
White temporarily controls c5, but only for a single move. It is a key building block in The Making of a Master. It would be hard to exaggerate the value of this concept. Understanding the logic in each scenario will take you a long way towards mastering the tension in every pawn lever. Just set up the board and play through a couple moves. I encourage you to check out these three scenarios on a live board. Get a good feeling for your options, and the most popular way they are handled at high levels. One of the goals in your opening study is to understand the most common pawn levers in your repertoire.
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So here’s a guideline for your future play…If you’re not certain how to handle the tension… spend somewhere around five to seven minutes evaluating your options… then just go for the position you like best. This is more time than we should be spending on these difficult considerations… especially when it turns out there’s no clear answer. The main reason was to limit the activity of White’s light square bishop for the rest of the contest.Ī bishop stationed on the same color of its own central pawns, whose influence is limited by those pawns.Īll this evaluation takes a great deal of time, and I spent about 20 minutes on this move. In this game, I decided to resolve the tension immediately. However, White will be able to play f4, which transforms his backward f pawn into a strong asset that controls key central squares. After Black captures on e4, White will have pressure down the half open e-file.Īt first glance, it appears that Black has compensating pressure on the half open f file. That’s a standard maneuver in this opening and typically leads to a long-term advantage for White. The play will be pushed further out to the flank, and I’ll need to continue with Na6-c7, then Rb8, and create a new lever with b5, to open the b file for my rook. If I advance my c pawn, it will lock up the Queen side. Option 2: Resolve the tension by advancing to c5. This is a classic example of tradeoff analysis at a high level, and the ability to make the right decisions is a key building block in the Making of a Master. White’s d pawn currently paralyzes Black’s center, and if White captures on c6, Black will gain a great deal of freedom in the center.Ī quick glance reveals that he will be able to freely advance his e pawn after dxc6 However… then Black’s queen pawn will end up backward, and White can apply pressure on the half open queen file. Since maintaining the tension is Black’s most popular choice at the highest levels, this clearly means that he has sufficient offsetting imbalances if he allows this activity. If I maintain the tension, White will have the option to capture anytime he wants on c6, and the h1-a8 diagonal will always ensure for his light square Bishop will be an active and powerful piece.

However, during the game, I was not updated with this theory, and I reasoned through the position as follows: Option 1: Maintain the Tension The move 9.Na6 is played most frequently at high levels, which means it’s most consistent with the spirit of the opening. Maintain the tension, and continue developing.Īll three moves have been played by masters in the past.

Resolve the tension by advancing to c5.Resolve the tension by exchanging pawns.Two approaches resolve the tension, and one maintains it: Sometimes there is one clear choice but in many cases, it is a matter of style and preference.There are three ways to handle the c6-d5 lever in this position. In Pawn Structure Chess, the tension between two pawns is called a “lever.” Very few things dictate the nature of a contest more than how the player handles this tension.
