is safer there than on a5 or d6

1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 is OK for black despite white is more developed.

#8 OK, but 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 is considered superior to the developing 5...g6 or 5...e6 or 5...Nc6. Not only 1...c5 is less developing than 1...e5 or 1...e6, but also 5...a6 is less developing than 5...Nc6, 5...e6, or 5...g6. 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 the most solid move is the non-developing 5...Qd8 as the queen is safer there than on a5 or d6 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bf5 5 Ng3 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 Nf3 Nd7 8 h5 Bh7 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3 is OK for black despite white is more developed.

I think it's important to note that most of the openings (we can always find exceptions) are interconnected with the principles of development, king safety and center. In some openings, we favour one over the other at some point. These principles (or any chess principle for that matter) is a guiding force for you to make a better decision, but chess being such a complex game, there will always be certain overlap and at times specific circumstances of that position might override the principles.

I think it's important to note that most of the openings (we can always find exceptions) are interconnected with the principles of development, king safety and center. In some openings, we favour one over the other at some point. These principles (or any chess principle for that matter) is a guiding force for you to make a better decision, but chess being such a complex game, there will always be certain overlap and at times specific circumstances of that position might override the principles.