NOTES ON PAWN STRUCTURES

Andrew Latham

Notes taken from “Pawn Structure Chess” by Andrew Soltis

 INTRODUCTION
-Advantages offered by pawn structures may disappear if your opponent activates his pieces faster than
you, so choosing a correct plan must depend on piece development.
-You must learn to recognize when your structure is superior and to hold that structure.
-Whenever the pawn structure does change, you must re-evaluate and see what the new structure offers
you and what the plan is. Every time a pawn moves or is exchanged, you must check and see whether
the structure has changed or not.
-The pawns determine where your pieces will play.
-These structures are thematic with certain openings, but can arise from any opening and in any situation,
with either color.
 CARO-KANN FORMATION

-Slow middlegame. It's hard for white to break open the center without taking risks.
-White has better center control, better spots for his pieces, and a break by pushing d5. Black has to find a
way to play e5 or c5, otherwise he will be cramped.
-When white prevents both e5 and c5, his simplest plan is a kingside attack.
-Pushing d4-d5 is very good if white is better developed, but can be bad if the pawn can be attacked on
the d-file. The white bishop is best placed on g2 where it is most useful after the push. The rooks should
be placed on the e-file since they will then gain more mobility after the push as well.
-The d4-d5 push must be carefully planned and prepared for, not mindlessly done.
-Black can attack the d4 pawn with pieces, through methods such as throwing major pieces on the d-file
and playing Bf6.
-d5 can be played as a gambit to get white a lot of initative, especially if black is uncoordinated or has
ignored his kingside.

-c5 is the easiest push for black. It gives freedom to black's minor pieces and opens up a diagonal for the
light squared bishop if that is still on the board. If white lets black play cxd4 and then recaptures with a
piece instead of a pawn, c5 and e5 become outposts. If white recaptures with a pawn then it is isolated
and can be blockaded by a knight.
-White should be careful moving his c-pawn, making sure d4 is not weak before pushing it to
c4. Sometimes it can be useful to support the d-pawn with c3, although this leads to an isolated d-pawn.
-If, after c5, white plays dxc5, he can get the d-file, the a1-h8 diagonal, and d4 for a piece. These are
dynamic features and black must make sure he is safe from them before pushing c5. White also gets a
queenside pawn majority. White's majority is better in the endgame. Black's is better in the middlegame
because he can use it as a weapon to take over the center.
-There are two cases when c5 can be met with d5: When the pawn on d5 can be maintained because black
was careless, and when it is a successful sacrifice, which all depends on white's development.
-When black delays in pushing c5, white can push it himself, although this leaves a hole on d5 and the d4
pawn open for attack, as well as letting black play b6 later on. But white has a grip on the center that can
be converted into a kingside attack.

-e5 is a better push for black because white doesn't get a queenside pawn majority, and the light-squared
bishop (if there is one) immediately gets space to play in.
-e5 is usually harder to play because white has a knight on f3 watching it and black usually develops his
bishop to e7.
-It is mostly an equalizing move, although if black is better developed he could end up better.
-When black points all his pieces at one pawn break at the expense of the other, it might do white good to
stop that break even if it hurts his position or plans.
-f4 and Ne5 are both ways to stop the e5 push.
 SLAV FORMATION

-Similar to the Caro-Kann with a few changes: White no longer has a queenside pawn majority and e5
may be better than c5.
-White's best plan is the d5 break and it works the exact same way as in the Caro-Kann.

-Black has a popular method of liberation called "Tchigorin's e5 plan"

-This works by playing e5 after white plays e4 (So that he can't keep a pawn on d4 by playing e3)
-When white's e4 pawn is strong, after black pushes e5 he can let black exchange exd4 and then push his
f-pawn up and attack the kingside. Pawns on e5 and f4 are very good for white, especially when paired
with control of the d-file.
-To avoid this eventuality, black must maintain pressure on the e-file.
-If white pushes d5, black has three options: Exchanging, which leaves the square open for white's pieces,
playing c5 and giving white a strong passed pawn, or allowing his pawn position to be weakened by the
exchange on c6.
-The consequences of cxd5 are simple: The pawn structure is even but white's pieces are probably better
than white's. The d5 square is more accessible to white than d4 is for black because white probably has a
knight on c3 already while black probably doesn't have a knight on e6 and definitely doesn't have one on
c6.
-c5 leads to a closed position. This is better for white unless black can mobilize his wing pawns.
-Letting white take on c6 gives black a weak pawn structure but better mobility for his pieces and control
of the d5 square. There is no center counterplay, so black should attack on the kingside. The f5 outpost
can be very useful. White has two good plans if he is going for this type of position: He can prepare a
favorable and quick attack on the queenside before taking on c6, but he has to make sure that he won't
lose the pawn and that it won't be better at any point for black to play c5 or cxd5. Otherwise he will just
have to try to go into an endgame where he is obviously better because of all black's weak pawns.
-White can try to stop e5 altogether by playing e5 or f4. Then black's plan is to play c5. If he delays, he
will get killed.

