Xabcdefghy 8-Trlwq-Trk+ (7+P+Nzppvlp' 6P+-Zp-Snp+& 5+-Zpp+-+-% 4P+P+Pzp-Vl$ 3+-Sn-+N+P# 2-Zplwq-+P+" 1+-+-Trrmk-! Xabcdefghy
Xabcdefghy 8-Trlwq-Trk+ (7+P+Nzppvlp' 6P+-Zp-Snp+& 5+-Zpp+-+-% 4P+P+Pzp-Vl$ 3+-Sn-+N+P# 2-Zplwq-+P+" 1+-+-Trrmk-! Xabcdefghy
Xabcdefghy 8-Trlwq-Trk+ (7+P+Nzppvlp' 6P+-Zp-Snp+& 5+-Zpp+-+-% 4P+P+Pzp-Vl$ 3+-Sn-+N+P# 2-Zplwq-+P+" 1+-+-Trrmk-! Xabcdefghy
Lets remember about the interaction between pieces (together with the pawns). We have
3 forms of interactions between the own pieces: sustainment, protection, and limitation
and 2 forms of interaction between opponent pieces: attack and obstruction.
The limitation in the own opponents camp is, of course, a form of bad interaction
between pieces and the most limitative piece because of its low mobility is the pawn.
The obstruction against opponent pieces is best made by the pawn too, because of its low
quantitative value. No opponent piece from the knight to the queen like to come in the
ray of action of a pawn. Also, the opponent pawns blocked by your pawns subsequently
limit the mobility of their own pieces.
As a logical consequence of the above 2 forms of interactions, it means that the pawn has
a very big influence on the freedom of our own and of our opponents pieces.
Between the 2 camps, we can imagine a
demarcation line between the 4th and 5th ranks of
the board. Any pawn securely advanced at the
border of the camp or over the demarcation line
creates space.
- Space for the own pieces because they are not
limited any more by the presence of that pawn
- And lack of space for the opponent pieces
because they are obstructed by the advanced
pawn and limited by their own pawns blocked
behind.
XABCDEFGHY
8-trlwq-trk+(
7+p+nzppvlp'
6p+-zp-snp+&
5+-zpP+-+-%
4P+P+PzP-vL$
3+-sN-+N+P#
2-zPLwQ-+P+"
1+-+-tRRmK-!
xabcdefghy
In our position, after 1.e4-e5, White gets even more space (the e4-square will be free for
the knight, the b1-h7 diagonal will be free for the bishop, and the e1-rook will start to be
dangerous on the e-file). In the meantime, the black knight will be chased away on a very
passive position.
The most important advantage in chess is the space advantage. Also, the space
created by the pawns is usually a long-term advantage.
Gaining Space
1. As a consequence of the chosen opening
There are a lot of openings when Black consciously cedes the centre, permitting White to
get place his pawns here. The idea of these openings (Kings Indian Defense, Benoni,
Pirc etc.) is to challenge this centre with the pieces and different kind of pawn-thrusts.
This way, even if White has more space, Black has a target and therefore gets some
active play.
There are also openings when Black cedes the centre and also renounces to any active
play. The idea is to get a solid pawn formation, trade pieces and enter a drawish or solid
endgame.
Morozevich - Yandemirov, 1998
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 (by renouncing at the
e5-pawn, Black cedes the centre) 4.Nxd4 d6 5.Nc3
Nf6 6.Be2 Be7 7.00 00 8.Be3 Bd7 (diagram)
Here, White has more space and better control
over the centre because of his e4-pawn against the
black d6-pawn. Black played passively but hopes
in his solid pawn structure which can be perfectly
defendable in an endgame.
9.Nb3!
White avoids exchanges to let Black pieces
agglomerated. Because of the good control over
the centre and increased mobility, White will start
to get more space on the kingside by f2-f3 and g2g4-g5.
9Re8 10.f3 Be6 11.Qe1 Ne5 12.Rd1 c6
Black cannot trade pieces, so he has to liberate his
pieces by other method: the challenge of the white
central e4-pawn, by d6-d5.
13.Nd4 Bd7 14.g4 (diagram)
Whites g-pawn (the spear-point) gets space for
White on the kingside and also fights indirectly for
the centre - attacking the f6-knight.
White has a big advantage because of his space,
control over the centre and attacking possibilities
on the kingside.
The game went: 14d5?! 15.g5 Nxe4 16.fxe4 c5
17.Nf5 d4 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Nh6+ 10
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wq-trk+(
7zppzplvlpzpp'
6-+nzp-sn-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-sNP+-+$
3+-sN-vL-+-#
2PzPP+LzPPzP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
White to move
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wqr+k+(
7zpp+lvlpzpp'
6-+pzp-sn-+&
5+-+-sn-+-%
4-+-sNP+P+$
3+-sN-vLP+-#
2PzPP+L+-zP"
1+-+RwQRmK-!
xabcdefghy
Black to move
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wqk+-tr(
7zppzpnvlpzpp'
6-+-zp-sn-+&
5+-+Pzp-+-%
4-+L+P+-+$
3+-sN-vLQ+P#
2PzPP+-zPP+"
1tR-+-mK-+R!
xabcdefghy
White to move
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+ksnntr(
7+pwq-+pzpp'
6-zppzp-+-+&
5+-+Pzp-zP-%
4-+-+P+-zP$
3+-sN-wQ-+-#
2PzPP+LzP-+"
1+-mKR+-+R!
xabcdefghy
White to move
XABCDEFGHY
8r+l+-trk+(
7zpp+nwqpzpp'
6-+p+-sn-+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-zP-+-+$
3+LsN-zPN+-#
2PzP-wQ-zPPzP"
1tR-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
White is to move
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-+k+(
7zp-+-wqp+p'
6-zp-+lsnp+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+pwQPzP-+$
3+-sN-+-+P#
2PzPL+-+P+"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
Position after 24.Qd4
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-tr-+k+(
7zplwq-+pvlp'
6-zpn+p+p+&
5+-zp-+-+-%
4-+LzPPzP-+$
3+-zP-vL-+P#
2P+-+NwQP+"
1+-tR-+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
Black is to move
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-mkqsn-tr(
7+-trnvlp+-'
6-zp-+p+-zp&
5zp-+pzP-zpP%
4P+pzP-zPN+$
3+-zP-+-+-#
2-zPQ+N+P+"
1+RvL-mK-+R!
xabcdefghy
White is to move
In the game, White played directly 1.f5 and Black counter-attacked on the same side,
challenging white pawns: 1f6! after which the game becomes complicated with
chances for both players. In the end, the game was a draw.
Remember:
We know well that the main characteristic which determines the qualitative value is the
mobility of the piece. Usually the space advantage leads to the increment of the attacker's
pieces' mobility on that side and this means qualitative advantage. Moreover, the space
advantage offers the possibility to bring on that side a bigger number of forces on that
side, which means quantitative advantage.
Therefore, the most important advantage in chess is the space advantage.
Note:
Typical positions when Black deliberately lets White to get more space as Hedgehog or
some Kings Indian systems will be discussed in detail later in our course.