One reason I enjoy playing Q-pawn openings is that the resulting positions often offer easy-to-spot strategic goals and crystal clear plans. The reason falls squarely on the shoulders of the many closed centers that occur – a closed center usually calls for pawn-play on the wings, and this demands a certain kind of “maneuvering mentality.”

Does this mean that 1.d4 is easy to play? No, not at all! But a serious study of the resulting structures will allow you to handle even the most difficult situations with a laid back air of pedestrian “cool.”

Take the diagrammed position as an example. The pawn structure on the queenside and in the center begs White to employ a very common plan. Tell me what that plan is. Then see if the kingside situation offers either side options that might not normally exist. How would you assess this position? Finally, what is White’s best first move?

WHITE TO PLAY

PLANS WHERE WHITE TRIES TO GO AFTER THE BLACK KING

The pawn structure on the queenside usually calls for play in that sector via pressure against a6 and a b3-b4 advance. However, many players can’t resist going after the enemy King in any and all situations. Let’s first look at readers’ recommendations that involve a “death to the King!” mentality.


WHITE TRIES 1.f4

Only one player recommended this bit of insanity!

JAVA JOE says:

My plan would be to play on the kingside. I like that I am given a position with a nice d1-h5 diagonal and a spacious f-file just waiting for me to open up.

To accomplish that strategic goal, my first move would be 1.f4

I expect 1...gxf4, to which I would respond
2.Bxf4 exf4
3.Rxf4

Although I have traded off my good Bishop, I think I have rewarded myself with an invaluable open f-file. Also, by eliminating the g-pawn, I have a safe square on h4 for my pieces as well in preparation for a possible attack on the King on that file. Thirdly, I like my center pawn structure vs. that of my opponent. I may be able to use the e-pawn in the future.

I think that because I have improved my position in a few different ways, I have likewise increased the number of possible plans. My opponent has a cramped position and fewer possibilities.

SILMAN: I think you drank much too much java, Joe. In fact, FIDE’s insane sanction against an overdose of caffeine might put the rest of your chess career at risk.

The problem with your idea is that, after 3.Rxf4, White is a piece down with no kingside chances and a completely hopeless, resignable position. Did you make use of your queenside plusses? No. Did you notice that Black’s g7-Bishop was blocked by his own pawn on e5, and did you notice that your f2-f4 kindly opened up the diagonal for that Bishop, thus turning it into an active piece? I think not.

After 3…Qe7 (to be followed by either …Qe5 or even …Nf6-d7-e5) White has no attack at all (Black has more pieces on the kingside than White!) and will soon go down in flames.

Chess is far more than mating attacks. Yes, most players think that the game is all about tactics, pretty mates, and sacrifices, but these poor souls will never improve. This is not to say that these things are not important – they are extremely important. But you must learn to read the board and know where to attack and what the position needs (note: not what your tastes demand, but what the position needs!).

My recommendation: give up drinking anything but milk (though FIDE is proposing a $100,000.00 fine for anyone who drinks more than a pint of the cow-juice at a sitting), put your life savings in the Bank of FIDE, and devote your existence to the study of Schlechter’s games.

WHITE GOES FOR THE H-FILE BY 1.f3 WITH THE IDEA OF Kf2 & Rh1

As with 1.f4, only one player decided to give this unsubtle attacking scheme a shot.

CHRISTOPHER PRICE (1200) says:

I clearly have no idea where this theoretically should head, although your clues provide some insight. I just had fun trying to piece together a coherent move order that lead to the position, something I find satisfying to do.

Common plan? Kingside situation that might not normally exist? Hmmm, I initially see a potential target that is the isolated Black a-pawn. Another target is the backward d-pawn. Of course Black will eye the White b-pawn. The unique kingside option I believe is the open h-file, however I fail to see clear landing points for anything along that file for either side, unless sacking of material is involved. What would I do? Free up the back rank so the Rooks could travel to either side, maybe f3 and Kf2. That way, if a battle for queenside files occurs, White is ready. If the files on the queenside don't have a future, then White could immediately switch gears for domination of the h-file, and try to create a lack of flight squares for the Black King. I would also consider maneuvering the light-squared Bishop Bd3-c2, push the b-pawn with support (obviously focusing on queenside chances), then Ba4 getting it outside the pawn chain, then Bc6 for a commanding role.

I know this is pretty sorry, and will be looking forward to the answer, but at one sit down in front of this online, if I were playing this OTB, I would rule it as quiet positional maneuvering to see who opens up a weakness first.

SILMAN: Chris was the only player to mention the very nice Be2-d3-c2-a4 (after b4) maneuver. He was also the only one to wonder what I meant by the “clue” I gave concerning the kingside. Nicely done! However, his idea of playing on the h-file is way off the mark (even if White was able to miraculously double on the h-file, there isn’t any way to penetrate into Black’s position due to the g7-Bishop’s control over h8).

In general, since White noticed the target on a6 and saw the possibility of b3-b4, he should find a plan involving these ideas. In fact, he should force them to happen if he feels the results are good for White. It’s this concept of making a plan happen -- of finding a way to realize your dreams -- that turns a normal player into a powerful one.

A FAVORITE AMONG THE “INSANE” CROWD

I was shocked by the large number of people who loved this plan! Though all spectators love a “to hell with the static advantages and damn the torpedoes” approach, this particular idea is less in the style of a lion and more in the suicidal nature of a lemming.

