[blind-chess] Re: Chess Article #33 Pawn Structure Question on Study
- From: Knightrider <adatewithmate@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 27 May 2010 10:44:50 -0400
Rod and All,
Thanks for your endeavor. It feels a bit discouraging though, or shoukld I
say overwhelming. I'm about a 1000 rated player and 1400 for our Ladder. How
many intermittent hours must one use to internalise all of this information.
And we're only discussing pawns
Do you think the pawn structure subject material should be put on hold
before other categories are studied. As an example, would it be better to
study a few openings, tactics, strategies, end games etc. first? Would this be
more efficient and show some quicker trsults. Thanks for all of your help and
articles as well.
Lewis
Knightrider
-----Original Message-----
From: Roderick Macdonald <rmacd@xxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 26, 2010 11:42 PM
To: Blind Chess Mailing List <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-chess] Chess Article #33 Pawn Structure
Chess Article #33
Pawn structure
Adapted and condensed from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
In chess, the pawn structure (sometimes known as the pawn skeleton)
is the configuration of pawns on the chessboard. Since pawns are
the least mobile of the chess pieces, the pawn structure is
relatively static and thus largely determines the strategic nature
of the position.
General observations
Weaknesses in the pawn structure, such as isolated, doubled or
backward pawns and holes, once created, are usually permanent. Care
must therefore be taken to avoid them (but there are exceptions --
for instance see Boleslavsky hole below). In the absence of these
structural weaknesses, it is not possible to classify a pawn
formation as good or bad -- much depends on the positions of the
pieces. However, the pawn formation does determine the overall
strategies of the players to a large extent, even if arising from
unrelated openings. Pawn formations symmetrical about a vertical
line (such as the e5 Chain and the d5 Chain) can be deceptively
similar, but they tend to have entirely different characteristics
because of the propensity of the kings to castle on the kingside.
Pawn structures often transpose into one another, such as the
Isolani into the Hanging Pawns and vice versa. Such transpositions
must be considered carefully and often mark shifts in game
strategy.
The major pawn formations
Andrew Soltis, in his book Pawn Structure Chess, classifies the
major pawn formations into 16 categories, discussed below. It is to
be noted that for a formation to fall into a particular category,
it need not have a pawn position identical to the corresponding
diagram, but only close enough that the character of the game and
the major themes are unchanged. It is typically the center pawns
whose position influences the nature of the game the most.
Structures with mutually attacking pawns are said to have tension.
They are ordinarily unstable and tend to transpose into a stable
formation with a pawn push or exchange. Play often revolves around
making the transposition happen under favorable circumstances. For
instance, in the Queen's Gambit Declined, Black waits until White
develops the king's bishop to make the d5xc4 capture, transposing
to the Slav formation (see below).
#1 The Caro Formation
Black pawns at 17, b7, c6, e6, f7, h7
White pawns at 12, b2, c2, d4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Caro-Kann.
Other: French, Scandinavian, QGD.
Character:
Slow-paced game.
Themes for White:
Outpost on e5, kingside space advantage, d4-d5 break,
possibility of queenside majority in the endgame (typically
after the exchange of White's d pawn for Black's c pawn).
Themes for Black:
Weakness of the d4 pawn, c6-c5 and e6-e5 breaks. The latter
break is usually preferable, but harder for Black to achieve.
#2 The Slav formation
Black pawns at 17, b7, c6, e6, f7, h7
White pawns 12, b2, d4, e3, f2, g2, 82
Openings:
Primary: Slav.
Other: Catalan, Grunfeld, Colle system (with colors reversed).
Character:
Slow-paced game.
Themes for White:
Pressure on the c file, weakness of Black's c pawn (either
after Black's b7-b5 or after d4-d5xc6 in response to e6-e5),
the d4-d5 break.
Themes for Black:
e6-e5 and c6-c5 breaks.
#3 The Sicilian - Scheveningen Formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, d6, e6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Sicilian Najdorf, Richter-Rauzer and Sozin
variations), Sicilian Scheveningen, and several other Sicilian
variations.