-Black also has a plan of playing a6, b5, Bb7 and c5. This plan is common in the Queen's Gambit
Accepted as well as the Slav.
-After c5 the pawn structure can change to a symmetrical one after white plays dxc5 or an isolated
queen's pawn after black plays cxd4. It is usually better for white to have a queen on e2 and a rook on d1
in both situations.
-White can push d5 and try to control the center, although this allows black a queenside pawn
majority. Black can also try to blockade the pawn with e5.
-Black can make a queenside pawn majority by pushing c4. This gives him an advantage on the
queenside and white an advantage in the center.

-When white only pushes to e3 instead of e4, control of e4 becomes important.

-Black can push to e4. White will try to attack the pawn, black will use it as a wedge to attack the
kingside.
 SCHEVENINGEN FORMATION

-White has three pawn pushes. e4-e5 is an attacking break, f4-f5 aims to take control of the d5 square,
and g4-g5 leads to a kingside pawn storm.
-Black also has three pawn pushes. Pushing the b-pawn to b4 leads to counterplay on the queenside and
can also be used in conjunction with an attack on the e-pawn. d6-d5 seeks counterplay in the center. e6-
e5 tries to blockade white's play.
-Timing is very important. If you play the wrong plan it can be a disaster here moreso than in other
pawn structures.
-The rules on exchanging a piece on c6: When black has not pushed d6 yet, it is good, because then white
can push e5, when black is in trouble and has to accept a weak queenside with d6. After black has
pushed d6, taking on c6 is bad because it increases black's main advantage, his large pawn center, while
white will rarely have any success attacking the queenside.

-e4-e5 is a disruptive break. If white holds the initiative he can win but if not the e-pawn can be weak.
-e5 is usually prepared with f4. Black will have to retreat his knight, which leaves the kingside
weak. Exchanging on e5 lets white attack on the d-file, while pushing d5 lets white attack the kingside
easily.
-White's problem is that the e5 pawn is weak and his king is open. If he loses the initiative black can take
advantage of those.
-Control of the d-file is often critical, especially right before and at the beginning of the break. It's better
for the a-rook to go to d1 than the f-rook, though, so if white wants to attack the king with a rook lift then
he can hold the d-file with the d1 rook and attack the king with Rf3.

-The f5 push is designed to weaken black's control of d5. If black pushes e5 then white can win by
controlling the d5 square, so that black doesn't get any central counterplay, and attacking on the kingside
with g4-g5.
-The problem is that white's e-pawn is backwards and black may be able to successfully attack it and
undermine white's entire plans. Black also tries to take control of the d5 square and break through in the
center.

-The g5 push attacks black's knight and hurts black's chances of counterplay in the center with e5 and
d5. When black's pieces are uncoordinated (For example, Nf6 and Nbd7) then the push can make them
into a jumbled mess after the knight retreats to e8.
-g5 also leaves white's kingside way open and if black is able to coordinate his pieces and withstand the
kingside attack he can counter-attack on either side of the board.

-A queenside pawn storm is usually part of black's plans. He can attack targets on the queenside, or try
to hurt the coordination of white's pieces so that the e-pawn becomes easy to attack and d5 becomes
possible.
-Pushing to b5 gives black a lot of space on the queenside, but the pawn can be attacked with a4, When
pushing it would give up control of c4.
-If white pushes a4 before black plays b5, then the b4 square becomes weak and black can play Ne5-c4 to
get counterplay.

-d5 is Black's response to aggressive pawn pushes by white. It is a counteridea, so you have to determine
whether the situation is right to play it.
-The best time to play it is in answer to g4-g5. If you play it before white has tried any pawn breaks, then
it may make a pawn break even easier for white or give him kingside play.
-The point is that after white pushes g4, black can break open the center and attack white's weak
king. Often this is done with a pawn sacrifice such as d5 e5 Ne4 Nxe4 dxe4 B or Qxe4 and black brings
his rooks to the open file and puts his bishop on c6.

