<p>Pawns may be the lowest units on the chess board but when they advance into the enemy territory they are like a thorn in the flesh and quite dangerous. These pawns then assist any piece which infiltrates into the enemy territory and also threaten to touch the eighth rank and get promotion.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White manages to advance one of his pawns onto the sixth rank as early as the 19th move. Thereafter this pawn is a constant source of irritation for Black as it aids other pieces with fresh threats.<br /><br />White: Lubomir Ftacnik (2535)– Black: Heikki Westerinen(2410)<br />Esbjerg , 1982, Ukranian Variation<br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 <br /><br />The Ukranian variation which is not one of the very popular defences<br />3.Nf3 Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.g3 c6 6.e4 <br />If 6.Bg2 e4 7.Ng5 d5 <br />6...a6<br /><br />Black could have developed with 6...Be7 <br />7.Bg2 b5. Black is intent on Queen side play <br />8.0–0 . If 8.a3 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 And if 8.c5 Bb7<br />8...Bb7. Black cannot push his pawn as 8...b4 9.Na4 Nxe4 10.dxe5 give a better game for White. If 10.Nxe5 or 10.Re1 work well for White<br />9.Re1 b4. Not the right move! Black is lagging in development and should have brought out his bishop from the King side into play with9...Be7<br />10.Na4 c5. Still intent on the queen side!. If 10...Be7 11.c5 0–0 (11...dxc5 12.dxe5 Ng4 13.Bf4) 12.cxd6 Bxd6 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Nc5<br />11.d5. White decides to block the centre<br />11...g6. He has to make way for the Black bishop to get into play!<br />12.Nd2 Bh6. If 12...Bg7 13.f4 is slightly better for White <br />13.f4. White now wants to focus on the King side<br />13. ..0–0. If 13...exf4 14.Nf3 g5 15.e5± is better for White <br />14.Nf3 exf4. Once again not quite the right move!. If 14...Re8 15.Qd3 (15.fxe5 Bxc1 16.Rxc1 (16.exf6 Bh6) 16...Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Rxe5) 15...Nh5 16.f5 Bxc1 17.Raxc1 <br />15.Bxf4 Bxf4 16.gxf4 Nh5 <br />If 16...Re8 17.e5 (17.Qd3 Nh5 And if 17.Nd2 Nh5 18.Qf3 Qf6) 17...dxe5 18.fxe5 Ng4 19.e6 fxe6 20.h3<br />17.Qd2 Qf6 18.e5 Qf5 <br />If 18...Qxf4 19.Qxf4 Nxf4 20.exd6 Rfe8 21.Re7 with White having advantage <br />Diagram 1<br />19.exd6. Advanced pawns are always dangerous!<br />19. ..Nxf4 20.Re7. Invading seventh rank<br />20. ..Nxg2 21.Qxg2 Rad8 22.Qg3 Bc8 23.Rf1. White is threatening Ng5 <br />23...Qf6 24.b3. A formidable pawn wall<br />24. ..Qg7 25.Qf4 h6 26.Ne5<br />Here White can also consider 26.Qe3<br />26...g5. If 26...Nxe5 27.Qxe5 Qxe5 28.Rxe5 Rxd6 29.Nxc5<br />27.Qf5 Nxe5 28.Qxe5 <br />Inviting the exchange of queens<br />28. ..Qg6. Declining the offer! . If 28...Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxd6 30.Nxc5 is better for White <br />29.Nxc5. This pawn was always vulnerable and Black loses it <br />29...Bh3. If 29...Rxd6 30.Ne4 and Black will have a fresh set of problems<br />30.Re1. Tripling forces on the crucial centre file!<br />30. ..Qc2. Invading the seventh rank to set up one move checkmate but White has things under control<br />31.Qg3 Bf5 32.d7. Everything appears to be winning for White now!<br />32. .. Qxa2 33.Qf2 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Kg7 <br />If 34...a5 35.R1e5 Bg4 36.Kg3<br />35.Ne6+ Bxe6 36.R1xe6 a5 37.Ra6 Rb8 38.c5 and Black resigned.<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qxf6 gxf6 2.Rxg8+ <br />If 2.Bxg8 Qxg8 3.Rxg8+ Kxg8 4.a7 <br />2...Qxg8 3.Bxg8 Nxa6 4.Bxh7 and White wins.<br /></p>
