Strategy and Tactic

Would anyone give a definition of Strategy and a definition of Tactic, please?

What is the difference? What is the similarities?
Does the analysis of strategy start as early as in the opening or is it a middle game thing?
And how about tactics? When does this start in a game?
Further - does strategy and tactics follow each other through the whole game until the very final move? Or do you apply them differently at different stages of the game?

Please, give me your thoughts about this issues.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Would anyone give a definition of Strategy and a definition of Tactic, please?

What is the difference? What is the similarities?
Does the analysis of strategy start as early as in the opening or is it a middle game thing?
And how about tactics? When does this start in a game?
Further - does strategy and tactics follow each other through the whole ga ...[text shortened]... differently at different stages of the game?

Please, give me your thoughts about this issues.

Do you want to know about strategic tactics or tactical strategies?

Originally posted by BLReid
Do you want to know about strategic tactics or tactical strategies?

Strategies are long range plans
i.e. A minority attack on the kingside, control of a weak square or even just creation of a weak square, a kingside pawnstorm etc.

Tactics are "maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy".
Here are the ones I can think of: Pins, Skewers, Forks, Double attack, revealed attacks, windmills (an application of a double attack), destroying the guard and zwishenzug.


or try Wikipedia's explanation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_tactics):
In chess, a tactic refers to a short sequence of moves which limits the opponent's options and which results in tangible gain. Tactics are usually contrasted to strategy, in which advantages take longer to be realized, and the opponent is less constrained in responding.

Originally posted by zebano
Strategies are long range plans
i.e. A minority attack on the kingside, control of a weak square or even just creation of a weak square, a kingside pawnstorm etc.

Tactics are "maneuvers to achieve objectives set by strategy".
Here are the ones I can think of: Pins, Skewers, Forks, Double attack, revealed attacks, windmills (an application of a double at ...[text shortened]... h advantages take longer to be realized, and the opponent is less constrained in responding.

stategy is your plan, tactics is how you realise it (or change it for that matter)

I guess by now it should be obvious what the difference is.. but the Wikipedia sort of answers it aswell:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_strategy_and_tactics

I think the definition would reveal itself as one progresses

I very humbly submit the following game. (I also invite any analysis, even though I won, I'm sure there were plenty of mistakes made on my part).

Game 1954970

This is the position prior to my move 30.



The move I played was 30. Rc7+
This move was a tactic, or rather 2 tactics. The first being a clearance sacrifice to draw the bishop away from the defense of c7 (ie Bxc7, Qxc7 mate). The second was the threat of a discovered check after 30...Kb8 31. Re7+ and the black queen drops next move.

The strategy in this game revolved around my f-pawn advance to open lines of attack on the king-side, where I had a space advantage, and also the pawn move a3 which served to lock up my opponents advance on the queenside. I also elected not to trade knights on b3, as I knew that if the queenside stayed closed that his knight would be out of the game, giving me an effective extra piece. My technique may not be perfect, but I hope this example helps to answer your question.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
Would anyone give a definition of Strategy and a definition of Tactic, please?

What is the difference? What is the similarities?
Does the analysis of strategy start as early as in the opening or is it a middle game thing?
And how about tactics? When does this start in a game?
Further - does strategy and tactics follow each other through the whole ga ...[text shortened]... differently at different stages of the game?

Please, give me your thoughts about this issues.

Tactics are like one-night-stands. You employ all resources necessary to get the blunt, short-term victory.

Strategy is like a relationship which you want to culminate in marriage. It's a long term plan that requires subtlety and pacience.

Tartakower said "tactics is what you do when there's something to do, strategy is what you do when there's nothing to do".

Originally posted by LazyKnight
Tactics are rather short term plans; based dynamic imbalances but strategy covers rather long term plans. Such as king safety, the positioning of pawns, maintaining the tension etc...

Now, everything is perfectly clear to me! (Is it?)
My problem is now to implement tactics and strategies in my games.
Thank you, all!