The Secret Life of 64 Squares (Part 3): If Squares Were Grandmasters

To the untrained eye, a coordinate like e2 or h7 is just a label on a grid. But to a seasoned chess player, these squares are living entities with distinct personalities, reputations, and historic legacies. Over centuries of tournament play, certain squares have become so synonymous with specific strategies and players that they have taken on the character of the grandmasters themselves.

If the squares on the board were human, here is who they would be.

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1. e2: Magnus Carlsen (The Psychological Troll)

Normally, the e2 square is a modest starting position for White’s king pawn or bishop. But in the modern era, e2 has become the home of the ultimate chess joke: the Bongcloud Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Ke2).

By marching the king to e2 on move two, players completely forfeit castling rights, mock standard opening theory, and dare their opponent to beat them anyway. Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura famously played a double-Bongcloud in an online tournament, solidifying e2 as the square of supreme psychological confidence and trolling. It says: "I will stand on e2, break every rule, and still outplay you."

2. d5/d6: Garry Kasparov (The Dictatorial Outpost)

If you place a knight on d5 (for White) or d6 (for Black), you have established a "Kasparov Knight."

This is the dictatorial outpost of the board. Garry Kasparov famously placed a knight on d3 against Anatoly Karpov in their 1985 World Championship match, completely paralyzing Karpov's camp. A piece sitting on d5/d6 is aggressive, domineering, and impossible to dislodge without ruin. It dictates the terms of engagement and looms over the opponent's entire territory.

3. c4: Mikhail Botvinnik (The Industrialist Anchor)

The c4 square (for White) is the rock-solid foundation of the English Opening and Botvinnik System. It represents Mikhail Botvinnik’s scientific, industrialist approach to chess.

The c4 square does not seek immediate glory. It is an anchor, slowly clamping down on the d5 square, building a wall of pawns, and grinding the opponent down through sheer structure and logic. If c4 were a person, it would wear a lab coat, carry a clipboard, and have a 100-step plan to win the endgame.

4. h7: Mikhail Tal (The Sacrificial Altar)

If c4 is a science lab, h7 is a pagan altar. Historically, the h7 square (and h2 for White) is the target of the classic "Greek Gift Sacrifice" (sacrificing a bishop on h7 to draw the enemy king into the open).

No square is associated with more chaotic, romantic sacrifices than h7. It is the spiritual home of Mikhail Tal, the "Magician from Riga," who would happily throw bishops, knights, and queens into the fire just to watch the board burn. When a piece lands on h7, safety is thrown out the window, and calculation gives way to raw art.

5. d8: Tigran Petrosian (The Iron Gate)

Finally, d8 (the starting square of Black's queen) is the Iron Gate of Defense, matching the personality of Tigran Petrosian, the most defensive World Champion in history.

The d8 square is about safety, caution, and prophylaxis (preventing the opponent's plans before they even materialize). It sits quietly at the back, organizing the defenses, locking the doors, and refusing to allow even a single crack in the fortress. Trying to break through d8 is like trying to chew through concrete.

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Grandmaster Squares Guide

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Written for Control The Center (CTC).
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