Braten wrote on 06/05/26 at 06:00:11:

For improving understanding of a certain type of position (as opposed to just learning an opening in general), there is a particular method recommended by World Champion Mikhail M Botvinnik and USA Champion Larry M Evans -- training match. 

Find someone about your level (a little higher or a little lower doesn't matter), who is willing to play the line(s), and play maybe four games, one game per week, slow time control (definitely not blitz). It might be more interesting for them if your partner gets to pick a different line for their black games, in that case play maybe eight games total. Both players have to prepare before, do a proper post-mortem analysis session, and analyze on their own again after.

I have used this method and it works great.

Hello,

I like to play the french defense and tried to play it like it is recommended by Krykun in his chessable course. In several of his lines, he recommends to push ...g5, ...h5 etc. while the black king is still in the centre. But I have difficulties playing these kind of positions, because I am always worried about my king stuck in the centre. I constantly fear my king might be attacked or my opponent might open up the position, such that my king comes into danger.

Is there any way I can improve my understanding of those kind of positions? Are there any books, articles or other resources you can recommend, which deal with this issue? Are there any rules when to be worried about my king and when not? Where and when does my king hide in case of danger, when is it appropriate to castle long and when we just play ...Kf8? 

Here is an example of such a position from the lichess database:

[Event "TCh-ESP Rapid 2022"]
[Date "2022.09.25"]
[White "Lopez Varela, Pablo"]
[Black "Huerga Leache, M."]
[WhiteElo "2293"]
[BlackElo "2442"]
[ECO "C10"]

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. e5 Nfd7 6. Bf4 c5 7. dxc5 Nc6 8. Bd3 g5 9. Bg3 g4 10. Nd2 Ndxe5 


Any help is very much appreciated. Best wishes.