Dynamic vs static advantages
Temporary, activity-based edges versus permanent, structural ones — and which suits the position.
A static advantage is permanent and structural: a better pawn structure, a weak enemy square, the bishop pair, an extra pawn. A dynamic advantage is temporary and energetic: a lead in development, an initiative, an attack. The two often trade off — you might sacrifice a pawn (accepting a static minus) for the initiative (a dynamic plus).
Great play is matching the two to the clock of the position: cash a dynamic advantage before it fades (attack while ahead in development), and nurse a static one patiently (grind down a weak pawn over many moves). Misjudging which you hold is a common source of error.
Every sacrifice and long-term plan is a trade between dynamic and static factors — reading which you have tells you whether to strike now or squeeze slowly.
Sitting on a fleeting dynamic edge until it evaporates, or trying to attack with only static, long-term advantages in hand.
Related terms
See Dynamic vs static advantages in your own games
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