About Trades
The majority of contemporary players think that trades are generally good and essential. Some players are both chess masters and bughouse masters. But when going over one of their chess games they can explain the purpose of every trade they initiated. It is only in bughouse that they trade for the sake of trading.
Sometimes chess masters who are inexperienced in bughouse trade because they would trade in speed chess and in speed chess they like to reach the ending. I wouldn't say that endings never happen in bughouse. A chess master should be able to win a won endgame in 30 seconds or less. My friend Ron call this the "Tournament Game strategy" So if he has these two advantages, he can have his partner sit while he wins. But if you don't have both of these advantages and your board is sparse, it is especially important to guard against checks and/or make sure trades come on your tempo.
There are trades for defensive or offensive purposes on your own board, trades intended to help your partner, and trades that are forced.
The purpose of a defensive trade is to trade off your opponent's attacker because it will be replaced by a different type of piece which is less dangerous to you.
The purpose of an offensive trade is to trade off a defender because it will be replaced by a piece which is not as good for defense.
Either kind of trade could be used to change the ratio of the quality or quantity of offensive versus defensive piece to favor the person initiating the trade.
Of course a trade will have an effect on the other board. Its important to consider, if time permits, which side will benefit from the trade. Important questions are who has tempo and secondarily, who has a weaker position. If someone has many pieces in their hand while his opponent has many pieces on the board instead, it suggests that this person isn't getting tempo often enough and does not want trades.
Occasionally a player needs a piece to block or to guard a square.
The type of piece depends on the stage of the game. In the opening, pawns are extra important. In the middlegame knights also become important. Queens and rooks are rarely important except in a mating situation. I am not saying bishops are unimportant, but I don't know what to say about them.
Trades are good for a player who has a mating attack, obviously. Pieces are also good for someone who is well-defended and is getting a long term foothold in their opponent's position. The are not good to give them to someone who sacs them for no reason or who tends to trade when it is unfavorable.
Sometimes chess masters who are inexperienced in bughouse trade because they would trade in speed chess and in speed chess they like to reach the ending. I wouldn't say that endings never happen in bughouse. A chess master should be able to win a won endgame in 30 seconds or less. My friend Ron call this the "Tournament Game strategy" So if he has these two advantages, he can have his partner sit while he wins. But if you don't have both of these advantages and your board is sparse, it is especially important to guard against checks and/or make sure trades come on your tempo.
There are trades for defensive or offensive purposes on your own board, trades intended to help your partner, and trades that are forced.
The purpose of a defensive trade is to trade off your opponent's attacker because it will be replaced by a different type of piece which is less dangerous to you.
The purpose of an offensive trade is to trade off a defender because it will be replaced by a piece which is not as good for defense.
Either kind of trade could be used to change the ratio of the quality or quantity of offensive versus defensive piece to favor the person initiating the trade.
Of course a trade will have an effect on the other board. Its important to consider, if time permits, which side will benefit from the trade. Important questions are who has tempo and secondarily, who has a weaker position. If someone has many pieces in their hand while his opponent has many pieces on the board instead, it suggests that this person isn't getting tempo often enough and does not want trades.
Occasionally a player needs a piece to block or to guard a square.
The type of piece depends on the stage of the game. In the opening, pawns are extra important. In the middlegame knights also become important. Queens and rooks are rarely important except in a mating situation. I am not saying bishops are unimportant, but I don't know what to say about them.
Trades are good for a player who has a mating attack, obviously. Pieces are also good for someone who is well-defended and is getting a long term foothold in their opponent's position. The are not good to give them to someone who sacs them for no reason or who tends to trade when it is unfavorable.
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