Character:
Complex, dynamic, sharp middlegame.
Themes for White:
Pressure on the d file, space advantage, e4-e5 break (often
prepared with f2-f4), f2-f4-f5 push, g2-g4-g5 blitz (see Keres
attack).
Themes for Black:
Pressure on the c file, minority attack (and counterplay in
general) on the queenside, pressure on White's pawn on e4 or
e5, d6-d5 break, e6-e5 transposing into the Boleslavsky hole
(see below).
It is often unwise for White to exchange a piece on c6 allowing the
recapture bxc6, because the phalanx of Black's center pawns becomes
very strong.
#4 The Sicilian - Dragon
black Pawns: a7, b7, d6, e7, f7, g6, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Sicilian Dragon.
Other: English Opening (with colours reversed).
Character:
Either a razor sharp middlegame with opposite side castling or
a moderately sharp game with same side castling. The Sicilian
Dragon requires a high level of opening memorization to play
properly. This is especially true when it comes to the
Yugoslav Attack in which White plays the moves Be3, f3, Qd2
and 0-0-0. Other variations are: The Classical Dragon where
White plays Be2 and 0-0; The Tal attack is defined by Bc4 and
0-0, and the Fianchetto Defense where White plays g3, Bg2 and
0-0. These less common variations lead to less tactical
positions, with a potentially technical endgame.
Themes for White:
Outpost on d5, kingside attack (either f2-f4-f5 with kingside
castling or h2-h4-h5) with queenside castling, weakness of
Black's queenside minority (of pawns) in the endgame.
Themes for Black:
Pressure on the long diagonal, queenside counterplay,
exploiting White's often overextended kingside pawns in the
endgame.
#5 The Sicilian - Mar`oczy bind
black Pawns: a7, b7, d6, e7, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c4, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Sicilian.
Character:
Semi-open game.
Themes for White:
Nd4-c2-e3, Fianchettoing one or both Bishops, the Marsczy hop
(Nc3-d5 followed by e4xd5 with terrific pressure on the e-
file), kingside attack, c4-c5 and e4-e5 breaks.
Themes for Black:
b7-b5 break, f7-f5 break (especially with a fianchettoed King
bishop), d6-d5 break (prepared with e7-e6).
The Mar`oczy bind, named after Giza Marsczy, has a fearsome
reputation. Chess masters once believed that allowing the bind as
Black always gave White a significant advantage. Indeed, if Black
does not quickly make a pawn break, his pieces will suffocate to
death. Conversely, the formation takes time to set up and limits
the activity of White's light-squared bishop, which can buy Black
some breathing room to accomplish this break.
#6 The Sicilian - Boleslavsky hole
black Pawns: a7, b7, d6, e5, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Sicilian Najdorf, Classical, Sveshnikov, Kalashnikov.
Other: Sicilian O'Kelly (2. ... a6).
Character:
Open, dynamic game.
Themes for White:
taking control the d5 hole, exploiting the backward d6 pawn,
f2-f4 break.
Themes for Black:
d6-d5 break, queenside minority attack, the c4 square.
It is a paradoxical idea that Black can strive for equality by
voluntarily creating a hole on d5. The entire game revolves around
control of the d5 square. Black must play very carefully or White
will place a knight on d5 and obtain a commanding positional
advantage. Black almost always equalizes, and might even obtain a
slight edge, if the d6-d5 break can be made. Black has two options
for his queen bishop: on e6 and on b7 (after a7-a6 and b7-b5).
Unusually for an open formation, bishops become inferior to knights
because of the overarching importance of d5: White will often
exchange Bg5xf6, and Black usually prefers to give up his queen
bishop rather than a knight in exchange for a white knight if it
gets to d5.
When white castles queenside, Black often delays castling because
his king is quite safe in the center.
#7 The d5 chain formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c7, d6, e5, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, d5, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: King's Indian.
Other - Benoni, Ruy Lopez (Spanish).
Character:
Closed game with opposite side activity.