GABRIEL McARTHUR (1800) says:

This is a consternating position for me. I usually don’t get closed positions like this, but it seems to me that there are only a few possibilities. Examining the pieces, I saw that both of the Knights made good in protecting e4, and one in guarding b3 (making a counter-attack there by Black improbable). The position of White’s light-squared Bishop and his Queen seem good -- they protect the K-side very well, particularly against ideas like ...Nh5; they also might make good offensive tools in that regard too, should White try to attack there. The position of the Rooks seemed particularly good: if White wanted to break through on the K-side, the Rook on f1 looked like it would provide powerful impetus; the Rook on a2 seemed very well placed for action on the a-file, should White want to double them there, possibly switching to the K-side along the 2nd rank should White decide to force matters there.

My first instinct was to examine the a-pawn as a type of weakness, but I thought that, like White’s b pawn, the Knight on c7 makes attacking it impractical. There are no minor pieces to contribute to any attack there. The idea of playing b4 to try and open the Q-side seemed similarly ineffective, particularly since the dark-squared Bishop would be much better placed on e3 in that instance. Given that, I decided to turn my attention from the Q-side to the K-side. Here again, I thought that the Bishop might be better placed on e3, as to have influence on g5, but the plan of f3, Bg3-f2-e3 seemed very slow preparation, especially considering the intended plan of g3 and f4, when playing the intermediate f3 would take an extra tempo (and possibly make moves like ... Qh3 awkward for White). Biting on the e5-pawn, that Bishop seemed the worst piece in White’s army, but I thought that if White wanted to open the K-side position, a Bishop guarding g3 and making f4 more effective by threatening fxe5 seemed sensible. And since g3-f4 seemed to be the most active plan in the position, my move would be Bh2 followed in some order by g3 and f4 with play there.

SILMAN: To his credit, Mr. McArthur looks at all the right ideas on the queenside, but (unfortunately) he quickly rejects them. He says the a6-pawn is firmly defended. That’s correct, but Black’s Knight is not happy on c7. By babysitting the a6-pawn, the horse is forced to remain in a very passive position and this will ultimately add fuel to White’s queenside fire. Thus, the pressure against a6 leads to the emasculation of a Black Knight!

The problem with Bh2 followed by g3 and f4 – aside from the fact that it weakens the White King, takes time to accomplish, and entombs the dark-squared Bishop behind a wall of pawns on g3 and f4 – is that plays on Black’s side of the board. Also note that pushing the pawn to f4 allows the second player to free his very bad dark-squared Bishop by …exf4 when the h8-a1 diagonal has suddenly been opened!

CHRISTOPHER NELSON says:

I should start by saying I have only been playing chess for three or four months so if I say anything idiotic please excuse it. I’ll start, I suppose, by assessing the situation. From what I can tell, queenside space is about equal, central space is in White’s favor, and Black seems to have more kingside space, but it is hard to tell. Both sides seem to have equal development. Material is equal. Both Kings appear safe. Black has a very bad Bishop on g2, but White’s counterpart on g3 isn’t much better. Black seems to have a very nice home for his c7-Knight on b4 via ...Ra8 ...a5 ...Nc7-a6-b4, it would also be nice for White to get his d2-Knight to c6 via Nd2-b3-a5-c6 when the Knight would be a monster. Unfortunately, that isn’t possible due to the White pawn on b3.

As for a White plan, from what I know you should, in closed positions, move pawns forward on the flanks to gain space, so perhaps 1.Bh2, 2.g3, 3.f4 then 3... gxf4 4.gxf4 exf4 5.Bxf4. In this position, it would seem White has more kingside space and has opened the f-file for his Rook. However, since White has turned the g7 bad Bishop into a good one, he could challenge the long a1-h8 diagonal with 6.e5 and if 6... dxe5 7.Bxe5 Black would have three isolated pawns and White would have a passed d-pawn.

SILMAN: For a guy that’s just started, Mr. Nelson saw a lot of stuff and has a good understanding of some rather advanced positional concepts. For example, he’s right about needing to attack with pawns in closed positions, but for some reason the b3-b4 plan never occurred to him (once again, it seems that the Siren-call of a kingside demonstration is just too tempting to resist for most players!)
.
Another problem that all the pro Bh2/g3/f4 guys have is that they think that Black will have to capture on f4. Why? And none of them mention that g2-g3 can be met by the threatening …Qh3.

So, Mr. Nelson gave White’s affection to the wrong side of the board. He shouldn’t be too depressed, though. He’s not alone!

DOUGLAS STAPLES says:

Pawn Structure: White has a backward b-pawn, no isolated pawns, and the only pawn which can be viewed as potentially weak is the e-pawn, which is already getting pressure from the Bg6 and Nf6. Black has an isolated a-pawn but it is very useful in that it keeps White's Knight out of b5, where it would block Black's play down the b-file and hit Black's weakest point on d6. Black's a -pawn also has a TON of dynamic potential since the b-3 square is mega-weak. If all the minor pieces disappear then the b-pawn could become the object of a pin down the b-file. Black has endgame insurance so to speak, so White would probably not want to trade a whole lot. Also, White will play on the K-side, while Black's play will come on the Q-side.

Minor Pieces: Both sides have all their minor pieces. Black's light-square Bishop is his best piece at the moment, as it pressures e4. White's light square bishop practically stinks out loud. White's Knights are rather passive at the moment. That's a problem for White because the Knights will almost undoubtedly prove better than the Bishops given the state of the center.

