The position above with the comment "black dies" is really too trivial. With White to move he has QXN, so of course Black dies, having thrown away a piece. The only way Black could have reached this position is by moving Nh5 from f6 after being attacked by e5--so why didn't he move Nd7 instead of exposing himself to immediate capture? With Nd7 Black could have adopted a hypermodern strategy of striking back against White's pawn center. Likewise the Black knight on the other side of the board should never have stranded himself where he can be trapped by an immediate b4 and also be lost. He should have gone to e7 when driven from c6 by the d-pawn.
On the other hand, if it were Black to move, he has 1. ...Qh4+ 2. g3 2. Nxg3, and it is White who is in trouble. Which shows that "the ultimate pawn crush" can be quite relative.
Pawns are the most important pieces on the board. Without them we would our attacks and threatens and whatever will not work as well...How important is it? I'm a noob-I use pawns to gain a major advantage, mostly by sacrificing them and threatening...Then..Checkmate!!! Sacrificing pieces are useful too...In this diagram notice the empty files surrounding the black king...and the major advantage he has. I sacrificed a lot of pieces to get him to a certain position and Checkmate! Castling queen-side, then using the useless pawns and raid against the pawns fortifying black's King...Black's focus is on the center. With the raid of pawns, and some backup from my bishops and knights, they wiped that area out, and when the file is clear, I send my rook and queen to clear the mess.
Before sacrificing them, you could control the chessboard with it..
Yes-the ultimate pawn crush...
Now you dominate the center, then move your knights and bishops and be unstoppable!!
Any other good pawn ideas and pawn themes??
Please post!!!