15 Must Know Opening Pawn Formations Written by Yury Markushin
The pawn structure is structure is a factor that primarily decides how the game will progress. In order to formations that play chess on high level, it is necessary necessar y to understand the fundamental the fundamental pawn formations that arise from the openings. GM Andrew Soltis Soltis has classified major pawn formations into 22 main categories depending on the opening played. In this article we will focus on 15 most fundamental formations that formations that every chess players must know. This is a very condensed and straight to the point material, which is definitely worth wort h analyzing.
1. Boleslavsky Formation
Opening: Sicilian Najdorf, Classical, Sveshnikov, etc. Type of Position: Open, dynamic Ideas for White: Taking control of the weak d5 square, attacking att acking d6 pawn, f2-f4 f2-f4 break Ideas for Black: d6-d5 break, minority attack, controlling the c4 square
2. Caro Formation
Opening: Caro-Kann, French, Queen Gambit Declined Type of Position: Positional, strategic maneuvering Ideas for White: Strong outpost on e5, space advantage of the king’s side, d4-d5 break, Ideas for Black: Weak d4 pawn, c6-c5 and e6-e5 breaks.
3. Closed Sicilian Formation
Opening: Closed Sicilian, Closed English (reversed) Type of Position: Closed Ideas for White: kingside pawn attack, c2-c3 and d3-d4 breaks Ideas for Black: queenside pawn attack, a1-h8 diagonal
4. d5 Pawn Chain Formation
Opening: King’s Indian, Benoni, Ruy Lopez Type of Position: Closed Ideas for White: Queenside space advantage, c2-c4-c5 break, f2-f4 break. Ideas for Black: Kingside attack, f7-f5 break, c7-c6 break. Note: In order to develop a positional understanding it is necessary to go over the annotated GM chess games, and to think why certain moves were made. Only when you put yourself in the the player's shoes you will be able to fully understand the problems he was facing in the game and your will be able to improve you own chess. That's exactly what you can do by studying our training course.
5. Dragon Formation
Opening: Sicilian Dragon, English (reversed) Type of Position: Razor Sharp Ideas for White: Outpost on d5, kingside attack, f2-f4-f5 break or h2-h4-h5 break. Ideas for Black: Control of long diagonal, queenside attack
6. e5 Pawn Chain Formation
Opening: French Type of Position: Closed, semi-closed, sharp game Ideas for White: King’s side attack, f2-f4-f5 break Ideas for Black: Breaks via c7-c5 and f7-f6
7. Hanging Pawn Formation
Opening: Queen’s Gambit Declined, Queen’s Indian Defense Type of Position: Open Ideas for White: Opening center, king’s side att ack Ideas for Black: Forcing advance, weakening the pawns
8. Hedgehog Formation
Opening: English, Sicilian Type of Position: Closed, semi open Ideas for White: e4-e5 break, supported by f2-f4 Ideas for Black: Opening the center via d5
9. Isolani Formation
Opening: Queen’s Gambit, French Type of Position: Open Ideas for White: d4-d5 break, attack at the center, outpost on e5, kingside attack Ideas for Black: blockade, transitioning to the endgame
10. Maroczy Formation
Opening: Sicilian Type of Position: Semi-open Ideas for White: Fianchettoing of bishops, kingside attack, c4-c5 and e4-e5 breaks Ideas for Black: b7-b5 break, f7-f5 beak, d6-d5 break
11. Orthodox Formation
Opening: Queen’s Gambit Declined. Caro-Kann (reversed) Type of Position: Semi-open Ideas for White: Minority attack, e3-e4 break Ideas for Black: e4 outpost, kingside attack
12. Rauzer Formation
Opening: King’s Indian, Old Indian (reversed), Ruy Lopez (reversed) Type of Position: Semi-open Ideas for White: Weak d6 square, c4-c5 break, a3-f8 diagonal, queenside att ack Ideas for Black: Weak d4, a1-h8 diagonal, king’s side attack
13. Scheveningen Formation
Opening: Sicilian (different variations) Type of Position: sharp Ideas for White: Pressure on d-file, space, e4-e5 break, f2-f4-f5 push Ideas for Black: Pressure on c-file, minority attack, d6-d5 break
14. Slav Formation
Opening: Slav, Catalan, Grunfeld, Colle. Type of Position: positional Ideas for White: Pressure on c-file, d4-d5 break Ideas for Black: e6-e5 break and c6-c5 break
15. Stonewall Formation
Opening: Dutch, Colle, English Type of Position: Closed, symmetric Ideas for White: Outpost on e5, exchange of bad bishops Ideas for Black: Outpost on e4, exchange of bad bishops