Squares: Each side has a glaring weakness in the other camp to focus on. White will do his best to get a Knight to f5, but at the moment he has to consider that if he tries to plant a Knight there right now Black will snap it off in a heartbeat (I don't see any reason to believe otherwise since Black would be able to get rid of a strongly posted Knight in return for a Bishop that controls a grand total of 3 squares). Black on the other hand has an iron grip on b3. Also, Black has significant influence on f4, but I don't believe he intends to occupy it. His play is on the queenside, so he has arranged that pawn formation to make f2-f4 more difficult. He is playing elsewhere and using that to hold the K-side together long enough to accomplish his goals.

Files: White has the half-open a-file, while Black is pressuring the b-file. I think Black's b-file control holds more potential for attack. White's control of the a-file simply gives his Rook more freedom of movement. Interestingly, the h-file is completely open but neither side is controlling it at the moment. Since White's play is on the K-side he could benefit GREATLY from the use of this file.

Material is even. Development is equal. It is unclear who has the initiative. White has more space due to his cramping d-pawn.

Whew! That was exhausting. Now White must find a plan. His play is in the direction of Black's King, so White must turn his attention there. What would White like to accomplish in this position? That seems clear enough -- he would like to get his Knight to f5, gain control of the h-file, destroy Black's control over f4, and remove the pressure against e4 so he can go about mating Black in peace. There is one very important consideration here, though. If White gets the h-file what will he do with it? At the moment there are no (non-sacrificial) points of penetration. All squares from h4 all the way back to h8 are covered by Black's pieces and pawns.

Now to put it all together. White has to trade light square Bishops which gets rid of his worst piece, helps give e4 some security, and weakens h5 and h7(the h-file). However, he has no way to do this right at the moment. He will have to use the b1-h7 diagonal for that. This means being able to advance his e-pawn, which means having to get Black's e-pawn off e5. Black's e5-pawn helps him to control f4. Wasn't I just saying how we needed to do something about that?

Well then, I think we have our move. First Bh2, preparing g3 followed by f4, when the K-side will be torn open and White will get his attack. Also this allows the White King to move to f3 or g3, completely clearing the back rank for Rook maneuvers and doubling on the h-file. Letting some air in to his King's hideout isn't terribly dangerous with the center closed. Also note that after we open him up a bit White will have some potential down the f-file also if White manages to hold everything down the h-file. Moreover, with the light square Bishops gone and thus the pressure on e4 reduced, White's Knights will finally be free to roam, which is key in this position.

Even after White gets his K-side play going he will have to closely monitor the Q-side. After all, all these pawn trades will help to get Black's Bishops (or singular Bishop if we manage to accomplish the trade of light square Bishop the way we would like to) more active and they (it) point right at the Queenside, giving him more potential in that sector.

Well, that about does it. I think this is a dangerous idea for Black but I have not evaluated many variations since, in this situation, the positional concepts seem to be the most important. I did scan the board for tactical possibilities, but I don't see any immediate combinations. Positional considerations dominate here.

SILMAN: Though I try to keep the long blithers of our “guests” to a minimum, I felt his points deserved a serious look. First on the agenda are Mr. Staples pawn structure comments. Though he’s correct that White’s e-pawn is under some pressure (though it’s actually no big deal since White can guard it in a variety of ways), his love affair with Black’s a-pawn is misplaced. The a6-pawn is NOT full of dynamic potential, it’s simply a weakness that forces a mighty Knight to play nursemaid in order to keep it alive. As for White’s b-pawn being “mega-weak,” I beg to differ! It’s White’s b-pawn that is full of dynamic potential.

Let’s take a look at that b3-pawn: it’s as solid as a rock and can be made virtually invulnerable by Be2-d3-c2 (this means that the b-file is completely useless for Black). White can use it to shatter Black’s queenside formation via a well-timed b3-b4 advance, and most endgames are very much in White’s favor since the b3-b4 push (which often leads to the creation of a passed d-pawn) is still a “go” even late in the game.

His misreading of the structure (there will be more on this in the solution) led him to believe that White is after a kingside attack while Black is looking for his play on the queenside. Unfortunately, the reverse is true! White has excellent long term chances on the queenside while Black’s only hope of survival lays on the kings-wing.

Mr. Staples reading of the minor pieces is also off. He likes the g6-Bishop, though it’s actually in danger of being shut out of the game and made useless (the solution will demonstrate this is blazing Technicolor). Though he’s right about White’s light-squared Bishop being “bad,” this piece can play an important defensive function by defending b3, guarding e4, or patrolling the d1-h5 diagonal. And though the Knights will indeed be strong if the center remains closed (he states: “…the Knights will almost undoubtedly prove better than the Bishops given the state of the center.”), playing g3 and f4 will rip open the middle and turn the Bishops into monsters.

His talk about squares reaffirms his erroneous view that b3 is on its way to destruction, and he also doesn’t think much about the potential weakness of f5 (though this square can easily turn out to be a major problem for Black).

In case you’re thinking that I’m picking on Mr. Staples, well, I guess I am in this case! However, many players sent in similar views and he was just the “lucky” guy that I singled out as the “wrong way” illustration. Sorry Mr. Staples, somebody had to take the heat!

On a more serious note, people that saw things in the same light as Mr. Staples will learn a lot from this example. A close study of my comments to the various viewer recommendations and the solution will enrich your understanding immeasurably.

WHITE TARGETS THE g5-PAWN BY 1.Qe1

Only one player recommended this convoluted idea.

BEN WEBSTER says:

The one major weakness I see in Black’s position is the pawn on g5. The center is locked, so White should play on the kingside, where g5 is the target. Black may counter with moves like …Rb4/7, …Rf8b8 but I think this is too slow! The b3-pawn can be successfully defended with Bd1 after the Q has moved to e1!

