Pawns: The Fabric of Chess (Part 2)

Here I will present several key ideas sifted from the pages of "Pawn Power in Chess" by Hans Kmoch.

"Pawns, unlike pieces, move only in one direction: forward. They move little by little and usually at long intervals. The march of a pawn is limited to six advances, but in most cases it ends earlier or does not start at all. Most games are over before all the pawns have come into action, and many of them end before any pawn has reached the eighth rank. The critical examination of a position requires a consideration of many factors, but those concerning the pawn structure usually deserve priority."

The following game illustrates the power of pawns. Pawns shaped and structured the entire game.

White: Scholastic/1541
Black: David Hayes/1562
Date: 2/16/94
Event: Queen of Hearts Open
Opening: Queen Pawn, Torre Attack
Comments by: David Hayes

1. d4 d5

Hoping for a complex strategical battle on a closed board which Black perceived would favor his knowledge of pawn structures, and frustrate his opponent's tactical skills.

2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bg5 e6

There is a first time for everything. Black's strategy on move one has forced him to face the Torre Attack for the first time. Out of his book on move 3, he remains true to his strategy, avoiding the more open tactical lines beginning with 3... Ne4.

4. e3

Committing prematurely to a strong but inflexible center pawn structure. 4. N1d2 is preferable hoping for an e4 break in one efficient move.

4... Be7 5. Bd3 N8d7 6. N1d2 h6 7. Bh4 c5

Avoiding O-O too soon, Black attacks White's rigid center. Do not castle because you can, castle because you should.

8. c3 b6 9. O-O Bb7

To discourage the thematic e4.

10. Re1 O-O 11. e4?

The central unresolved tension caused by c5 marks Whites eleventh move a mistake. Bg3 is better with an eye toward resolving the center. Black's plan crystallizes. Isolate White's d-pawn and attack it mercilessly.

11... dxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Bxe4 Bxe4 14. Rxe4 Bxh4 15. Nxh4?

Allowing Black to isolate the d-pawn and much, much worse! Better was Rxh4.

Black played 15... Nf6?! What move did Black miss?

15... Nf6?!

Black missed a rare winning pawn combination 15... f5 followed by g5 if necessary, picking up a whole piece. 15...f5 16. Rf4 g5 17. Rf3 gxh4.

16. Re3 cxd4 17. Qxd4 Qxd4 18. cxd4 Rfd8

Pressurizing the isolated pawn. White must use valuable pieces to protect the pawn which has no other pawn to support it.

19. Nf3 Rd5

Blockading the pawn's forward movement and planning to double the Rooks. The pawn cannot move toward the queening square. If Black can pile up enough attacking pieces on the pawn, then it will fall.

20. Rd3 R8d8 21. R1d1 Nd7

Angling for Nc6.

22. Kf1 Nb8 23. Ke2 Nc6 24. a3 f6

Planning a timely e5, and preventing a timely Ne5 after Black's King enters the game.

25. h3?!

The pressure on d4 makes planning difficult for White, so he waits.

25... Kf7 26. Rc3 R8d6 27. R1d3

White feared Black's e5. 27. Ke3 is also OK.

27... Ke7

Of course not the immediate 27... Nd4 because of 28. Nxd4 Rxd4 29. Rxd4 Rxd4 30. Rc7+ and 31. Rxa7 where White is OK.

28. b4?

Ke3 was necessary as the game demonstrates.

28... Nxd4+ 29. Nxd4 Rxd4 30. Rxd4 Rxd4 31. Rc7+ Rd7 32. Rxd7+?!

Keeping White's Rook alive with perhaps 32. Rc3 was White's best hope for counterplay. White now enters the endgame a pawn down.

32... Kxd7 33. Kd3

White's plan is this. Only needing a draw, White intends to force Black to prove he can win. White intends to: 1. Oppose all attempts by Black's King to invade either side's pawn mass (where Black may win more of White's pawns, then Queen Black's pawns on that side), 2. Be alert for opportunities to zugzwang Black (the inability to make progress because any move will cause the moving side to lose or at most draw), and 3. Watch the tactics.

33... Kc6

Black's plan is this. Black wishes to play on the King side to take advantage of his pawn majority where he can create a passed pawn or passer. The passer will force White's King into a defensive position. If necessary Black will then abandon the King side passer and race to win the Queen side pawns while White must expend valuable moves or tempos disposing of Black's King side passer. The Queen side pawns are then pushed to Queen and win. To accomplish all this Black must: 1. Prevent White's King from invading either side's pawn mass (possibly winning Black's pawns and Queening White's pawns before Black's pawns can Queen on the opposite side), 2. Avoid zugzwang, and 3. Watch the tactics.

34. Kc4 b5+

Preventing any further advance of White's King or pawns on the Queen side. Having secured the Queen side, Black now focuses on the King side.

35. Kd4 e5+

35... Kd6 was more flexible. In other words, pawn moves cannot be retracted because they can only move forward. However, piece moves can be retracted. Therefore, piece moves are often more desirable, because piece moves do not commit the moving side to a particular structure or formation of pawns. Piece moves are said to be more flexible.

36. Ke4 g6

Preventing 37. Kf5.

37. g4 Kd6 38. f3 Ke6 39. h4

39. Ke3 may have held a little longer, but after 39... f5 40. h4 h5 41. g5 Kd5 42. Kd3 a6 43. Ke3 Black is in control.

39... f5+ 40. gxf5+ gxf5+ 41. Ke3 Kf6

This invasion by Black is made possible by Black's a-pawn; believe it or not. Note how Black has resisted moving the a-pawn because of the tempo contained in reserve. Again, unnecessary pawn moves should be avoided to maintain flexibility. Black's game plan is much easier now. Black plays to win White's h-pawn creating two passers on the King side.

42. Kf2 Kg6 43. Kg2 Kh5 44. Kg3 f4+ 45. Kh3 a6! 46. Kh2 Kxh4

The remainder of the game is simple technique. Create a second passer, then push both passers to overload White's King. One or both passers Queen to win.

47. Kg2 Kg5 48. Kh3 Kf5 49. Kg2 e4 50. fxe4+ Kxe4 51. Kf2 h5 52. Ke2 h4 53. Kf2 h3 54. Kf1 Kf3 55. Kg1 Ke2

White resigned as Black must Queen.