-After exchanging off the knight on d4 (So that it can't go to f5) black can play e5 with several
points: Black has a share of the center, white can't play e5, and if white has a bishop on f3 it becomes a
bad piece. Black also threatens exf4 white gives him the e5 square for a piece.
-If black can stop all white's kingside play then he can counter-attack on the queenside with the open c-
file.
-e5 transposes into the Boleslavsky Hole pawn structure.
 DRAGON FORMATION

- A lot of people operate under the misconception that this is called the "Dragon" and the openings is
called the "Sicilian Dragon" because it is supposed to look like the Sicilian Dragon. Actually, it gets its
name from the fact that black's kingside pawns resemble the Draco Constellation.

-White has three ideas: f4 and 0-0, f3 and 0-0-0, and occupying d5 with a minor piece.
-e5 is usually a worthless move in the Dragon because after dxe5 fxe5 black can easily attack it with his
pieces.

-f4-f5 is a common white break because it threatens to open up the kingside and usually gains control of
the d5 square for a piece. e6 in the Dragon formation is usually a very weak move for black.
-In follow-up to this, if there is a knight on f6, white can play g4 with the idea of g5 with a kingside attack
and control of d5.
-If black tries to prevent this with h6, then after g5 the g-file can be opened. If black plays h6 and then g5,
white plays h4 and the h-file will be opened.
-Black also can not play d5 because then white will just play e5.
-Black can also try to occupy e5 with a knight, since that is a hole that white created with f5, but the
problem is that the knight on the square is not especially useful when compared to the knight on d5.
-Most of black's actual solutions to the f4-f5 push are theoretical and specific to different lines in the
Sicilian Dragon.

-White's plan after f3 is to advance the g- and h-pawns.

-The queen goes to d2 to play Bh6 and exchange off that piece.
-Black also can not attack the e-pawn and has difficulty simplifying.
-Black tries to obtain counterplay by advancing the queenside pawns and attacking the queenside with
the c-file.
-White is often at a disadvantage in the endgame.

-If white plays Nd5 and black exchanges and white recaptures with his e-pawn, then the e7 pawn
becomes weak and attackable on the open e-file.
-White also has a space advantage, and his d5 pawn can be easily defended with c4 and b3.
-Nd5 is called the "Marco Hop"
-It works best when after an exchange on d5 black can not play either b5 or e6, which are his methods of
obtaining counterplay after the exchange.
-Black can also try to prevent Nd5 or anticipate it by playing d5 himself. b5, stopping c4, is also an
acceptable idea as the d-pawn then becomes a target.
-e6 can leave black with very weak center pawns on open files and an easily attackable kingside.
-The Marco Hop only works when white has the initiative. If black has the initiative then he can quickly
attack on the queenside before white has a chance to solidify his position.
 MAROCZY BIND

-Pronounced "MAR-ot-see"
-Black is at a disadvantage because both d5 and b5, his two good breaks, are nearly impossible to
engineer.
-He also does not have much of an advantage on the c-file, because this is shortened and white can easily
protect the c-pawn with b3.
-White can play the Marco Hop earky and quite easily.
-Black must fight the constriction of his pieces.

Maroczy in Dragon-like Formations:

-White has three good plans: Playing f4-f5 to attack the king and control d5, playing c4-c5 when he has
superior pieces on the queenside, and playing e4-e5 to attack the center.
-White's plan of a kingside attack following the Marco Hop is deadly and black must take early steps to
prevent it.
-When white has more potential open lines in the center and control of the d-file, c5 is a good choice.
-When there is a pin on the d-file, e5 is an excellent option.

-Black has many dynamic early counter-strategies, and white must prevent those before he can continue
with his own plan.
His three ideas are b5, d5, and f5.
-So, white's basic task is confinement and consolidation while black's is liberation.

-Black's b5 push opens up another line for his pieces, weakens white's queenside pawns, and also holds
the idea of playing b4 to get the knight off of c3 and then attacking the e4 pawn.
-Using a weakness of white's e-pawn to play b5 at the right moment is a common theme for black. This
works best when black has potential for queenside counterplay and white ignores it.
-If white plays b3, then slow play by black to prepare b5 can be punished by an attack on black's
king. Black's best bet is to just play a6 and then b5. Black also hopes that white will try too hard to
prevent this and create another subtle queenside weakness for black to exploit.