That pawn on g5 also prevents the advance f4, so it’s good to weaken it! Immediately attacking g5 makes no sense: 1.Nf3 Nxe4 2.Nxe4 Bxe4 3.Nxg5 Bg6, and Black can control the e4 square with f5. So any move that frees the Knight on f6 must be prohibited: the White Knights that defend e4 must stay on their place for now, and also Be2 must stay on his diagonal, as Black otherwise threatens to move Nh5.

So my first move would be 1.Qe1. My plan would be to defend e4 with Qe1, then play Bd1 (which also defends b3), then play Qe3 to attack g5 (maybe also Nf3). Maybe Black must play g4 soon, which weakens this pawn even more, or leads to the opening of the f-file after f3. Or the g4-pawn may be captured, leading to an attack on the half-open g-file!

SILMAN: Again, we’re playing on the wrong side of the board. In this case Mr. Webster never mentioned that Black could punish White’s plan of Qe1-e3 by …Kh7, …Bh6, and …g4 when the dark-squared Bishop becomes active with gain of time.

PLANS WHERE WHITE PLAYS FOR THE THEMATIC b2-b4 ADVANCE

WHITE GIVES THE e4-PAWN EXTRA SUPPORT BY 1.Bf3

Only one player liked this interesting mix of guarding e4 and striving to exchange his bad Bishop by a later Bg4.

BILL RAVDIN says:

A quick breakdown in the position shows the following points:

1.The center is, as you say, locked. This means that play will happen in the wings. White will play on the queenside and Black will play on the kingside.

2.White has a horrible Bishop on e2. I don't see an obvious way to trade it off, so I'd like to at least get it outside the pawn chain.

3.Black is putting pressure on the e4 pawn. I'd like to avoid bolstering it with f2-f3 as this would completely blockade the light squared Bishop.

4.The b3-pawn is backward but at the moment it is well protected. I'd like to push it but I have to win the b4-square from Black first.

5.Black has a big hole on c6 that would make a lovely home for one of my Knights.

So here goes ... I think that White's best plan is to push the b3-pawn. This will allow the c3-Knight eventual access to c6 (Nc3-a2-b4-c6). It will also expose the a6- and d6-pawns to further pressure.

Black's plan would be to play …Nfd8 followed by …f5. By pushing it to f4, if necessary, the pawn would seriously cramp the activity of my dark-squared Bishop.

I had considered Qc2 as my first move. But the only move I see that adds additional protection to the e4 pawn (allowing one of my Knights to move) while preventing Black's plan is:

1.Bf3

Now 1…Nfd8 is countered with 2.Bg4 (attacking the Black Queen) followed by Bf5 (forcing a trade of Bishops, and stopping Black's f5-pawn advance by sticking one of my own pawns there). I'd give e4 extra protection with Re1. After stopping Black's kingside play, I'd pursue my own agenda by Rb2, Na2, b4, etc.

SILMAN: Mr. Ravdin deserves a lot of credit for trying hard to improve the life of his light-squared Bishop. He was also aware of the holes on c6 and f5, and wanted to employ White’s most thematic plan in positions with this kind of pawn structure: the advance of the b-pawn to b4.

Unfortunately, he seems to be worrying much too much about the e4-pawn. Also, the sturdy house he’s trying to build is less secure than one might imagine. First, if White wants to retain chances of Bf3-g4 (if Black moves his Queen off the c8-h3 diagonal, or if he moves his Knight off of f6), he’ll need to keep his Queen at d1. Second, Black can always chase the f3-Bishop back by …g5-g4 at an appropriate time (…Bh6 followed by …Kg7 let’s Black contemplate a kingside buildup with …Rh8 and also allows Black to activate his dark-squared Bishop with the aforementioned advance of his g-pawn).

WHITE PLAYS THE LOGICAL 1.Qc2

Several participants gave a “thumbs up” to this useful Queen move.

GAURAY DATTA says:

Inbalances:

White has a space advantage.

Black's dark-squared Bishop sucks, but White's dark-squared Bishop isn't so hot either.

Whites Knights are currently occupied defending e4 and b3 (this might not be an imbalance, but I think it’s worth noting).

Okay, White's plan is to open things up on the queenside by eventually playing b4. The kingside has two Bishops lined up in front of the King, which could be used to pin the King and possibly win one of the Bishops ... the problem is this position does not call for calculating out a combination.

So White's first move should be Qc2 preparing for Rb1 and Rb2 before playing b4.

SILMAN: The b3-b4 plan is the correct one in this kind of position and 1.Qc2 is quite a reasonable move (connects the Rooks, defends e4, and intends to strive for the b3-b4 idea with Rb1.

If he tried this in an actual game, I suspect he’d do well. But White has a far subtler solution before employing the b3-b4 plan.

I should address his comment about the two Black Bishops lined in front of their King. Though he went off on a tangent with the line about pinning one of the Bishops, he correctly assessed this position as being strategic in nature (shown by him saying that the position does not call for calculating out a combination). Since a clear strategic plan exists (b3-b4), why bother with pie in the sky tactical dreams when you can control the battle with a sensible, positional idea?

WHITE PLAYS THE SOLID 1.Bd3

Just one noticed the instructive Bd3-c2 idea.

