Isolani Strategy: Strengths and Weaknesses of the Isolated Queen’s Pawn

242 Pages·2012·8.07 MB·English

by  Oleg Stetsko

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Alexander Beliausky
Adrian Mikhalchishin
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Olel Stetsko
Russian CHESS House
MOSCOW
2012
Russian Chess House
107076, P.Box 6, Moscow, Russia
Isolani Strategy. Strengths and Weaknesses of the Isolated Queen's Pawn
Copyright 2012 © Russian Chess House
Text Copyright © Alexander Beliavsky, Adrian Mikhalchishin, Oleg Stetsko
The moral right of the author has been asserted
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored
in retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recodering or otherwise, without the prior written
permission of the copyright owner.
English translation: Ken Neat
Typeset by Andrey Elkov
e-mail: [email protected]@mail.ru
ISBN 978-5-946-93227-1
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Introduction
Anyone who fears an isolated pawn should not
play chess
Siegberl Tarrasch
Aaron Nimzowitsch, one of the and e5-squares, on which a knight
outstanding chess researchers, con can be established, supporting an at
sidered that the problem of the iso tack on the king, and the presence
lated pawn was one of the cardinal of the open e- and c-files assists the
problems of positional play. We are rapid activation of the rooks. From
talking about a central d4-pawn for the static point of view, the defects
White or a d5-pawn for Black, the of the isolated pawn are that it needs
isolation of which is characterised defending, especially when it is not
by the absence of the pawns of this supported by the bishop, and above
colour on the e-and c-files. all that it can be blockaded by a
From the dialectical point of piece, usually a knight, occupying
view, the specific nature of the iso an important outpost (in our case
lated pawn is the assessment of its this is d5), which is not easy to elim
inherent contradictions - strengths inate. The benefits of controlling this
and weaknesses, or in other words, outpost become especially apparent
dynamics and statics. In the open when the material is reduced, since
ing stage of the game this is an as the weakness of the squares e4 and
sessment of the advantage of the c4 is felt.
first move, although for the mod The first to begin studying the
em state of theory the creation of topic of the isolated pawn was the
dynamically balanced positions is first world champion Wilhelm Stei
more typical. nitz, who encountered this prob
From the dynamic point of view, lem in his match for the world title
the advantage of the isolated pawn, with Johann Zukertort. Here is this
let's say a pawn on d4, is that it is an historic 9th game of their match, in
outpost, controlling the central c5- which the method of playing against
4 Introduction
the isolated d4-pawn was convinc
ingly demonstrated.
ZUKERTORT - STEINITZ
New Orleans 1886
Queen's Gambit Accepted D26
l.d4 dS 2.c4 e6 3.LZ'lc3 LZ'lf6
4/1'\ f3 dxc4 S.e3 cS 6.i. xc4 cxd4
7.exd4 i.e7 S.O-O 0-0.
17 ••• LZ'lxc3! Today the positional
ideas of fighting against the isolated
d4-pawn are known to many play
ers, but when they were employed
by Steinitz they were a revelation.
After Black has securely defended
his kingside, he switches to an at
tack in the centre and creates a so
called isolated pawn pair d4-c3. The
d4-pawn is defended, but there is
now a new weakness - the c3-pawn,
A typical position with an iso which needs defending.
lated d4-pawn, characteristic of the lS.bxc3 'WIc7. One of the ele
Queen's Gambit Accepted. ments of modem technique is the
9:~e2 LZ'lbd7 10.i.b3 LZ'lb6 fixing of the isolated pawn pair,
1I •. ltf4. Nowadays the development which in the given position could
ofthe bishop at g5 is preferred. have been achieved by l8 ... b5!?,
1I ... LZ'lbdS 12 .. ltg3 ~aS 13. but Steinitz carries a different plan
~acl .ltd7 14.LZ'leS l:tfdS! lS:~f3 against the weaknesses. He aims to
.lteS! Note the manoeuvre l:1f8-d8 simplify the position, reckoning that
followed by playing the bishop to the hanging pawns (if White plays
e8 - this is an important positional c3-c4) will remain a target.
idea, which is still practised today. 19JIVd3 LZ'ldS! (nowadays a
Such a regrouping of the pieces is typical exchanging manoeuvre)
useful both for attack, and for de 20.i.xe7 ~xe7 21.i.xdS. White
fence. falls in with Black's plans, and com
16.l:tfel %lacS 17 .. lth4. mits a serious positional mistake.
Introduction 5
21 .. &.g3 would have retained rough A convincing win, wouldn't you
