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Giving up a pawn ?

Giving up a pawn ?

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CM thechesscorner64
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This entry is about the value of a pawn. In a game, a pawn advantage doesn't necessarily mean much. Sure, in a king's ending, or with an advanced pawn in a queen ending, a pawn up could be enough to win

But if pieces are on the board and the position in unbalanced or unclear, sometimes giving up a pawn is worth it.

I'd go as far as say in blitz, if you get active play for a pawn, it's very hard for your opponent to defend so I'd rather give up the pawn and get pressure than defending a pawn up.

I have done this as early as move 2. 

Example 1: 

The point here with Black to get pieces out faster than my opponent, giving up a pawn.
Lets see how game continues
As you can see, I chose 0-0-0 with Black and I finished my development early. Clearly its about piece activity and attacking chances on each wing. A pawn deficit is not relevant at all./
My opponent plays carelessly and the game finishes like this :
Even if white didn't blunder a piece, I was getting easier play with h6-g5 or as in the game the g file. All this for giving up a pawn.
Example 2 with White:
Here I am white against the french defense, and the pawn sacrifice is part of this opening theory.


I simply castle with white giving up the pawn on d4 and finishing my development. Compensation is essentially faster development combined with attacking chances on the kingside.

Lets' see how the game from theory into early middle game

As in my notes accompanying the moves, my plan was to attack on the kingside with using h2-h4!? and my bishops. my opening knowledge in terms of moves I memorized stops at move 10 but giving up a pawn forces white to play actively and Black capturing the pawn cost him several tempi.

Now that I put pressure on the kingside, it is time for decisive action and here's the finish

My opponent never got a chance to play with the extra pawn. He was under pressure early on. Of course a chess engine may evaluate the position around move 10 as favorable with Black, but in practice not so simple to play with Black.

Example 3: Giving up a pawn on move 3 with White against the sicilian

Here the standard theory is 3d4 cd4 4Nd4

But I played 3b4!? giving up a pawn. I think this tends to surprise Black,  as sicilian players are prepared against 2 d4 and 3c3 (the Morra or Morra-Smith Gambit) 

My opponent takes the pawn. 

Now White can play 4d4. But since the pawn on c5 was deflected, Black cannot really fight for the center. So White gets a strong center d4 and soon e5 combined with quick development.

Sounds familiar ? as against the french, I am ready to attack with the white pieces. 

I have castled and my queen is already heading to the kingside. This is clearly an unbalanced position with chances for both sides.

Black should be able to defend, but this requires great attention. This is a blitz game and the fast pace favors White. Here's the rest of the games

Hope this will inspire you to sacrifice a pawn early on, play gambits and score full points in your own games !