ANDREW DIMOND (1768) says:

Greetings! By way of introduction, my name is Andrew Dimond. I’m 20 and I’ve been playing chess for 14 years. USCF says I’m 1768, ICC says I’m 2244 standard, and Chessmaster 6000 says I’m 2474. I started out studying chess by wearing out my copy of Alekhine’s “My Best Games of Chess”. Then I read Reassess Your Chess and was never the same. I learned so much I matured into the boring positional player I am today. I actually enjoy the London System, and closed positions are my favorite type, especially as White. I loved this challenge.

The immediate thought for White is that b4 would be strategically nice, but looks awfully difficult to achieve. A quick look at the imbalances shows a space edge for White, bad king Bishops for both sides, balanced weakness on b3 and a6 and rather useless half open a- and b-files. Black seems to have certain chances for a kingside attack and a potential f4 home for a Knight. He also has a bit of pressure against b3 and e4.

For White, there is the f5 hole, but it looks rather tough to get too. Still, it seems the best option for White is to try anyway. The Knights will have to get to g3 or e3 to penetrate. My first thought along these lines was Re1, to be followed with Bf3, Nf1-g3. I couldn’t get it to work tactically. I tried a couple other things with equally minimal success. Finally I decided White needed to neutralize Black’s pressure against e4 and b3. This lead to the idea of Bd3-c2 followed by Re1 and Nf1-e3-f5. If my analysis is correct, Black has no good way of stopping this plan or getting adequate counterplay:

1.Bd3 Nh5

1...Rb7 2.Re1 Rfb8 3.Bc2 Bh5 4.Qb1 Bh6 5.Nf1 g4 6.Ne3 Bxe3 7.fxe3 Kg7 8.Rf1 Bg6 9.Bh4 Ng8 10.Ne2! when Ng3-f5 follows, with strong pressure on the f-file and possible chances against the Black King.

2.Bc2 Nxg3

2...Nf4 3.Re1 Bh5 4.Qb1 Bh6 5.Nf1 g4 6.Ne3 Bg5 7.Nf5. White will follow with Nd1-e3 and then target g4 by Bd1, securing the b-pawn with Qa2 and Rb1.

3.fxg3 f5

This looks bad, but what else? White intends Rf2, Nf1-e3-f5 with a big advantage, possibly followed at some point by the Nd1-e3-g4 maneuver.

4.exf5 Bxf5 5.Bxf5 Rxf5 6.Nce4. White has a very powerful Knight vs. a bad Bishop, which can only ever be activated by …Bh6 and …g4, when both d6 and g4 are likely to drop.

SILMAN: This is another impressive display of strategic thinking! The idea of Be2-d3-c2, so that the Bishop can defend both b3 and e4 while also eyeing the important f5-square is a common theme in this kind of position. The moves 1.Bd3 Nh5 2.Bc2 Nxg3 3.fxg3 all make sense, but his 3…f5 is much too accommodating. Instead, Black should be trying to activate his dark-squared Bishop and stop White’s occupation of f5. This can be achieved by 3…g4! followed by 4…Bh6.

The plan White uses in the actual game addresses Black’s desire to get his dark-squared Bishop into the game, something this “guest annotator” failed to do. Nevertheless, Mr. Dimond has shown us that his positional understanding is far beyond what his USCF rating says it should be. A great effort!

WHITE FREES THE a2-SQUARE FOR A KNIGHT WITH 1.Ra5

Several players gave Ra5 a try at some point in their analysis, but only one wanted it to be his first move.

JUAN FRANCISCO GOMEZ LOPERA (1600) says:

The central pawn structure suggests that the opening was a King’s Indian Defence, Benoni or similar. When the center is locked the play develops on the wings, and in the King’s Indian Defence White’s usual plan is to play queenside.

Material: Material is even.

Space: White has a bit more space in the center while Black controls more kingside territory. Two sides have approximately the same space for pieces and a “bad” Bishop, but the White Knights have a bit more mobility.

Weakness and weak pawns: In White’s structure there are weaknesses on b4 and d4; in Black’s camp a5 and c6 are weak squares. Furthermore the White b3-pawn is weak: it’s a backward pawn on a semi-open file. The pawn on a6 is also weak because it is isolated, and is placed on a semi-open file too. Note that, for now, no weak square in the enemy camp can be reached by any opponent piece.

Development: Both sides are balanced.

Breakdowns: An interesting breakthrough for White is to advance b3-b4. If White could take on b4 with a Knight, the following Nc6 will be unpleasant for Black. A possible breakthrough for Black is …f7-f5, attacking the White kingside.

White’s plan: In my opinion White’s plan is to prepare b3-b4. Since Black can try to make this idea difficult by trying to place the Nc7 on b4 (maybe sacrificing the a-pawn), the White plan can be:

1.Ra5 (blocking the a6-pawn and freeing a2 for the Na2) followed by 2.Qc2 with Rb1, Na2, b4, Nxb4, and Nc6 to follow.

Of course, Black can play an attack on the kingside, and White might switch between playing this plan and stopping the Black kingside attack.

Finally, there is another point in the position that is necessary to evaluate: the h-file is open. So, another possible plan for White can be playing for the open file. However, an occupation plan like g3-Kf2-Rh1-Rh2-Ra1-Rah1 goes to nowhere since there are no invasion points in the enemy camp for White’s Rooks and Queen. And the alternative Bh2-g3-f4 can be met with …Nh7 followed by …f7-f5 with an unclear game.

SILMAN: It seems that many of the readers of my site have a highly developed sense of a position’s strategic needs! Mr. Lopera came up with a very to the point plan involving the b3-b4 advance. As mentioned earlier, this is indeed White’s thematic idea here. However, we can’t discount Black’s counter chances on the kingside. If White casts a blind eye to everything but his own queenside demonstration (1.Ra5, 2.Qc2, 3.Rb1, 4.Na2, etc.) Black will be free to initiate some dangerous play of his own on the kingside with …Kh7, …Rh8, …g5-g4, …Bh6, etc.

