Pawns Adventures: How Should I Counter This?

Hi, chess improvers! 

Here's position from a game played by two famous World champions. Black on the move.

The pawn play is our primary area of interest here, as is the case in every episode of Pawns Adventures. That is to say — strategy. Pawn play is strategy by default. There is no strategy, nor plans in chess without my fellow pawns.

What can we say about the pawn structure as it dictates the game plans for both players?

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White's plan is pretty much straightforward given the positioning of the infantry. Here's a very illuminating and instructive commentary by Black explaining in detail the flow of his thoughts in deciding on the next. You are going to see how the entire strategic course of the game from this position on rests on the pawn play considerations.

Here's the World champion X,

"White's plan is obvious: harmonious development of his pieces, placing the Bishop on d3, the Knight on e2, and then after the suitable preparation (in which the white Knight participates, transferring to g3, and even the queen Rook, which goes along the second rank to the e-file) advancing e4.

"As a rule, if White succeeds in carrying out his plan and, while he is doing this, his opponent is not able to create sufficient counterplay, the struggle ends in a direct assault on the black King. How many games have been decided like this! 

"How can Black counter this?"

Vladimír Brádler, Revelation

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 Yes, how can Black combat White's design for the battle ahead? In fact, the question is millennia-old one. The Chinese war commander and strategist Sun Tzu advised some twenty-five centuries ago that "the best strategy is to fight the enemy's strategy!"

This is one of habits of mind that we need to adopt from the very beginnings in chess. There should be no plan being formulated without having considered your opponent's intentions. This should become your intuitive response at every turn. An important item in your thinking tool-box that is populated with other habits and concepts that direct your attention, give orientation and help reach decisions during chess battles. Not only in sharp tactical encounters, but also in tranquil strategy-rich positions like this one. As we can see, there is still no contact between the two warring armies; there is no single direct piece, or pawn attack directed against either side.

Give the position a thought and try to find the right plan for Black.

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