ly equal chances. agree? Johann Zukertort clearly
21. •. ~xd5 22.c4. White plays failed to cope with the problem of
too actively - the advance of the the isolated d4-pawn, which he de
c-pawn merely weakens his pawn liberately (we must emphasise this)
centre. went in for in the opening, hoping
22 •• J:Idd8 23.I:te3. This attack to benefit from his advantage in
on the securely defended king is not space, which was greatly valued in
realistic. White should have sup the romantic 19th century. It was no
ported his d4-pawn with 23 .I:ted I , accident that one of the faithful fol
intending ~ d3-b3 with the idea of lowers of Steinitz's teachings, Sieg
c4-c5 and lile5-c4-d6, or, in some bert Tarrasch, vigorously stood up
cases, d4-d5. for the isolated pawn: 'I think that
23 ... ~d6 24.:tdl. 24.t!h3 the player whose queen's pawn is
~xd4 25:~xh7+ WfS is not dan isolated has a clear advantage. The
gerous for Black. point is that this pawn may serve as
24 ••• f6 25.I1h3 h6 26.tLlg4 the starting-point for a very strong
~f4! Black has repelled White's attack.' Tarrasch's belief in the vir
attack and he now launches a coun tues of the isolated pawn was so
terattack, which gains in strength great, that he was also prepared to
because the rook at h3 coordinates have one with Black, by playing in
poorly with the remaining pieces. the Queen's Gambit l.d4 d5 2.c4 e6
27.11Je3 .ta4! The need to de 3.CiJc3 c5! (Tarrasch's evaluation),
fend the d4-pawn forces the white thereby agreeing to the isolation
rook to abandon the first rank. of his d5-pawn after 4.cxd5 exd5
28.1113 ~d6 29.l:Id2 .li.c6 5.CiJf3 followed by the exchange on
30.l:tg3. Nothing is given by d4. Nowadays the Tarrasch Defence
30.l:txf6 gxf6 31.~g6+ c;t>fS to the Queen's Gambit is regarded
32.~xf6+ \t>e8 33.0Jf5 exf5, but as a sound opening, where Black
30.d5 ~e5 31.I1g3 exd5 32.~g6 achieves a position of dynamic bal
came into consideration, although ance.
even here after 32 ... ~c7 Black has In modem practice the appear
the advantage. ance of an isolated pawn is the re
30 ••• fS 31JIg6 .te4 32.~b3 sult of an opening variation being
..tJh7 33.c5 l::txc5 34Jhe6 :c1+ chosen, in which the possessor of
3S.t1ldl ~f4 36JiUb21Ibl 37.~c3 the pawn hopes in return to exploit
Ilc8 38.l:he4 ~ xe4. White re his advantage in time or space. It is
lIigned. well known that the advantage of
6 Introduction
the first move affects the possibil obtained with isolated d4- and d5-
ity of exploiting the dynamic and pawns. In isolated pawn positions
static features of an isolated pawn with reduced material and stable in
when there are still a large number character, the strategy of the play, ir
of pieces on the board. Therefore we respective of the colour, has its gen
think it is logical to consider sepa eral rules, both in the middlegame,
rately positions from the opening and in the endgame.
PART!
THE ISOLATED D4-PAWN
The study of modern chess takes Queen's Gambit, Orthodox
Rccount of the interconnection of the Defence
opening with the middlegame, since I.d4 dS 2.c4e6 3.ctJc3 ctJf64.i.gS
the pawn structure arising after the i.e7 S.ctJf3 0-0 6.e3 ctJbd7 7.i.d3
opening largely determines the dxc4 8.i.xc4 cS 9.0-0 cxd4 lO.exd4.
further development of the game.
As regards our theme, Tarrasch re
marked: 'If for an isolated pawn one
can obtain an advantage in time or
position, such an operation is advan
tageous and becomes an important
Icature for the creation of an attack.
But if the opponent has a lead in de
velopment, the isolating of the pawn
iii unfavourable.'
Modern opening theory includes
II quite extensive range of openings,
where White goes in for an isolated Queen's Gambit, Capablanca
d4-pawn, with the hope of exploit Variation
ing its dynamic features. Here are a I.d4 dS 2.c4 e6 3.ctJc3 lfJf6
number of typical positions, arising 4.i.gS i.e7 S.ctJf3 0-0 6.e3 ctJbd7
in the popular openings. 7.l:tcl c6 8.i.d3 dxc4 9.i.xc4
ll'ldS 1O.i.xe7 'ilxe7 11.0-0 ctJxc3
12.l:txc3 eS 13.~c2 exd4 14.exd4.
8 Part I
Queen's Gambit, Tarrasch De Queen's Gambit Accepted
fence Deferred l.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.01c3 e5 4.e3
I.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.cik3 0'Jf6 exd4 5.exd4liJf6 6 .. I1l.xc4.
4.LL\f3 c5 5.cxd5 liJxd5 6.e3 Ciic6
7 .. liL.d3 cxd4 8.exd4.
Nimzo-Indian Defence
I.d4 Cilf6 2.c4 e6 3.01c3 .~.b4
Queen's Gambit Accepted 4.e3 0-0 5 .. I1I.d3 d5 6.01f3 c5 7.
I.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Ciif3 lilf6 0-0 01c6 8.a3 cxd4 9.exd4 dxc4
4.e3 e6 5 .. ~xc4 c5 6.0-001c6 7.W!ie2 10 .. I1l.xc4.fl.e7.
cxd4 8.I!dl .1i.e7 9.exd4.