<p>Pawns may be the lowest units on the chess board but when they advance into the enemy territory they are like a thorn in the flesh and quite dangerous. These pawns then assist any piece which infiltrates into the enemy territory and also threaten to touch the eighth rank and get promotion.<br /><br />In the game which follows, White manages to advance one of his pawns onto the sixth rank as early as the 19th move. Thereafter this pawn is a constant source of irritation for Black as it aids other pieces with fresh threats.<br /><br />White: Lubomir Ftacnik (2535)– Black: Heikki Westerinen(2410)<br />Esbjerg , 1982, Ukranian Variation<br />1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 <br /><br />The Ukranian variation which is not one of the very popular defences<br />3.Nf3 Nbd7 4.Nc3 e5 5.g3 c6 6.e4 <br />If 6.Bg2 e4 7.Ng5 d5 <br />6...a6<br /><br />Black could have developed with 6...Be7 <br />7.Bg2 b5. Black is intent on Queen side play <br />8.0–0 . If 8.a3 Be7 9.0–0 0–0 And if 8.c5 Bb7<br />8...Bb7. Black cannot push his pawn as 8...b4 9.Na4 Nxe4 10.dxe5 give a better game for White. If 10.Nxe5 or 10.Re1 work well for White<br />9.Re1 b4. Not the right move! Black is lagging in development and should have brought out his bishop from the King side into play with9...Be7<br />10.Na4 c5. Still intent on the queen side!. If 10...Be7 11.c5 0–0 (11...dxc5 12.dxe5 Ng4 13.Bf4) 12.cxd6 Bxd6 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.Nc5<br />11.d5. White decides to block the centre<br />11...g6. He has to make way for the Black bishop to get into play!<br />12.Nd2 Bh6. If 12...Bg7 13.f4 is slightly better for White <br />13.f4. White now wants to focus on the King side<br />13. ..0–0. If 13...exf4 14.Nf3 g5 15.e5± is better for White <br />14.Nf3 exf4. Once again not quite the right move!. If 14...Re8 15.Qd3 (15.fxe5 Bxc1 16.Rxc1 (16.exf6 Bh6) 16...Nxe5 17.Nxe5 Rxe5) 15...Nh5 16.f5 Bxc1 17.Raxc1 <br />15.Bxf4 Bxf4 16.gxf4 Nh5 <br />If 16...Re8 17.e5 (17.Qd3 Nh5 And if 17.Nd2 Nh5 18.Qf3 Qf6) 17...dxe5 18.fxe5 Ng4 19.e6 fxe6 20.h3<br />17.Qd2 Qf6 18.e5 Qf5 <br />If 18...Qxf4 19.Qxf4 Nxf4 20.exd6 Rfe8 21.Re7 with White having advantage <br />Diagram 1<br />19.exd6. Advanced pawns are always dangerous!<br />19. ..Nxf4 20.Re7. Invading seventh rank<br />20. ..Nxg2 21.Qxg2 Rad8 22.Qg3 Bc8 23.Rf1. White is threatening Ng5 <br />23...Qf6 24.b3. A formidable pawn wall<br />24. ..Qg7 25.Qf4 h6 26.Ne5<br />Here White can also consider 26.Qe3<br />26...g5. If 26...Nxe5 27.Qxe5 Qxe5 28.Rxe5 Rxd6 29.Nxc5<br />27.Qf5 Nxe5 28.Qxe5 <br />Inviting the exchange of queens<br />28. ..Qg6. Declining the offer! . If 28...Qxe5 29.Rxe5 Rxd6 30.Nxc5 is better for White <br />29.Nxc5. This pawn was always vulnerable and Black loses it <br />29...Bh3. If 29...Rxd6 30.Ne4 and Black will have a fresh set of problems<br />30.Re1. Tripling forces on the crucial centre file!<br />30. ..Qc2. Invading the seventh rank to set up one move checkmate but White has things under control<br />31.Qg3 Bf5 32.d7. Everything appears to be winning for White now!<br />32. .. Qxa2 33.Qf2 Qxf2+ 34.Kxf2 Kg7 <br />If 34...a5 35.R1e5 Bg4 36.Kg3<br />35.Ne6+ Bxe6 36.R1xe6 a5 37.Ra6 Rb8 38.c5 and Black resigned.<br />Diagram 2<br />White to play and win<br />1.Qxf6 gxf6 2.Rxg8+ <br />If 2.Bxg8 Qxg8 3.Rxg8+ Kxg8 4.a7 <br />2...Qxg8 3.Bxg8 Nxa6 4.Bxh7 and White wins.<br /></p>