-f5 can be played much more easily but leaves a lot of weaknesses in black's pawn structure.
-It is especially good when black ignores the idea to try to prevent b5, especially when he plays g3 and
Bg2. When f3 and d3 are weak f5 is usually a good plan.
-After f5, however, black's king position is weak and so are his central pawns. White gets the e-file and
can sometimes use the e4 square. Black gets the f5 square for a piece or a pawn but his control of the file
can be reduced by white playing f4.

-Black has some rare ideas. He can occasionally get away with e6 and d5 if he can do it very quickly.
-Black can also play Bxc3 when after bxc3 white's pawns are doubled. White has open lines and attacking
possibilities but black may be able to exploit the weak pawns. When white doesn't have to respond with
bxc3, however, Bxc3 is a terrible idea and you should never ever play it. The idea can go hand-in-hand
with playing f5 or attacking the c4 pawn.
-There is also an interesting idea for black of playing e5 and then putting a piece on d4 to block the d-file
and keep the awful d-pawn safe from attack.

Maroczy in Scheveningen-Like Formations:

-Plans are pretty much exactly the same as in the Dragon-Like formations but with two differences:
-A good plan for white in a lot of positions is to first restrain b5 and then double on the d-file, control d5,
and push e5 to attack the d-pawn.
-Black can often sacrifice a pawn with the d5 push when he is significantly better developed to open lines
and attack.

BOLESLAVSKY HOLE

-White has control of d5 and can attack the d6-pawn.

-Black threatens dynamic play by pushing d5.
-White must try to stop black from pushing d5 by controlling that square himself.
-This can be done by throwing a piece on d5, but if white has to recapture with his e4 pawn after
exchanges then black gets a kingside attack after the easy f5 push. It also makes the d-pawn much harder
to attack.
-Therefore, one of white's best plans is to point every minor piece at d5, for example a4 Ne3 Bc4 Nd5
Qd1. Black basically has a similar plan.
-White can also create a mobile queenside majority by pushing b4 and c4, allowing black to exchange on
d5, recapturing with the e pawn and shoving the queenside pawns forward with c5.
-The problem with this plan is that black has good chances of a kingside attack, so the middlegame often
becomes a race between white's queenside pawns and black's kingside attack.

-Another idea is white's push f4, where black recaptures exf4.

-Both sides get easily defended isolated pawns.
-White gets f5 and d5 as outposts, black gets e5.
-If black does not recapture exf4 then white pushes f5 and g4-g5 for a nice kingside attack.
-If black doesn't exchange pieces quickly then white can get a kingside attack by bringing the major
pieces to the kingside.
 D5 PAWN CHAIN

-White has strategic plans on the queenside while black attacks on the kingside.
-You have to be very active on whatever side of the board you are supposed to play on.
-Usually if a player can end his opponent's activity on the side of the board where he is weak, he will win
on the other side.

-White tries to expand on the queenside with b4, c4, c5 and opening the c-file or trying to get his knight to
c7 or d6.
-Black sometimes plays c6 is a method of restraining white's queenside activity. To do this he has to be in
a position to contest the c-file and other open lines on the queenside. Otherwise he's just doing white a
favor when he plays cxd5 because it leads to the same position as if white had taken the time to play c5
and cxd6.
-Black can also play c6 and then cxd5 in preparation for grabbing the queenside initiative with b5 and a6.
-Another black idea is to play c5 and stop white from playing c5. If white is well developed he can open
the center with dxc6 en passant. Otherwise, white's plan is Rb1 and b4 to open the b-file.
-If black plays b6 to try to protect c5 and then contest the open b-file, white can shift play over to the
kingside and make something there and then shift back and forth between the two sides of the
board. Taking the f-file is often a good means to this end.

-Black attacks the kingside by playing f5 and then fxe4 or f4.

-Black attacks with his pawns, not his pieces.
-Pushing f5 leads to a strong pawn attack on the kingside while fxe4 weakens the e-pawn and forces
white to defend it, while also giving black more space through use of the open f-file.
-White can try to counteract this with the idea of f3 and g4, which takes squares away from black.
-One idea for black is to try to win the g-pawn by pushing h5, and then after white pushes g5 (on taking
the h-pawn black just plays f4 and controls the kingside) pushing h4 to isolate the pawn and attack
it. The problem with this idea is that in the time black wastes trying to win a pawn white can take over
the queenside.

