Some key principles for a middle game with all the pieces except knights.

• – Bishops bully rooks: The bishops can push the rooks around.
• – It’s harder to defend pawns: Knights are the best defensive pieces.
• – Don’t get passive: You will end up in a mess of pins.

In this game the 42 player struggles to defend the e-pawn and ends up passive and in a mess of pins. A key recurring theme is that it’s better for the 42 player to trade the e-pawn for the c-pawn then to defend the e-pawn.

Note: without knights simple attacks can be difficult to defend.

e.g. White can’t prevent mate

Example Game