chess Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...

, prophylaxis consists of a move or series of moves done by a player to prevent their opponent from taking some action. Such preventive moves, or ''prophylactic moves'', aim not only to improve one's position but also to restrict the opponent in improving their own. Many standard and widespread opening moves can be considered prophylactic. One common prophylactic idea is the advance of the near a castled king, which can be done to provide luft and/or to prevent a pin; another is to transfer one's king to the b-file after castling queenside so as to protect an unmoved a-pawn, among other purposes. Prophylaxis is a distinctive feature of , often preventing opponents from entering risky, double-edged lines, as well as punishing opponents who play too aggressively. Using prophylaxis is an essential skill at advanced levels of play. Famous practitioners of prophylactic play include

Aron Nimzowitsch Aron Nimzowitsch (; , ''Aron Isayevich Nimtsovich''; 7 November 1886 – 16 March 1935) was a Latvian-born Danish chess player and writer. In the late 1920s, Nimzowitsch was one of the best chess players in the world. He was the foremost f ...

, Tigran Petrosian, and

Anatoly Karpov Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (, ; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian and former Soviet Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Championship, World Chess Champion, ⁣and politician. He was the 12th World Chess Champion from 1975 ...

; even players, such as

Mikhail Tal Mikhail Tal (9 November 1936 – 28 June 1992) was a Soviet and Latvian chess player and the eighth World Chess Champion. He is considered a creative genius and is widely regarded as Comparison of top chess players throughout history, one ...

and

Garry Kasparov Garry Kimovich Kasparov (born Garik Kimovich Weinstein on 13 April 1963) is a Russian Grandmaster (chess), chess grandmaster, former World Chess Champion (1985–2000), political activist and writer. His peak FIDE chess Elo rating system, ra ...

, make use of prophylaxis.

Etymology

The term ''prophylaxis'' comes from the Greek προφύλαξις, ''profýlaxis'', "guarding or preventing beforehand".

Example

The diagram shows a common opening known as the Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation, arising after the moves 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6. Black's fifth move is a prophylactic move that intends to prevent White from placing a knight or bishop on b5.

Etymology

Example

References

Further reading