Chessplayer
Isolated central pawn BY IM GEORGI ORLOV
Georgi Orlov is International Master Rated 2500+ USCF.We will concentrate on Queen's isolated pawn, such as d4 (d5), because positions with those pawns happen more often than others. Other isolated pawns mostly considered as weaknesses and rarely bring any benefits to the side that has them.
Positions where one side has an isolated pawn are very popular and arise from various openings. To name a few: French, Caro-Cann, Queen's Gambit, Nimzo-Indian, Petroff’s Defense, etc.
There are positive and negative factors that come with having an isolated pawn. Among positive things are: a good piece play, lots of space and possible attacking chances. Negatives are also well known: long-term weakness, opponent can comfortably control a square before that pawn (blockade) and may and will try to get control of other squares around the pawn. In the ending the side that plays against an isolated pawn has better chances (assuming material equality), because with fewer pieces it is harder to defend the pawn, as well as it's harder to create attacking chances for the side that has an isolated pawn.
Among the players who had done a great deal of theoretical work on the subject of isolated central pawn were great players of the past Aaron Nimzowitch, Mikhail Botvinnik, Zigbert Tarrasch. Nimzowitch's work on a blockade must be studied by anyone who wants to improve his play against an isolated pawn and become a better player in general.
As was mentioned above, one of the most effective strategies in playing against an isolated pawn is to trade as many pieces as possible. The goal is to win the pawn in the ending. It is also important to establish a blockade on the square right before the pawn.
In the following game Armenian GM Vaganian, brilliantly outplayed one of the great players of this century, GM David Bronstein.
GM R.Vaganian - GM D.Bronstein,
1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.Ngf3 Nc6 5.exd5 exd5 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.Nb3 Qe7+?!
It's hard to call move like this a mistake, but it is. Normal 8...Bd6 9.0-0 Nge7 would lead to the position which V.Korchnoi successfully defended against A.Karpov in their matches in late 70s. The text gives the initiative to White.
9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2
Let's take a look at the position here. As a result of the opening Black has the isolated d5-pawn, which in this case is a clear liability. Black attacking chances are slim and he now must carefully defend the ending. White's plan has been described above - trade! Also important part is to maintain the blockade on d4.
10...Bd6
A good move. This Bishop is a very important piece for Black because it defends dark squares around an isolated pawn (c5, e5) as well as it can attack d4- an important blockading square. In case of 10...Bb6 White would play 11.Be3 and if then 11...Bc7 White would have an easy access to c5. Other way 11...Bxe3 12.Kxe3 would give White a domination over dark squares (d4, e5, c5).
11.Bg5!
A typical maneuver. The Bishop goes to g3, chasing his Black colleague.
11...f6 12.Bh4 Nge7
I think that instead 12...Bg4 deserved serious attention, with an idea to castle long and try to attack White's King.
13.Bg3 Bxg3
This opens h-file for White's Rook. Better was 13...Nf5 14.Bxd6 Nxd6 15.Bxc6+ bxc6, where White would still have some edge but Black would have a defensible position.
14.hxg3 Bg4 15.Kd2 Kf7?!
Black gives away the d4-square without a fight. He should play 15...Bxf3 as his Bishop has no great perspective anyway.
16.Nfd4 Ne5 17.f3 Bc8?
Way too passive, instead 17...Bd7 was better. After 18.Bxd7 Nxd7 19.Rae1 White would have a small edge.
18.Rae1 h6 19.Nc5!
White grabbed some space on the Queenside. Black can, of course, push his opponent back with a- and b- pawns but this is exactly what White wants. The so-called "rule of two weaknesses" comes into play here. It is possible for Black to defend just one weakness, his d5-pawn, but if he had some other weak pawn, the task would be much harder.
19...a6 20.Bd3 b6 21.Na4 Rb8
If 21...Nxd3 22.cxd3 b5 (or 22...Rb8 23.Rxe7+! Kxe7 24.Nc6+), then 23.Nb6 Rb8? 24.Rxe7+ Kxe7 25.Nc6+ winning.
22.b3 Nxd3
It's hard for Black to defend here. The text allows White to dominate the e-file. Also Black won't be able to challenge the Knight on d4. Better was 22...Rd8 with 23...Rd6 to follow.
23.Kxd3
23...Bd7 24.Nc3 Rhd8 25.Rh5!
White started a direct assault on d5. As GM Bent Larsen once said something like this : " It is not so bad when your opponent blocks your isolated pawn, it is much worse if he tries to take it away!"
25...Be8 26.Kd2 Rbc8 27.Re6 Nc6 28.Nce2 Bd7!?
Setting up a trap. If 29.Rd6 then 29...Ke7 30.Rhxd5 Nb4!
29.Re3 Ne5 30.Rh1
First attack was neutralized, but the large plus of position like this is that White can try many different ways.
30...Rc7 31.Nf4 Bc8 32.g4 Re7 33.Rhe1
Both sides regrouped their pieces and, but Black has even more problems than before. Squares c6, e6, f5 are weak, so is d5-pawn, plus now threat of 34.Nd3 is very unpleasant. Clearly Black should fall one way or the other.
33...g6 34.a4 Bb7 35.a5!
Now Black's pawn structure on the Queenside becomes a second weakness and Black goes down the hill.
35...bxa5 36.Ra1 Rc8 37.Rxa5 Rec7 38.Nfe6! Re7 39.Nc5 Rce8
Setting a trap ...Nc4+. White avoids that easily.
40.Rc3 Bc8 41.Nxa6
White won the pawn and keeps all the pluses he had before. Bronstein makes a desperate attempt.
41...h5
42.Nc7 Rg8
Black hopes for some counterplay along g-file but it's too late.
43.Ra8! hxg4 44.f4 Nf3+ 45.gxf3 g3
Perhaps, Black hoped that his well-advanced g-pawn can complicate things a bit.
White has no problem stopping it.
46.Ra1! Rh8 47.Rg1 Rh2 48.Kd3 Rf2 49.Rxg3 Rf1
Black sets his final trap, the checkmate on d1.
50.Kd2 Ree1 51.Re3 1-0.