WHITE STRENGTHENS THE e4-PAWN BY 1.f3

THE MOST POPULAR PLAN

More players “voted” for the solid and logical 1.f3 than for any other move.

SAMEER BALKRISHNA WADKAR (1789) says:

1.Currently both Kings look safe.
2.Both sides look equally developed.
3.White has a half open a-file and Black a half open b-file.
4.Black’s a-pawn is isolated and White’s b-pawn is backward. White has a hole on b4 that Black cannot easily exploit. Further, b3 is currently well defended by the Knight on d2 and Q on d1 so it’s hard to try to win it.
5.White’s e-pawn is the base of his pawn chain and Black will try to exploit it with a subsequent …f7-f5. In fact Black’s chances lie on the kingside where his Queen points and g5-pawn grabs space. The g5-pawn is hardly a weakness.
6.White on the other hand has his chances on the queenside thanks to the pawn move b3-b4.
7.The Knight on c3 will need to participate in that effort since if Black plays …Rb4 trying to blockade then the Knight on c3 will need to go to a2 to eliminate that blockade and at the same time fortifying the b4 advance. Black could even try …Rb4 and …Rb8 but this plan seems to lack teeth as White can easily play Ra5 and Na2. Furthermore the Knight on c7 is the only defender of a6 so it can’t move for now.

However, if White needs to use his c3-Knight he needs to protect e4 first. Hence the move I am thinking of is Qc2. This move does the following:
1.Overprotects e4.
2.Frees the back rank for the f1-Rook to participate in the queenside space quest with Rb1.
3.Frees the c3-Knight to go to a2 if needed.

The set up I am planning is Qc2, Ra5 (blockading the a6-pawn and also supporting c5 square if a later c4-c5 advance [made possible if Black answers b3-b4 with …cxb4] is needed), Rb1, Na2, b3-b4.

Further fortifications might be needed in terms of f3-Bf2 to support c5 further. If Qc2 immediately, Black might try …Nh5 and force Bh2 when this Bishop is left out of play. The Bishop needs to participate in the queenside activity, especially in reinforcing the g1-a7 diagonal while participating in its defensive duties on the kingside.

Hence the move is 1.f2-f3. This move prepares Qc2 and all the plans mentioned above.

SILMAN: Sameer said some very important things, a couple of which were not mentioned by anyone else. I liked the fact that he was planning far in advance for an eventual c4-c5 push in reply (after b3-b4) to …cxb4. I like the fact that he firmly stated that the g5-pawn wasn’t weak. And I liked the fact that he saw that the h2-square would leave the Bishop far from its proper work helping White conquer the queenside.

However, the one flaw with the very logical 1.f3 is that it closes the d1-h5 diagonal, allowing Black immediate activity with 1…Nh5 followed by …Nf4. Nevertheless, Sameer showed an excellent positional sense and can be proud of his contribution to this forum.

MIKE CLARK says:

These are the types of positions that remind me how weak my positional game is (for now)!

Looking at the layout I see the following primary imbalances:

· Isolated a-pawn for Black
· Bad dark-Bishop for Black
· Backward b-pawn for White
· Unprotected c3-Knight for White
· Locked center

Considering the locked center, my plan should revolve around attacking on one of the wings. Which one? At first glance, I felt the pawn structure pointed to the kingside and that I should open it up in that direction. But, the only plan that seemed reasonable was Bh2, g3, f4 to break open that side with the pawns and Bishop. Unfortunately I think Black could simply move his pawn to g4 leaving me with a half open f-file. While this file may be in my favor, I would also have a jailed Bishop on h2 and Black would still be in control of many of the light squares. I would also still have to protect the e4-pawn which may be eventually attacked by Blacks f-pawn.

So, with that in mind, what do I have on the queenside? I have the b-pawn that may be able to open up the queenside. Looking at the piece location, Black has his pieces weighted to the kingside. They are also somewhat cramped, but this could be corrected by Black in a few moves. White’s pieces are a bit more spread out, though slightly cramped also. Black also has the isolated, but easily (for the moment) protected a-pawn. This side seems to have more potential.

Here is my plan: Drive the b-pawn up to break open the queenside, then target the a-pawn. It will be a matter of who can move over to the queenside with more pieces faster. The cramping on the kingside can be used to my advantage to delay Black. My first move toward my plan is to lock Black up to keep him/her from defending the queenside while also preventing counterplay on the kingside. My first move would be 1.f 3.

This move accomplishes the following:

1) Frees my dark-Bishop and allows it to e1 where it will eventually keep the a-pawn off a5 which would help block my b-pawn advance.

2) It protects the e-pawn from Black’s Knight and Bishop.

3) My light-squared Bishop is somewhat imprisoned, but it can protect the pawn structure almost by itself for a while.

4) Incidentally, the pawn structure would now “point” toward the queenside.

5) Most importantly, Black now has 3 pieces that cannot reasonably move from the kingside (much less begin an attack) for several moves. All the while I can proceed with my queenside plan with almost every move.

I would probably continue with move such as 2.Ra3, 3.Na2, 4.Be1, etc.

SILMAN: Good stuff by Mike! I especially like the fact that he noticed the problem with Black’s kingside minor pieces: they will have great difficulty making their way to the queenside. This idea has significance in the actual solution.

