Strategy vs Tactics

Tactics: Link to the Wikipedia definition and examples

Tactics -- short term (1-4 moves (although it can be much longer)) often forced (there is only 1-2 reasonable responses)  sequence of moves that usually let us win some material or deliver checkmate.
Examples of tactics include but are not limited to: Double Attack, Pin, Discovery, Double Check, Skewer ...

Strategy: Link to the Wikipedia definition and examples. (Not very precise)

Strategy -- long term plan specific to a certain position based on the positional evaluation.
Examples of strategic plans: Attack on the King, Queenside Attack, Central Expansion, Creating Weaknesses in opponent's camp ...

In this position taken from:

McDonnell,Alexander - De Labourdonnais,Louis Charles Mahe [C37]
London m3 London (1), 1834

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Nc3 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 7.Nd5 Qe5 8.c3 Bh6 9.d4 Qd6 10.e5 Qc6 (diagram)
Let's look at the diagram.
1)If we count the material we notice that White has 3 minor pieces (Bishops, Knights), while Black has 4. So we can say that Black has the material advantage.
2)However if we compare the quality of the pieces we notice that most of the White pieces are outside of their pawn chains attacking targets inside opponent's territory. Most of Black pieces are still asleep in their initial positions. This means that White has advantage in development. In addition to this if we look at White's center pawns we can talk about control of the center and spatial advantage.  
3)Lastly we can compare the Kings. While White is about to castle Black King is temporarily stuck in the center where it gets attacked.

 

 

Based on the above information here are the ideas that should be considered by both sides:

White: Attack on the un-castled King. Develop more pieces and use center pawns to prevent development of opponent's pieces.

Black: Develop pieces as soon as possible. Bring their King to safety. Any trade of active White pieces will bring them closer to a position where their extra piece will be the decisive factor.

In the game White finds a tactic that allows them to retrieve material

11.Bb5 (attraction (inviting opponent to an unfavorable square) 11...Qxb5 12.Nxc7+(double attack) winning the Queen) Qg6 12.Nxc7+(double attack) Kd8 13.Nxa8

Later Black managed to hide their King and develop pieces. The final result could have been 0-1. The rest of the game is given without comments..

Ne7 14.0-0 Rg8 15.Bd3 Qg7 16.b4 Ng6 17.Bxg6 Qxg6 18.b5 d6 19.b6 a6 20.exd6 Nc6 21.d7 Bxd7 22.Nc7 Bg4 23.Qd5+ Kc8 24.Bxf4 Be6 25.Nxe6 fxe6 26.Qf3 Bxf4 27.Rae1 e5 28.Kh1 Qh6 29.Qh3+ Qxh3 30.gxh3 Bd2 31.Rd1 Bxc3 32.d5 Ne7 33.Rf7 Bb4 34.d6 Nc6 35.Rc7+ Kb8 36.Rxh7 e4 37.Rh4 e3 38.Re4 Bc5 39.d7 Rd8 40.h4 Bxb6 41.h5 Kc7 42.h6 e2 43.Rxe2 Bd4 44.h7 Kxd7 45.Rg2 Rh8 46.Rg7+ Kd6 47.Rxb7 Kc5 48.Kg2 Nd8 49.Rd7 Ne6 50.h4 Kc6 51.R7xd4 Nxd4 52.Rxd4 Rxh7 53.Kg3 Kc5 54.Rd2 a5 55.Kg4 a4 56.Rd3 Rb7 57.h5 Rb4+ 58.Kg3 Rb1 59.Rd2 Rg1+ 60.Rg2 Rh1 61.Rh2 Rg1+ 62.Kh4 Rg8 63.h6 Kb4 64.Kh5 Ka3 65.h7 Rb8 66.Kg5 Rb5+ 67.Kf4 Rb8 68.Ke4 Re8+ 69.Kd3 Rd8+ 70.Kc2 Rh8 71.Kb1 Kb4 72.Rh4+ Kc3 73.Rh3+ Kc4 74.Kb2 Kb4 75.a3+ Kc4 76.Rh4+ Kb5 77.Kc3 Rc8+ 78.Kb2 Rh8 79.Rb4+ Ka5 80.Rb7 Ka6 81.Rg7 Ka5 82.Kc3 Rc8+ 83.Kd4 Rh8 84.Rg5+ Kb6 85.Rh5 Kc6 86.Kc4 Kb6 87.Kb4 Kc6 88.Kxa4 Kb6 89.Rh6+ Kc5 90.Ka5 Ra8+ 91.Ra6 Rb8 92.a4 Rc8 93.Ra7 Rb8 94.Rc7+ Kd6 95.Rc1 Ra8+ 96.Kb5 Rb8+ 97.Ka6 Ra8+ 98.Kb7 Rh8 99.Rh1 The Chess Player's Chronicle 1842, p. 295 1-0

 

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