moving pawns forward to the 5th rank if possible(as white)
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I was wondering what would be the best action to do if you already have a pawn duo on the e and d file but have a chance to push one forward. I think this is beneficial because it is keeping one of the opponent’s knights from coming to the center and also prevents other pieces coming to the center also. So my question is if I have a pawn on e4 alongside a pawn on d4 and had the chance to move the e4 pawn to e5 instead of developing should I move the pawn?
And same applies for black but opposite
Jan 4, 2021
0
#3
Pawns are strongest when abreast. Also, Pawns get weaker and harder to defend as they advance. If you have a Pawn duo on the fourth rank, try to maintain it there.
Almost the only case in which I would run forward aggressively with my center Pawn duo is when I have a chance to catch the opposing army asleep and push them all the way down to the sixth rank. But that's a corner case.
Normally, Pawns at e4 and d4 will be stronger and more influential than Pawns on e4 and d5 or on d4 and e5... simply because the more advanced Pawns are harder to maintain.
Yes there are many strategies that have you advance the pawn to the 5th rank.
@blueemu Thanks for taking the time for explaining what would be best and why!
Jan 4, 2021
0
#6
Here's a counter-example; a situation where running forward with the Pawns (instead of holding the duo on the fourth rank) looks like the correct option:
Its generally more important to develop your minor pieces before you push a pawn to the fifth rank. However, when your pawn push forces black to move back his active piece to a non-active square your pawn move hurts blacks activity, shown in blueemu's example. There's also the advanced french and advanced caro-kann line which involves pushing pawn to e5.
You should push with a purpose, otherwise you should wait with pushing to the fifth rank.
Ok, I’ll definitely know when to push my pawns, thanks. Also a question that is totally off topic that is related to the game blueemu posted. When the white’s bishop was moved to b5 threatening the knight, couldn’t the bishop take the knight on c6 which is then captured by a black pawn and then whites next turn can be to grab the hanging black pawn on e5? Am I missing something or does white want to keep the strategical advantage of the light squared bishop instead of being up a pawn?
Jan 4, 2021
0
#9
I-want-to-be-good wrote:
... couldn’t the bishop take the knight on c6 which is then captured by a black pawn and then whites next turn can be to grab the hanging black pawn on e5? Am I missing something or does white want to keep the strategical advantage of the light squared bishop instead of being up a pawn?
Similarly, Black gains no advantage from snatching White's e-Pawn:
Pushing e5 weakens these two squares
Pushing d5 weakened these two squares.
Pawns on e4 and d4 controls four central squares.
Thanks @blueemu for the in depth explanation. I’ll try to think ahead when I see other cases like this.