-White can capture the f5 pawn with exf5.

-Black has two responses: He can capture f5 with a piece, which leaves white an outpost on e4, or he can
recapture with a pawn after which white has two ideas: fixing the center with f4, or attacking the f-pawn.
-After gxf5 f4, black has to make a decision. Pushing e4 leaves d4 open for white, while exf4 isolates
black's f-pawn.
-e4 is best when white's pieces are uncoordinated and he will not be able to successfully make use of the
d4 square.
-After exf4 white can often castle queenside if he has not already castled and attack the kingside.
-If white plays f4 before exf5, or even before black has pushed f5, black is not afraid of an isolated f-pawn
and will often free e5 with exf4.
 E5 PAWN CHAIN

-White's natural plan is for a kingside attack. The pawns point that way, pushing the f and g pawns is
easy to do, and black can't defend with a knight on f6.
-There are four basic situations: Black pushes c5 and plays cxd4, black plays f6 and white plays exf6,
black plays c5 and white plays dxc5, or both of white's pawns disappear.

-After black plays cxd4, he has to make something out of the c-file or else he will get mated.
-This usually involves putting a piece on c2 and covering the c-file with major pieces.
-Black is in no hurry to play cxd4 and it might be to his advantage later to play c4 and b5-b4. He
definitely should not play it if he's not going to be able to keep the c-file.

-f6 undermines the front of the pawn chain. It often leaves black's king weak and his e-pawn open to
attack.
-Opens the f-file and lets black play on the kingside.

-After dxc5 white has achieved the "Wedge" formation. It has a crampign effect on black's kingside and
gives white a nice outpost on d4.
-On the other hand, the e5 pawn is weak and attackable, and black has outposts on c4 and e4.
-f5 for black is a strategic error. All white has to do is take a little time to limit black's play on the
kingside and then he can open the g-file by force with f4 and g4.
-If black trades off his dark squared bishop he will be weak on the dark squares later.
-Black has counterplay: He can play f6, try to occupy e4 and c4, or try to prevent white from controlling
d4.
-Black can even take the initiative on the kingside with Ne4, f5, Kh8, Rg8, g5.
-Black can play f6 and exchange off the pawn in return for weakening his kingside somewhat.
-Nimzowitsch showed that white can occupy the e5 and d4 squares with pieces rather than pawns.
-gxf6 is usually better than Rxf6 unless white already has a substantial advantage on the kingside. The
open g-file can be useful, the f6 pawn keeps white from having an outpost on e5 and the pawn center can
begin rolling.
 KING'S INDIAN COMPLEX

-Any moves must be made with great care.

-For example, dxe5 by white opens the d-file but makes black's game easier. exd4 by black allows white
to attack the d-pawn.
-Pushing d5 turns the structure into a d5 pawn chain.
-There are three other options here: White playing c5 to throw open the center, white playing dxe5, and
black playing dxe4.

-c5 dxc5 dxc5 turns the structure into the same one after dxe5.
-c5 dxc5 dxe5 opens the center. White's development decides whether or not he will get a better game
out of this.
-Exchanging white's c-pawn for black's d-pawn creates opposing pawn majorities, and white can try a
minority attack.
-This minority attack can often be prepared before you even push c5.

-dxe5 is problematic because while white gets the d-file, it is fairly easy for black to neutralize his control
of it. On the other hand, white can not keep black off of the hole on d4, while black already controls d5
and white will have a lot of difficulty taking advantage of the hole on d6.
-White can obtain counterplay with a plan of playing c5, which does three good things: Strengthens
control of d6, Permits a piece to be put on c4, and closes black's a7-g1 diagonal while opening white's a2-
g8.
-This works even better when there are other holes in black's structure, such as on b6 after he pushes a6
or the like.
-The pawns on b4 and c5 might be able to be attacked by black via a5 and Na6.
 THE BOLESLAVSKY WALL

-Black's pieces have to obtain early activity or he will get crushed.

-Black's d-pawn is weak and can be subjected to attack on the open d-file.
-Black tries to occupy e5 and create tactical threats.
-Plans for black include opening the a-file with a4, creating threats on the long dark diagonal, and
pressuring the e-pawn. Black also often has better piece placement.