ELBERT PORTER (1600) says:

The first thing I felt compelled to look at was whether the open h-file was dangerous for either player. Having decided that it was safe both ways, I then considered Black's a-pawn and White's b-pawn as likely targets. Both seem pretty safe where they are, so long as the Knights keep watch over them. As White, I would love to post a Knight on c6. I would have to get there via a5, and b3 before that. That means pushing the b-pawn. I could put the Rook on a4 and the c3-Knight on a2. Before moving that Knight, I'd need to put a pawn on f3 to protect e4. That would have the additional benefit of giving my dark-squared Bishop hope of coming to life on the queenside via d1.

If I did manage to arrange all this and put the Knight on c6, would Black be able to chase or trade it off? His only chance would be to get a Knight onto b8, via a6 or d7. Hmm, each Knight could do one of those in two moves. Keep that in mind.

Before that, when the pawn goes to b4, Black replies …cxb4 and then c4 is the vulnerable point in my pawn chain. The minor pieces on d2 and e2 protect it very well, though.

OK, so I like what I see, so far. Now I need to think about what Black might want to accomplish for himself in the meantime, or what he might do to frustrate my plans. He might like to put a Knight on f4 or b4. The d4-pawn is out of reach because the White pawns guard b5, c6, e6, and f5. If he went after b4, then his plan would have the bonus of directly opposing my plan. So b4 is an important square for both of us. He'll need …a6-a5 to control b4 and to give the Knight the square it needs to reach b4. So I want to stop the a-pawn. I can play Ra5 in response to …Ra8, and it'll be a tough job for him to boot the Rook out. But if he doesn't threaten a6-a5, my Rook may prefer a4 to influence b4 and even c4. Either way, I'll need f2-f3, so that looks like my move.

That's probably as far as I could hope to get in deliberation on the 30/90 time limit at my local club. But now, let me see how much more I can see with the freedom of indefinite time.

I want to look more carefully at the kingside. It would take him a long time to get a Rook on the h-file, and even if it did, the pawn, King and Bishop prevent penetration. I could play Kf2 and then Rh1, but Black's Bishops forbid further forays. The Black Knight can go h5-f4 (since I've moved f2-f3), but that doesn't look that scary, really. But here's a problem: 1.f3 Bh5 2.Ra4 g4. Now the kingside is cracking wide open: 3.fxg4 Nxg4 (come back later to look at 3...Bxg4) and the threat of a fork on e3 forces 4.Bxg4. I can see we're now in a more tactical situation, with many alternatives to consider at every move. To continue: 4…Qxg4 5.Qxg4 Bxg4 6.Ra3 (to free the Knight of d2 from guard duty) 6…f5, and now 7.exf5 and 8. Ne4 looks good for me, or 6. ...Bh6 7.Nf3 and both sides have a lot to think about. Back to 3...Bxg4 4.Qe1 Bh6 5.Ra3 seems OK, or 4. Qc2 prepares Nf3. I have no expectation of seeing everything important in the aftermath of 2...g4, but I don't see anything dreadful for White. But if I were Black, that's certainly how I would answer 1.f3.

SILMAN: In Mike’s analysis (1.f3 Bh5 2.Ra4 g4), White can improve with 3.Bh4 when 3…gxf3 4.Bxf3 is good for the first player.

Overall, he saw a LOT of great stuff, notably that 1.f3 Nh5 was possible (but he didn’t panic. It’s important to keep calm, but I do feel that …Nh5 is annoying.), and that the c4-pawn might become weak after a b3-b4 advance (though he felt it was so well guarded that this was moot). I was also impressed with his deep planning. He even tried to determine whether the White Knight could land on c6 or, if it did, whether it could remain there.

Another impressive effort! Is it just me, or do “B” players seem much stronger than they used to be?

DANIEL says:

I feel that White’s plan is to play on the queenside to create weaknesses there while at the same time getting rid of his own weakness on b3 by trading it for the c5-pawn. What I would like to do is push the pawn to b4. At first I wanted to play Ra4 and Na2 in order to push the b-pawn, but then I saw that e4 would be too loose if that happened. I don't want to play Rb2 because of the annoying …a5, which helps control the square in front of my b-pawn. So Ra4 might be a good course of action when I’d follow up with Na2 (if e4 was guarded more).

So maybe 1.f3 will allow me to go after my goal eventually, it also allows me to move my dark-squared Bishop to some place more attractive than h2 if Black plays …Nh5 in order to attack and make …f7-f5 a possibility. This move (1.f3) does leave my dark-squared Bishop unprotected and it entombs my king's Bishop, but this is only a temporary pain because I hope to be able to push my b-pawn and then c-pawn which would free up the f1-a6 diagonal and aim at the isolated a-pawn. Black probably wants to move his Knight from f6 to h5 in order to try to play …f5, gaining space and roads into the King's territory; I think that White can ignore his play there though. 1.f3! is my choice.

SILMAN: This was a simple, direct, logical, and to the point assessment. Daniel was also the only one to notice the possibility of White’s light-squared Bishop eventually attacking a6 after a c4-c5 advance.

The only flaw is that he’s turning the game into a race, saying that his queenside attack will ultimately beat Black’s kingside attack. Often one must acquiesce to a “getting their fastest with the mostest” mentality. However, as the solution shows, there’s nothing better than getting everything and giving nothing!

WHITE HEADS FOR A QUICK b2-b4 PUSH BY 1.Ra4

HARVEY CARON says:

White: Bishops on g3 and e2 temporarily useless. Knights on c3 and d2 guard d4 but not much else. There is a semi-open a-file with a Rook pressuring a6. Queen guards b3. Support points at c6 and f5. Backward pawn on the b-file. White also has an open h-file.

