In 'The Middlegame' by Euwe and Kramar, in one part, they focus on queenside attack, with some great games to illustrate. These books will also improve your middlegame on other areas. Here is a review:
http://blog.chess.com/SimonSeirup/review-the-middlegame-book-one---static-features-by-m-euwe-and-h-kramar
Queen-side attacks - Focus?
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Jan 15, 2011
0
#22
Quite right Quimbus - totally agree with you. Queenside simply refers to the side of the board that the queen starts on, so a queenside attack has nothing to do with winning the queen etc.
The reason why kingside attacks are less effective against stronger players is that chess usually comes down to strategy and positional play at higher levels, rather than the tactics of an immediate kingside attack. That's not to say kingside attacks aren't carried out, but if everything is played perfectly a kingside attack should always be halted (but remember no human, not even world champions, are perfect). In my opinion it's one of the floors with chess computers. When analysing the games they give so much indepth analysis of positional play because they know this is the best way to go, and only head into a kingside attack when the opponent blunders into one, that it becomes difficult to practise such games.
Despite the complications of calculating kingside attacks, queenside attacks are more difficult. They require calculation in balancing kingside defence and queenside attack; each move you must think 'do I stop his attack on the kingside or do I progress mine on the queenside'. A kingside attack can be 'thrown' at the enemy (especially in fast games), putting such strain and pressure on the opponent that they break. A queenside attack is a long, contemplated game so the opponent has plenty of time to think through his attack whilst you calculate yours.
There's several goals of a queenside attack. Undermining the opponent's pawn structure would be one (for example getting rooks on the seventh rank and using pawn manority attacks). Opening files and using central outposted knights to gain control over the queenside would be another (you'll often see the opponent's rooks being torn away from the kingside attack as the queenside attacker's rooks dominate the open file and have to be stopped. A pawn storm is usually common, pushing the pawns to have space advantage on the queenside and the greater likely hood of promoting is a must; but remember do not block the position completely up else there's no way to continue.
In the end, to win the queenside attack game the player has two fought out options and one possibility; queen a pawn to gain sufficient material to win; bring rooks and queens around the back to now gain your own attack on the opponent's kingside; or if the opponent's kingside attack has failed and he has used sacrifices etc you now have the material advantage.
Basically, a kingside attack plays for the short term relatively quick tactical win; the queenside plays for the long term strategical win.
My apologies if anyone feels I am wrong in what I say and I'd be interested in anyone else's thoughts.
Mar 17, 2013
0
#24
PrawnEatsPrawn wrote:
There's a strategy called the "Minority Attack" that can often be used to create a Queen-side initiative. There's lots written about it in more advanced texts and all over the net. Here's something basic, to get you started:
I've been going through some of my old posts from my early days (3 years ago) on this site. I can't believe how little I knew at the time and how much of the valuable advice on this thread I didn't understand or appreciate. For example, When "PrawneatsPrawn" posted this 2 years ago it didn't make much sense to me, but over the past two years the penny has finally dropped. And although he mentions that it is "basic" information, it certainly wasn't to me at the time. (Maybe the Canadian -40 winters were affecting my cognition....)
I play 1d4 a lot, so queenside strategies are important to me. Control of the C file is often critical, and the minority attack is part of that. I re-read all the advice in this thread and reposted in the hope that others might not take 2 years to appreciate the value of the comments.
All and any more advice on queenside attacks appreciated.
orangehonda wrote:
The first recorded game featuring a queenside attack dates back to 1714 when Allard Françias, a french player of some what dubious reputation, had mistaken his opponents queen for a king due to an overly ornate and gaudy set. He preceded to launch what he thought was a mating attack however it was on the wrong side of the board.
His play in that game was so ineffective that there were fewer than 3 recorded queenside attacks over the next 180 years.
lol, this was hillarious to me!!
(not surprising, but I'd forgotten)
lol I love it Wafflemaster lol. Thanks for the article Genghis. New the idea of the minority attack but this is a brilliant article to refresh! Cheers!
Thanks, prawneatsprawn and siamesenightmare93 for the links.
One of the common scenarios for a Queenside attack is where the centre is closed like the diagram below. Both players have to go around the centre. Black has more space at the top of the board so is better placed for a kingside attack. White has more space in the bottom left hand corner, so has good chances for a Queenside assault. Most books describe this situation as one that calls for good positional play, and maybe that's all that it is. But it certainly seems harder to formulate a plan if you are on the Queenside, because there may be no immediate way to head for the King.
In this diagram, I would hope to advance my C pawn in hopes of opening up a file. In an endgame, you might typically have a rook which would sit perfectly on a open C file.