Positional chess—Steinitzs brainchild—often focuses on weaknesses and their exploitation. In chess, however, there are really two kinds of weaknesses. One type involves points or sectors of the board that are tactically vulnerable because of particular and immediate circumstances. As such, they should not be evaluated as part of a long-term plan. Often they are based on temporary piece placement. Usually, you have to capitalize on such frailties at once to prevent your opponent from rectifying the problem by guarding the weak point or removing a threatened piece.
