Student: Long before a chess game is over, no matter which phase they’re in, players seem to know who has the advantage and who’s in trouble. How do they determine which side has the upper hand? Teacher: By considering the elements, and this doesn’t mean checking the weather outside. There are five main elements that interact and overlap throughout a chess game. They are time, space, material, pawn structure, and king safety. Each component affects the others. Each is related. Their relationships are dynamic, and they can change on virtually every move.