Themes for White:
Massive queenside space advantage, c2-c4-c5 break (optionally
prepared with b2-b4), prophylaxis with g2-g4 (after f2-f3),
f2-f4 break.
Themes for Black:
kingside attack, f7-f5 break, g7-g5-g4 break (after f2-f3),
c7-c6 break, prophylaxis with c6-c5 or c7-c5 transposing to a
Full Benoni formation.
The chain arises from a variety of openings but most commonly in
the heavily analyzed King's Indian Classical variation. The theme
is a race for a breakthrough on opposite flanks - Black must try to
whip up a kingside attack before White's heavy pieces penetrate
with devastating effect on the c file. The position was thought to
strongly favour White until a seminal game (Taimanov-Najdorf 1953)
where Black introduced the maneuver Rf8-f7, Bg7-f8, Rf7-g7. When
the chain arises in the Ruy Lopez, play is much slower with tempo
being of little value and featuring piece maneuvering by both
sides, Black focusing on the c7-c6 break and White often trying to
play on the kingside with the f2-f4 break.
#8 The e5 chain formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c7, d5, e6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, d4, e5, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: French.
Character:
Closed/semi-open but sharp game.
Themes for White:
kingside mating attack, f2-f4-f5 break.
Themes for Black:
Exchanging the hemmed-in QB, c7-c5 and f7-f6 breaks.
Due to White's kingside space advantage and development advantage,
Black must generate counterplay or be mated. Novices often lose to
the sparkling Greek gift sacrifice. Attacking the head of the pawn
chain with f7-f6 is seen as frequently as attacking its base,
because it is harder for white to defend the head of the chain than
in the d5 chain. In response to exf6, Black accepts a backward e6
pawn in exchange for freeing his position (the b8-h2 diagonal and
the semi-open f-file) and the possibility of a further e6-e5 break.
If White exchanges with d4xc5 it is called the Wedge formation.
White gets an outpost on d4 and the possibility of exploiting the
dark squares while Black gets an overextended e5 pawn to work on.
#9 The King's Indian - Rauzer formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c6, e5, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c4, e5, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: King's Indian, Old Indian (colors reversed), Ruy
Lopez.
Other: Ruy Lopez (colors reversed). The notation in the rest
of this section refers to the colors reversed version.
Character:
Semi-open game.
Themes for White:
d6 weakness, c4-c5 push, a3-f8 diagonal, queenside pawn storm.
Themes for Black:
d4 weakness, a1-h8 diagonal, f4 square, kingside attack,
trading pieces for a superior endgame.
The Rauzer formation is named after Rauzer who introduced it in the
Ruy Lopez. It can also rarely occur in the Ruy Lopez with colors
reversed.
Example of the Rauzer formation
Tarrasch - Euwe, Pistyan 1922
ECO E61
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 d6 3. Nf3 Nbd7 4. Nc3 e5 5. e4 g6 6. Be3 Bg7 7.
dxe5 dxe5 8. h3 c6 9. Qd2 Qe7 10. O-O-O O-O 11. Qd6 Qxd6 12. Rxd6
Re8
FeN: r1b1r1k1/pp1n1pb1/2pR1np1/4p3/2P1P3/2N1BN1P/PP3PP1/2K2B1R/
13. Bg5 Bf8 14. Rd2 Kg7 15. Bd3 Bb4 16. Kc2 Nc5 17. a3 Bxc3 18.
Bxf6+ Kxf6 19. Kxc3 Rd8 20. Bc2 Rxd2 21. Nxd2 Ne6 22. g3 a5 23. Nf3
c5 24. Ba4 Ra6 25. Rd1 Nd4 26. Nxd4 exd4+ 27. Kd3 Bxh3 28. Bb5 Rd6
29. Rh1 Bg2 30. Rxh7 Re6 31. Rh4 g5 32. Rh6+ Ke5 33. f4+ gxf4 34.
Rh5+ Kd6 35. gxf4 Bxe4+ 36. Kd2 Rg6 37. Rh2 Rg2+ 38. Rxg2 Bxg2 39.
