How do you attack a fianchetto?

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Avatar of Luigi4011

I have been playing a lot of games when my opponent will create a kingside fianchetto in lets say the Sicilian Dragon variation; any way I have been wondering what the safest technique is for attacking or disabling a kingside fianchetto.

Here is one of the positions I am talking about.

Avatar of KetoOn1963

Well in that position, I dont think its the way to go.  White has the advantage in space due to his center pawn being farther advanced.  White has the advantage in development, and piece activity.  Great advantages to have but they are all dynamic advantages.  Which means they are temporary.  So your idea on attacking the king side wont work.  It allows black time to catch up in development, gain space in the center.

Black has the semi open c-file for his rooks.  So i would look at something like: 1.Nc6 and if 1...bc6 the file is now closed.  And if 1...dc6 2.Qd8 Rd8 3.Rfd1

But...back to your idea.  1.f3 You need to stop any 1...Ne4 shenanigans, but allows black time to catch up. 1...d6 2.Qd2 Ne5 3.Bb3 Bd7  So you have spent time playing f3, and Bb3 with black gaining 2 tempi.  If you look at the position now blacks position is fine.   Black can now play something like ...Rc8, and start a queen side pawn minority attack with a6-b5-etc.

Avatar of Luigi4011

f3 is a good idea, but do you think f4 ....  e5 is a good way to stop the bishops scope and deny all the future knight attacks on e4?  

Avatar of KetoOn1963

If you want to try 1.f4 How are you going to handle 1...Ne4? 

Something i think we forget at times is that chess is a game with 2 people.  You have a game plan, and so do they :-)  I bring this up due to your comment: "f3 is a good idea, but do you think f4 .... e5"  You dont get to just play f4-e5 :-)

Avatar of rukja
KetoOn1963 wrote:

If you want to try 1f4 How are you going to handle 1...Ne4?

Ne4 doesn't immediately work.

Avatar of Luigi4011

I was thinking Nxe4

Avatar of KetoOn1963
Luigi4011 wrote:

I was thinking Nxe4

This is why you need to set this up on a real board and pieces and play it through.  Chess is all about understanding the "why"

Avatar of santiagomagno15

usually in the sicilian with the white pieces you try to lunch all the pawns on the kingside to try to open that thing, that is why many times you long castle 

Avatar of Luigi4011

Thank you.  I will have to try that pawn storm idea.

Avatar of Lc0_1

start pushing your pawns like crazy

Avatar of SpiderFinn
That’s the best
Avatar of Optimissed

f4 and f5.

Avatar of Optimissed

After 1. Nxc6, if ...bc, black is immediately threatening Nxe4, and if e5 then I think Ne8 and black is fine but the simple Bb3 and black's central pawns probably get weak, so I would recapture ...dc and after the sequence Q x d8 Rxd8 Rd1, if black just plays Rxd1 then it's difficult to keep the R out of d8, so black has to play something like Bd7. But then black could be threatening a pawn push on the q-side supported by the g7 bishop so I'd be wary of Nxc6 and prefer to attack on the kingside, with f4 and f5 or f4, e5 and f5.