Black: Bg7 temporarily useless. Bg6 pressures e-pawn. Knight c7 guards a6. Knight f6 pressures d4. Isolated a-pawn. Rb8 pressures b-pawn. Support points at b4 and d4. Unguarded g-pawn.

White might want to get a Knight to f5 but after the Bishop on g6 captures Black will have gotten rid of a semi-useless piece, and if White recaptures with his e-pawn the a1-h8 diagonal opens up for Black's Bishop on g7.

White also has potential problems with a Black Knight outpost on b4 and Black might want to open the game up for his Bg7 by playing …f7-f5.

How about planning to advance the b-pawn which would eliminate the b4 support point for Black, swinging the Knight on d2 to b3 to a5 and c6. Further the g1-a7 diagonal will open up for White's dark-squared Bishop if he places it on f2 after advancing the f-pawn.

White's best move is 1.Ra4 followed by Qc2 and Rfa1.

SILMAN: I liked the way Harvey wanted to avoid letting Black’s g7-Bishop into the game. In fact, he was very alert to the activity of the minor pieces. However, as we’ve seen, many nuances of the position were missed.

SOLUTION

Goldin -Ye Jiangehuan, Shanghai 2002
WHITE TO PLAY

This kind of structure usually poses Black some serious problems. On the queenside White has many advantages: he has more pieces that can come to that side of the board; Black’s a6-pawn is a pure weakness – it’s going nowhere and is simply doomed to be prodded and poked; White’s b-pawn is firmly defended and has lots of dynamic potential – once it advances to b4 it will tear apart Black’s queenside structure; the hole on c6 might eventually be occupied by a White Knight.

Normally Black will get counterchances on the kingside and this still holds true here. However, Black’s kingside structure is weaker than normal and he can’t allow the hole on f5 to fall into White’s hands. Another problem is the …f7-f5 advance – in this case it would give White’s Knights access to the e4-square after exf5. And finally, Black’s Bishops can both end up passively placed while White’s will eventually join in the queenside festivities (the e2-Bishop can become an instant hit after he succeeds in his b3-b4 push followed by c4-c5; the g3-Bishop can leap into the fray by f2-f3 and Bf2).

The usual plan for White is b3-b4, and this can be prepared in a number of ways. In this specific case, though, White has found an idea that completely deprives Black of his kingside chances.

1.Bh2!

A silly looking move that turns out to be the decisive blow!

1…Kh7

The only way to stop White’s plan was 1…g4, but then material falls after 2.Bg3! Bh6 3.Bh4 when 4.Bxf6 will win the g-pawn, and if 3…Nce8 then 4.Rxa6 picks up a tidbit on the queenside.

2.g4!

JUST SAY “NO” TO ALL BLACK COUNTERPLAY!

The point of 1.Bh2. Suddenly Black's position is devoid of all counterplay. He's clearly worse on the queenside, but now his chances on the kingside are non-existent. The two entombed Bishops on g7 and g6 make a particularly pathetic impression.

2...Rh8 3.f3

Now that the hatches are battened down on the kingside, White can finally turn his attention to the other wing.

3...Kg8 4.Na4

White's ultimate goal is to play both b3-b4 and c4-c5. With this in mind, the Knight is heading to a square where it can take part in the whole grand scheme.

4...Nh7 5.Nb2! Nf8

This Knight is heading for f4, but the lone Knight and h8-Rook can't do much damage.

6.Nd3

A dream square. Now the b3-b4 push is about to become a reality.

6...Bh7 7.b4! cxb4 8.Qa4!

ENDGAME ODDS IS A WONDERFUL THING!

Simple but powerful. Black's only chance is a counterstrike on the kingside while White's queenside domination will give him all the chances in any endgame. Thus, trading Queens takes away Black's knockout punch while allowing White to calmly continue his queenside buildup without fear of reprisal. In general, if your opponent’s only chance for survival is a mating attack, trade the Queens!

8...Qxa4 9.Rxa4 Ng6 10.Rb1 Nf4 11.Bf1

Taking the Knight would allow Black to activate his g7-Bishop by ...exf4. Never allow your opponent’s pieces any activity unless it’s absolutely necessary.

11...Bf6 12.Raxb4 Rxb4 13.Nxb4 Kg7 14.Nc6

White owns the open b-file, Black's a6- and d6-pawns are weak, Black's Bishops suck, and the threat of c4-c5 is always looming. In other words, Black's game is beyond repair.

14...a5

Desperation. By giving up this pawn Black can get his passive Knight to an active square.

15.Ra1 Na6 16.Rxa5 Nc5 17.Bg3 Bd8 18.Nxd8 Rxd8 19.Bf2 Rb8 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.Rb5!

A final bit of accuracy that avoids 21.Rxc5?? Rb2, trapping the White Knight.

21...Ra8 22.Nb3 Kf6 23.Nxc5 and White easily won the game.

I would like to congratulate Jim Mongiardo (1500). He was the only person who found the right answer (I want to apologize to Jim and the many others who I didn’t fit into this answer – I appreciate your efforts and I’ll do my best to put your names in lights the next time around)! For everyone who feels bad about not seeing the winning idea, don’t despair! The maneuver Bh2 & g2-g4 is very difficult to see. You can only find it if you are aware of White’s long term static advantages on the queenside, and if you understand that stopping your opponent’s play is enough to win a game if yours will continue unabated for the length of the game.