Ke2 Bc6 0-1
It is considered to give Black excellent chances because d6 is much
less of a hole than White's d4. If the black king's bishop is
fianchettoed it is common to see it undeveloped to f8 to control
the vital c5 and d6 squares, or remove White's dark-squared bishop,
the guardian of the hole.
The Rauzer formation is often misjudged by beginners. In the
position on the left, White appears to have a development lead
while Black's position appears to be riddled with holes. In
reality, it is Black who stands clearly better, because White has
no real way to improve his position while Black can improve by
exploiting the d4 square.
#10 The King's Indian - Boleslavsky Wall formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c6, d6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c4, e5, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: King's Indian.
Other: English, Pirc, Ruy Lopez.
Character:
Semi-open game, slow buildup.
Themes for White:
d6 weakness, e4-e5 and c4-c5 breaks, minority attack with b2-
b4-b5.
Themes for Black:
attacking the e4 and c4 pawns, d6-d5 and f7-f5 breaks,
queenside play with a7-a5-a4.
The wall is yet another structure that leaves Black with a d-pawn
weakness, but prevents White from taking control of the center and
gives Black active piece play and an opportunity to play on either
side of the board.
#11 The Isolani formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, e6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, d4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Queen's Gambit.
Other: French.
Character:
Open game.
Themes for White:
d4-d5 break, sacrifice of the isolani, outpost on e5, kingside
attack.
Themes for Black:
Blockading the isolani, trading pieces for a favorable
endgame.
#12 The Hanging Pawns formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, e6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, c4, d4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Queen's Gambit Declined.
Other: Queen's Indian Defense.
Character:
Open game.
Themes for White:
Line opening advance in the center, kingside attack.
Themes for Black:
Forcing a pawn advance and blockading the pair, conversion to
isolani.
Like the isolani, the hanging pawns are a structural weakness and
must not be entered into unless the piece position offers some
compensation. The play revolves around Black trying to force one of
the pawns to advance. If Black can establish a permanent blockade
the game is positionally won. On the other hand, White aims to keep
the pawns hanging, trying to generate a kingside attack leveraging
off of their superior center control. Other themes for White
include tactical possibilities and line opening breaks in the
center.
#13 The Queen's Gambit - Orthodox Exchange formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c6, d5, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, d4, e3, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Queen's Gambit Declined.
Other: Caro-Kann (colors reversed).
Character:
Semi-open game.
Themes for White:
Minority attack, e3-e4 break.
Themes for Black:
e4 outpost, kingside attack.
#14 The Panov formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, d5, e6, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c5, d4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Queen's Gambit Declined, Caro-Kann.
Other: Alekhine Defense, QGD Tarrasch Defense (colors
reversed).
Character:
Semi-open, dynamic game.
Themes for White:
Exploiting the dark squares, queenside majority in the
endgame, with an advanced pawn.
Themes for Black:
e4 outpost, kingside attack, White's overextended pawn, e6-e5
and b7-b5 breaks.
#15 The Stonewall formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c7, d5, e6, f5, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, d4, e3, f4, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Dutch Defense.
Other: Colle system, English.
Character:
Closed game, uncomplicated strategy.
Themes:
Exchanging the bad bishop, e4/e5 outposts, breaks on the c and
g files.
Players must carefully consider how to recapture on the e4/e5
square, since it alters the symmetric pawn formation and creates
strategic subtleties. This structure also appears in one of
Botvinnik's treatments of the English. Adding the typical White
fianchetto of the king's bishop to this structure provides
significant pressure along the long diagonal, and usually prepares
the f2-f4-f5 break.
#16 The Closed Sicilian formation
black Pawns: a7, b7, c5, d6, e7, f7, g7, h7
White Pawns: a2, b2, c2, d3, e4, f2, g2, h2
Openings:
Primary: Closed Sicilian, Closed English (colors reversed).
Character:
Closed, complicated position.
Themes for White:
kingside pawn storm, c2-c3 and d3-d4 break.
Themes for Black:
queenside pawn storm, a1-h8 diagonal
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