Planning & Prophylaxis in Slow Chess
In the deep-think world of correspondence chess, surface-level threats are easily parried. Victory requires deep planning and prophylaxis—the art of improving your position while simultaneously preventing your opponent's ideas. This guide teaches you how to use your extra time to construct unshakeable plans and identify your opponent's intentions moves in advance, engaging in a high-level strategic conversation.
Correspondence chess is the perfect environment for real planning. With time to think, you can build positions step-by-step — and you can also stop your opponent’s plans before they become dangerous.
This guide focuses on two core skills: planning and prophylaxis (preventing the opponent’s ideas).
For the main portal, see: Turn-Based & Correspondence Chess Strategy.
♟️ What “Planning” Really Means
A plan is not a vague idea like “attack”. A plan is a sequence of improving moves aimed at a clear strategic goal.
- Improving piece activity
- Creating or targeting weaknesses
- Preparing pawn breaks
- Restricting opponent counterplay
In slow chess, plans become stronger because you can verify them carefully.
🧠 What Is Prophylaxis?
Prophylaxis is the habit of asking:
“What does my opponent want — and how do I reduce it?”
- Preventing pawn breaks
- Stopping a key piece manoeuvre
- Removing strong outpost squares
- Closing files or diagonals at the right moment
Prophylaxis is one of the biggest advantages of correspondence chess, because you actually have time to spot plans early.
👁️ The Planning Question Sequence
When there is no forced tactic, use this sequence:
- 1) What is the pawn structure? What breaks exist for both sides?
- 2) What are the weak squares? Who can occupy them?
- 3) Which piece is worst placed? Improve it first.
- 4) What does my opponent want? Identify their main idea.
- 5) What is my plan? Build improvements toward a clear goal.
This prevents drifting and random moves.
🧩 The “Improve Your Worst Piece” Rule
In many slow games, the best plan is simply:
Improve your worst piece — without creating weaknesses.
- Bad bishop? Find a better diagonal or trade it.
- Passive rook? Activate it to an open file.
- Clumsy knight? Manoeuvre toward an outpost.
This is a safe, powerful approach in correspondence chess.
♞ Pawn Breaks: The Engine of Most Plans
Most strategic plans revolve around pawn breaks:
- opening lines for rooks and bishops
- changing the pawn structure
- creating new weaknesses
In correspondence chess you can test pawn breaks thoroughly before committing.
👁️ Training Your Prophylaxis Eye (Optional)
Prophylaxis depends on noticing small but critical changes — what a move weakened, what it allowed, and which pieces became more active.
These optional ChessWorld tools help train that perceptual skill:
- Weakness of Last Move – practise spotting squares, pawns or structures weakened by the opponent’s last move.
- Liberated Piece Hunter – learn to notice pieces that suddenly gained new lines or influence.
These tools do not replace strategic thinking — they help sharpen the vision that planning and prophylaxis rely on.
🛡️ A Practical Prophylaxis Checklist
Before playing a quiet improving move, ask:
- What is their best pawn break?
- Where do their pieces want to go?
- What squares are they targeting?
- Which of my pieces could be attacked next?
Prophylaxis is often just one move — a small restriction that prevents a big plan.
🧠 A ChessWorld Principle
In correspondence chess, you often win not by a brilliant attack — but by quietly removing your opponent’s counterplay and improving your position until it breaks.
🔗 Related Turn-Based Chess Pages
- Turn-Based & Correspondence Chess Strategy
- A Turn-Based Thinking Process for Every Move
- Blunder Reduction in Correspondence Chess
- Time Management in Turn-Based Chess
👉 Return to the Main Chess Topics Index