-White has pressure against the enemy d-pawn and two levers - a c5 push and an e5 push.
-e5 is mainly a tactical attempt to break open the center for white's pieces.
-If black plays accurately, white will not be able to play e5 without creating a weak e5 pawn. If black
throws his pieces all over the kingside then white can drive them all off by rapidly advancing his pawns.
-White will have difficulty doing anything quickly when the formation arises.
-b4 is good for white - it takes c5 away from black's pieces and prepares a push of either pawn.

-Black has two good pawn pushes: d6-d5 and f7-f5.

-f5 should be played when d5 can not be played.
-d5 reveals white's structural and developmental weaknesses by sweeping away the center pawns.
-Black can either stop the push, make his pieces better so that breaking up the center is advantageous for
him, or try to make a d5 push work for his pawn structure by playing exd5 exd5 c5 or something of the
sort.
-f5 is just kind of a desperate break, since it loosens black's kingside. It is better than getting crushed to
death though.
 ISOLATED D-PAWN

-If it can advance it will cramp the enemy center then break it up to give white significant initiative. if it
can be blockaded, it becomes a target and a problem for white.
-The advance can be very disorienting and force black's pieces back.
-The greatest weakness of an isolated d-pawn is the square in front of it, since a piece there is usually safe
from attack and stops the pawn from advancing.
-Just a pawn on e6 is not good enough to hold down the d-pawn. It will move forward no matter what,
even as a sacrifice, and the player with more direct threats will have the advantage.

-A common plan for white is to position his bishop on c2 or b1 (c2 is better) and queen on d3 or c2 to
threaten mate. It is almost always necessary to prepare this setup with a3 to prevent a knight from going
to b4.
-After this white threatens B-g5-xf6 and mate. If black plays g6, white plays Bh6 and then Ba2/b3 and
Qh3. Ne5 is also good for its potential to sacrifice. If black lets him get away with this then white is
threatening all kinds of sacrifices on the kingside.
-Since this is the kind of direct threats we're talking about, it pays white to advance the d-pawn at the
right moment and unleash a storm of pieces on black's kingside.
-Getting rid of the d-pawn is not just getting rid of a weakness but also converting potential energy into
power as the center breaks open and all the threats that white had prepared come to life.
-If not timed properly, however, white will end up with nothing but a drawish symmetrical
position. Black's pieces might even be better.

-Isolated pawn is favorable when white controls the c-file and can play d5. It's unfavorable when the
endgame is approaching or it can be converted into unfavorable "hanging pawns".
 HANGING PAWNS

-The Hanging Pawns are vulnerable and weak. When one advances, the other becomes backwards and
bad.
-Together they control the center but can be attacked on the open files.
-DON'T let the pawns become blockaded. They are most vulnerable to this when they are first created,
on c3 and d4 usually. Whenever one is backwards the spaces in front of them become holes.
-If black gets a blockade he should strive to make it permanent.
-An isolani can often be turned into hanging pawns by Bxc3. Black can prepare to blockade the c4 and d5
squares before playing this moves.
-The pawns are weak only when under direct pressure. When the attack on them develops slowly, white
can swing over and attack on the kingside or take the time to protect the pawns and make them strong.
-When the pawns reach d4 and c4 they have a lot of potential. A good advanced isolani can be made
with a d5 push. Immediate threats after this push count for a lot.
-Usually black wants to try to restrain the pawns with b6 and e6. However, when white is wasting time
and doing nothing it can pay to play b5 or e5 to either isolate a pawn or lure it forward, after which again
the squares in front of the pawn can be blockaded and the backwards pawn attacked.
-Attacking the pair is especially good when combined with an attack on other weaknesses, such as the
kingside.
 ORTHODOX EXCHANGE FORMATION a.k.a Carlsbad Formation

-Safe and solid

-If white plays e4 or black plays c5 then the resulting isolated d-pawn is unfavorable.
-Black must come up with a mating attack before white breaks through with pawns on the
queenside. Black's attack usually doesn't involve pawns.

-White's best plan is a minority attack by pushing the b-pawn, probably with necessary support, to create
weaknesses for black on the queenside.
-b6 for black, trying to play c5 after white plays b5, is an error because white plays Rfd1, Rac1, Nf4, Qb3
and then b5. White has better chances, and c5 loses the d5 pawn.
-When white's pawn is on b5, cxb5 is bad because the b-pawn is weak and the c-file is open for white to
use, and lettling white play bxc5 weakens the c-pawn on the half-open file and gives white the b-file.

