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Intermediate · 20/20
Prophylaxis and converting an advantage
Improve your position while preventing the opponent’s best counterplay.
Learn this chess concept step by step, then practise it on the interactive ChessRivo board.
Open interactive lessonAbout this lesson
Strong players do not only ask what they want; they also ask what the opponent wants next.
Key ideas
- Identify the opponent’s most active plan before choosing your move.
- Simplify when it reduces counterplay without giving away your advantage.
- Improve the worst-placed piece and avoid unnecessary risks.
Coach tip: When ahead, removing counterplay is often more important than winning material immediately.
Test yourself
What is prophylaxis?
- Preventing or reducing the opponent’s plan
- A forced queen trade
- A special pawn move
Show answer
Correct answer: Preventing or reducing the opponent’s plan
Practise this lesson interactively
Open the ChessRivo Academy board exercise for this exact lesson. Your progress is saved when you are signed in.
Open interactive lessonHow to use this lesson in a real game
Turn the idea into a repeatable decision process.
- Before moving, name the position feature this lesson is about.
- Find one candidate move that follows the lesson idea and one alternative.
- After the game, return to the critical position and compare your choice with the lesson.