Lecture by UMBC Chess Coach Igor Epshteyn
Hanging pawns are two pawns on adjacent files, separated by open or half-open files. In Lesson 5 of Master Preparation I, Master Epshteyn explained how to play with such pawns. Now, we will discuss how to play against hanging pawns.
There are four main advantages of hanging pawns: First, they help gain a space advantage by controlling central squares. This control especially diminishes the value of rival knights. Second, hanging pawns create dynamic opportunities for a central pawn advance (when the hanging pawns are on files c and d, typically it is the d pawn that will be advanced). Such an advance can create a dangerous passed pawn and squeeze additional space. In addition, such an advance can open diagonals for bishops in ambush. Third, hanging pawns create outposts for knights and rooks for attack. Fourth, the adjacent half-open files (e.g. b and d) supply quick transportation for the rooks on both flanks. To play against hanging pawns it is important to diminish and counter these advantages.
The main disadvantage of hanging pawns is that they can be hard to defend, especially in the ending. This disadvantage suggests several strategies: First, simplify the position and exchange down to an ending. Second, provoke a premature advance of one pawn, and then block the pawns. One way to provoke such an advance is to attack the pawns as many times as possible, from all possible directions. A third strategy is to destroy the side-by-side pawns by advancing pawns on the adjacent files.
An important feature of hanging pawns is that there often are opportunities to transform the hanging pawns into an advanced isolated pawn. Both sides must carefully evaluate the consequences of such transformations.
Game 1 is a recent encounter between two top world-class players (Gelfand and Adams) that illustrates typical opportunities for both sides in middle game positions with hanging pawns. The moves starting from Position 1 provide a highly instructive example of playing against hanging pawns, combining direct attack on the pawns with kingside attack. In Position 1, the hanging pawns occupy files e and f and arose from the King's Indian Defense.
1. ... b6
2. Bh5 Re7
3. Bd1 Qd6
4. Bc2 Ref7
5. Kh1 Ra8
6. Re2 Qf8
7. Ref2 Nb7
8. Qe2 Nd6
9. c5 bxc5
10. Bxc5 Rb8
11. b3 Qc8
12. Qh5 Qa6
13. g4 f4
14. Re1 Qc8
15. Bxd6 cxd6
16. Bg6 Rf8
17. Ne4 f3
18. g5 Rf4
19. Rg1 Bf5
20. gxh6 Bxe4
21. Bxe4
1-0
Questions:
Questions: