Understanding before Moving 47: The target on h6

by ChessBase
10/3/2021 – Herman Grooten is an International Master, a renowned trainer and the author of several highly acclaimed books about chess training and chess strategy. In the 47th instalment of his ChessBase show "Understanding before Moving", Herman shows how to use "the target on h6". | Photo: Tommy Grooten
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Almost all chess players love to attack. But how to get a successful attack? Which structures promise a successful attack? The most familiar is perhaps the target on h6, which arises when a player castled kingside and played ...h7-h6.

That pawn on h6 can work like a red rag on a bull and with such a target White can try to open files against the black king with g2-g4-g5. This, of course, needs to be prepared. Bring the pieces in position to prepare the pawn-push and tactics will appear naturally when the files are opened.

The diagram position comes from a game Short - Ljubojevic, Amsterdam 1988, in which the British Grandmaster has prepared everything for the typical attack against h6. Not all the files are open yet, but the vulnerable black kingside position seems ripe for demolition.

Do you see how White started an irresistible attack against the black king?

 
N. Short - L. Ljubojevic, Amsterdam 1988

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