The old masters dealt only with the static features of positional rules. But, these are insufficient to explain the basics of chess. The problem is that chess, like other sciences, has undergone a dynamic revolution, but chess literature does not yet reflect this. In this major work Aagaard explains the rules of attack (the exploitation of a dynamic advantage), balanced between understandable examples, and deep analysis. Five years in the making, this book deals with weak kings, sacrifices, various minor attacking themes, intuitive sacrifices, opposite castling, modern king hunts, and enduring initiative. Contents Key to Symbols used 4 Preface to the second edition 7 Bring it on - an introduction 9 Chapter 1 – Understanding Mating Attacks 9 Typical Mates & Focal Points 11 Three Piece Attacks 25 Insurance Policies 30 Transformations 31 Exercises 40 Solutions 43 Chapter 2 – Typical Piece Play 53 The Assault Ratio 57vDeflection 67 Overloading 76 Tempo-gainers 81 Piece Sacrifices for time 84 Transition squares 89 Lines of Communication 101 Vacating Squares 118 Outposts 127 Launching 135 The pin 148 Improving the Circumstances 165 Prophylaxis 170 The f5/f4-squares 178 Chapter 3 – Typical Pawn Play 181 Pawn breaks 183 Pawns as valuable as pieces 193 Pawn storms 208 Pawn sacrifices 237 Provoking weaknesses 243 Chapter 4 – King Safety 251 Destroying the defensive structure 253 Line clearance 264 Cutting off the defences 275 Weak kings 281 Drawing the king into the open 293 Kings on the run 300 Cutting off the escape route 311 The king stuck in the centre 315 Breakthrough in the centre 321 Two thematic sacrifices 346 Chapter 5 – Intuitive Sacrifices and Enduring Initiative 353 Creative play 355 A sudden chance 358 Aggressive opening play 377 Intuitive sacrifices 391 Enduring initiative 399 Chapter 6 – Exercises 413 Solutions 423 Index of games and game fragments 457