Key Concepts of Chess - Pawn Structures Vol.1 and 2
In this two-part course the emphasis will be on typical pawn-structures.
First of all, a happy new year to you all!
We continue our series on the Sicilian, which is an opening that often leads a typical structure known as the "hedgehog". In hedgehog structures Black - or, less often, White - puts at least four pawns on the third (or sixth) rank to keep enemy pieces away. Exactly what a hedgehog does when it is in danger: it rolls up, causing its spikes to come out and makes very difficult to approach.
The diagram position is from a famous game Fischer-Andersson, 1970. The black player is Ulf Andersson from Sweden, who was still an IM at that time but who would later emerge as a strong grandmaster. For a long time he was a top 20 player.
In this game Bobby Fischer confronted him with a kind of "hedgehog system", a style of play that Andersson would later also adopt in his own games with great success.
In this position Fischer found a highly remarkable strategic plan. Many years later that plan is a staple of black players who like to play hedgehog systems. What is now commonplace was once devised by a genius mind!
But are you familiar with the plan? If not, would you like to take a stab at devising the plan that Fischer came up with?
Master Class Vol. 12: Viswanathan Anand
This DVD allows you to learn from the example of one of the best players in the history of chess and from the explanations of the authors how to successfully organise your games strategically, and how to keep your opponent permanently under pressure.
This week’s show (for Premium Members only)
