CHAPTER 8:
QUEENING A PAWN PART 2
From this position we'll look at three possible moves for Black.
Variation 1
Variation 3
It's White's move. He starts off with 1. g5-g6! Now if Black plays 1... f7xg6, 2. h5-h6 forces a pawn through and if Black plays 1... h7xg6, 2. f5-f6 again forces a pawn through. Every Russian schoolboy (and girl) knows this one - make sure you know it too!
You may well be wondering, "Why bother to look at positions like this. They don't happen very often."
Firstly, they do happen sometimes, and if they happen in your games you need to know how to play them. Getting these endings right will often make the difference between a win and a draw, or a draw and a loss.
Secondly, knowing about these endings can often come in useful in deciding how you play the middle game, or sometimes even the opening. Suppose you win a pawn early in the game. Then the easiest way for you to win will often be to exchange off all the pieces to reach a King and Pawn ending. Likewise, if you lose a pawn early on, you will probably do best to avoid piece exchanges whenever you can. You will also have seen that the more pawns you have to start with, the easier it is to win.
So we have two very useful pieces of advice for you. DON'T FORGET THEM.
1. If you're ahead on material EXCHANGE PIECES BUT NOT PAWNS.
2. If you're behind on material EXCHANGE PAWNS BUT NOT PIECES.
We mentioned the opening just now. Yes, you can even start thinking about the ending in the opening. Just one example: a variation of the Ruy Lopez.
1. e2-e4 e7-e5
2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6
3. Bf1-b5 a7-a6
4. Bb5xc6 d7xc6
The Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez, which we looked at in the last chapter. This time, a different 5th move for White.
5. d2-d4 e5xd4
6. Qd1xd4 Qd8xd4
7. Nf3xd4 (Diagram 123)
If we take everything off the board except the Kings and Pawns we get Diagram 124
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ACTIVITIES