Step 9: Advanced Track · about 30 min
Imbalances: What's Different?
Goal: Kids can list the differences between the two sides (material, minor pieces, structure, space, development, files, king safety) and use them to choose a plan.
You need: Demo board · One board and set per pair · The imbalance list written up for kids to copy
1 · Teach it (20 min)
Read these out loud, or put them in your own words. Show each board on screen or set it up on a demo board.
1.“Strong players don't just look for moves. They first ask: 'What is different about the two sides?' Those differences are called imbalances, and your plan comes from them.”
2.“Here's the list. Write it down. One: material, who has more points. Two: minor pieces, bishops or knights. Three: pawn structure, weak or strong pawns. Four: space. Five: development. Six: open files. Seven: king safety.”
👉 Write the seven imbalances on the board.
3.“Look at this position. The pawns are the same and the material is equal. The difference: White has two bishops and Black has two knights. White wants to open the position for the bishops. Black wants to keep it closed.”
4.“Here the difference is development. White has castled and brought out two pieces. Black has only moved edge pawns. White should open lines quickly, before Black catches up.”
5.“From now on, when it's not a tactics moment, go down the list. Find the differences that help you, and make a plan to use them.”
- Only counting material and missing everything else.
- Seeing an imbalance but making moves that don't use it.
2 · Play it: Imbalance Hunt (10 min)
Set up: In pairs, normal game.
- After 12 moves each, stop. Each player writes down as many imbalances as they can find.
- Compare lists. One point for each correct imbalance.
- Then each player says one plan that uses an imbalance, and keeps playing.
3 · Practice and pass check
On iPads, kids open Student → Step 9 → Spot the Difference. On paper, print the worksheet. A kid passes by getting 2 of 3 on the pass check. The pass code for this lesson is S9-L1-86.
Practice (3) with answers
1.Material and pawns are equal. What is the main imbalance?
- ✓White has two bishops, Black has two knights
- White is a pawn ahead
- Black's king is unsafe
2.Count the material (rook 5, bishop 3, knight 3). Who is ahead?
- ✓Black, by 1 point
- White, by 2 points
- It's equal
3.Which of these is an imbalance?
- ✓One side has more space
- Both sides have a king
- It's White's turn
Pass check (3) with answers
1.What is the biggest imbalance here?
- ✓White is far ahead in development
- Black has more space
- White is ahead in material
2.One imbalance is open files. Tap any square on the open file.
Answer: c1 or c2 or c3 or c4 or c5 or c6 or c7 or c8
3.You've listed the imbalances. What do you do next?
- ✓Make a plan that uses the ones that help you
- Trade all the pieces
- Push all your pawns
Topic order based on: How to Reassess Your Chess, Part 2 (imbalances). All wording is original.