-Black's best chances are an attack on the kingside, even when white castles queenside.
-This is usually done with the pieces first to induce a pawn weakness from white through a push, and
then by a full attack with the pieces and pawns.

-Black can play b5 on the queenside but it is usually bad.

-Gives up c5 and a5 and makes the c-pawn easy to attack, but black wants to put pieces on a4 and c4.
-It is usually in white's best interests to play e4 after black plays b5, because black's pawn weaknesses can
be exploited better with an open center.
 PANOV FORMATION

-White has a passed c-pawn and control of d6 and e5. He has good control of the dark squares and a
better endgame.
-Black has dynamic potential with the b6 and e5 breaks.
-It's better for black to develop the light squared bishop to g4 so that he can kill the knight that protects e5
and d4.
-It's usually good for black's dark squared bishop to f6 to control some dark squares and more
importantly attack d4 and e5.
-Aside from the b6 and e5 breaks, black can also try piece play such as Bf6 and Nf5 to try to win the pawn
or Ne4 and f5 to go for checkmate.

-The e5 break can be a good equalizer for black. It can even be used as a temporary pawn sacrifice since
white will rarely be able to hold onto both e5 and c5.
-White gets an outpost on d4 to use after dxe5.

-Attacking the head of the chain with b6 can be effective if it exposes the d-pawn to a new line of attack.
-If white allows an exchange to occur, he should use the open c-file and the b6 and c5 squares.
-If he supports the pawn with b4 he gets to keep a passed pawn.
-In the second case black can play a5 to deflect the b-pawn. This is best when white can't play a3 to
support it. If black is going to do this (Really if he is going to try b6 at all) the bishop should be on e7 so
that if white can't protect b4 then after axb4 or b5 black can get the c5 pawn with bxc5 dxc5 Bxc5. If white
can't play a3 then he has to play Na4 usually.
-b6 can be played in conjunction with e5 and Ne4 to destroy white's center.
-f5 is good when black can attack the king. Otherwise it's bad, because it limits black's ability to play
e5. When the white knight is on f3 it's almost always bad.
 STONEWALL FORMATION

-Each side has a bad bishop he wants to eliminate.

-Bd2-e1-h4 is one way to get rid of this bad bishop. The most ideal way is to trade it for the enemy's good
bishop.
-Knights work best on the obvious center outpost. Doubling the d or f pawns is advantageous because it
gives one player pawn control of that square.
-Never establish a Stonewall when you have good bishops.
-Pawn breaks are the c-pawn and g-pawn pushes.
-A minority attack with c4-c5 and b4-b5 is one good option for white.
-When one player exchanges knights (black for example) taking with fxe5 is natural but sometimes dxe5
can be better to pressure the d-pawn and keep the possiblity of pushing f5 as part of a kingside attack.
-When you have a freer game dxe5 is usually better to keep pieces on the board.
 CLOSED SICILIAN

-Black has good pressure on the dark squares, especially d4.

-White can try a mating attack or try to push in the center with c3 and d4.
-Wing attacks are usually the best plan but keep in mind that the center can be opened at any time before
you move all your pieces to one side of the board.
-Both sides try to open files on their good side of the board (Queenside for black, kingside for white).
-White has a plan of playing f4-f5 as a major part of his attack on the kingside. Therefore it may often be
in black's best interests to play f5 himself.
-Nd4 is a common idea for black - if white recaptures then black recaptures with the c-pawn to pressure
c2.

-Black can also exchange his e-pawn for white's f-pawn.

-If white captures with a piece, black gets an outpost. If he recaptures with the g-pawn, black can fix his
pawns with f5 or attack the center with the d-pawn.
-Besides just attacking the kingside white can also try to fight back on the dark squares, such as trying to
control d4.
-White can also answer Nd4 with Nxd4 and c3.
-This often gives white a weak pawn but open files in the center.

-The Nimzo-Botvinnik formation occurs when white has pawns on e4 and c4 and black has a pawn on c5
or e5.
-White can play f4 which black will want to meet with f5. If white is allowed to push f5 he will get a very
strong advantage on the kingside.
-If f4 won't work very well then b4 may be better.
-Meeting this structure with c5 is better than with e5.
-The knight manuever to occupy d4 is key to an accurate defence.