Advancing the h-pawn against a fianchettoed kingside where Black is castled is a standard attack, especially in the Dragon Sicilian and Pirc Defense. When the h-pawn gets to h5, suddenly Black has the unpleasant choice of either messing up his pawn structure and exposing his king with ...gxh5, or allowing White to erode his 3 protecting pawns down to 2 protecting pawns after hxg6.
that is great about engines. they are objective and open to any moves.
black has played so passively that white can easily play h4-h5 and open up the positon. having said that, Komodo 9 suggests 6.c5 as his first choice in depth 25 to me and 6.h4 is his second choice.
If Black tries to delay castling, h4-h5-h6 leaves the B/g7 without anywhere convenient to go.
Black's pieces are way too passive imo for h6 to ever be a target, and if the Bishop goes to f6, e5 will probably trap it...
"or whyhe is delaying castling"
FireBrandX mentionned White's hxg6 and mate down the h-file plan should Black castle quickly. A natural question would then be "What happens if Black refuses to oblige". Then, like I said, in addition to having serious problems completing development, Black must worry about his B/g7 being harrassed.
" h4 d6 h5 e5 h6 bf6...black seems ok"
" Should Black still refuse, e.g. with 7...Na6?, 8 h5! is very strong for White, for the aforementioned reasons [h5-h6]." - The annotation to the diagram above which you evidently didn't read.
Wouldn't this be easier to explain as a sort of minority attack to exploit the f7-g6-h7 pawn structure?
By definition a minority attack involves a pawn minority generating play against a pawn majority. Meaning, due to the lack of one pawn on that side of the board, the attacking side possesses an open file to complement the pawn pushes. White's 6 h4 here is more of an attempt to either create an open file for the Rook on h1, or gain space, cramp Black, and make his DSB uncomfortable.
black actually could start playing very logically
IMO, it's a bit late for that. Please elaborate.
I understand it is not a minority attack; however, it seems easier to explain that way. The terms are tools for communicating otherwise hard to explain ideas. While black can play h5, provoking h5 or h6 was one reason for h4, wasn't it? The OP might benefit from at least understanding this theme of breaking a pawn chain/structure by attacking the pawn in front.
Yes, I agree with you, but surely there are better terms to describe it with than "minority attack".
Step 1: Learning what pawn weaknesses are
Step 2: Identifying pawn weaknesses
Step 3: Creating pawn weaknesses in your opponent's position
Step 4: Threatening to create pawn weaknesses in your opponent's position
well like my first post the h4 is mostly really a waiting move imo.
That is simply not correct
Why play h6? Keep it flexible and try for hxg6 at the right moment...
Why play h6? Because if the Bishop is forced back to f8, the f6 square is very weak, and we can exploit it with e5/Ne4. Otherwise, the Bishop is likely to be trapped should it go to f6. Of course, should Black elect to castle short at some point within the next few moves, I plan on abandoning all that, opening the h-file, and playing for mate :)
Have you noticed that, of the many people to post an explanation of 6 h4, you are the only one who feels it is a waiting move, as opposed to an agressive attempt to punish Black's lacklustre opening play?
That 1200 is right. Violating opening principles for a waiting move shouldn't be the function.
Ha 1200
Why play h6? Because if the Bishop is forced back to f8, the f6 square is very weak, and we can exploit it with e5/Ne4. Otherwise, the Bishop is likely to be trapped should it go to f6. Of course, should Black elect to castle short at some point within the next few moves, I plan on abandoning all that, opening the h-file, and playing for mate :)
This is all theoretical. What I am trying to say is that we can't commit to h6; it may be good sometimes, it may not.
Have you noticed that, of the many people to post an explanation of 6 h4, you are the only one who feels it is a waiting move, as opposed to an agressive attempt to punish Black's lacklustre opening play?
it would look more aggressive if the file could actually be opened. but it cannot.
h4-h5-hxg6. Goal achieved.
strong players could you please help expalin :1. e4 e6 2. d4 c6 3. c4 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. Nf3 Ne7 6. h4
why engine in suggesting h4 on move 6?