Originally posted by TalismanFurther to this, read Jeremy Silman "The Amateur's Mind". There are many irritations in his style of writing, but it is still exceptionally good in helping sort out your thinking and planning.
Plans, position play, strategy call it what you will but the one thing to remember is that this element of the game is the froth on the beer, the icing on the cake! Master play is all about shades of position. For players below that level i think it far better to look at the game from a tactical view point.
Only when you've scoped out all forcing moves ie: ...[text shortened]... checks for a good forcing line should you begin to worry about plans. So says the great PURDY!
Depending upon what chess teacher/writer you're paying attention to, there are about five components of a chess position:
1. Force
2. Space
3. Time
4. Pawn Structure
5. King Safety
Every one of your moves should either improve your own position in one of the above five components or damage your opponent's position in one of those components.