Double Isolated Pawns
by Bogdan Girmacea
Double isolated pawns appear quite often in practice, that’s why I picked this subject. Generally speaking, double isolated pawns can be a strength and a weakness in the same time. Strength because they can control some important squares in the center of the board and a weakness because they can be easily attacked and their general mobility is somehow limited.
In most cases, the side that fights against double isolated pawns has to exchange pieces and to transpose the game into an ending where the weakness of those pawns can be exploited easier.
But in this lesson we will see the strength of double isolated pawns and how the side who posses them should play. I will present a famous game between Portish and Fischer, Tunis 1967, in which after 15 moves in King’s Indian defense the players reached position in following diagram:
1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. c4 Bg7 4. d4 0-0 5. Bg2 d6 6. Nc3 Nbd7 7. 0-0 e5 8. e4 c6 9. b3 Qb6 10. Re1 Re8 11. d5 Nc5 12. Rb1 a5 13. Be3 Qc7 14. Bxc5 dxc5 15. dxc6 bxc6
Let’s analyze this position a bit. White has broke black’s pawn structure creating three pawn islands, but on the other hand, he gave bishop pair to black. Now question is if those double isolated pawns c5 and c6 are weak or strong in this position. To answer that question we have to take into consideration few elements. First of all, we can see that those pawns are not on an open file, which makes it harder for white to attack them. They can be attacked only with minor pieces and queen: for example, white can play Na4 and to place his queen to e3 attacking c5 weakness. Problem is that black can successfully defend that pawn, and use later on the important squares those pawns control. Look at d4 and d5 squares. Black has total control over them, limiting white pieces activity. In addition, black can use d4 as base to place a dominant knight there. But let’s see how the game continued.
16. Na4 Bf8 17. Qd3 Nh5
The plans of both sides are clear. White wants to put pressure on c5 pawn and black wants to transfer the knight via h5-g7-e6 to d4 later on.
18. Qe3 Qe7 19. h4
Another idea here would be to play 19. Red1 in order to free e1 square for knight which will go to d3, putting more pressure on c5 pawn. But unfortunately black has enough time to defend himself with Ng7-e6-d4.
19…Ng7 20. Kh2 f6
At the moment it seems that black pieces are somehow passive, but that’s only temporarily. The bishop from f8 is doing his job defending c5 and can be transferred later on h6.
21. Bh3 Bxh3 22. Kxh3 Ne6 23. h5 gxh5!
White created even more targets at a cost of one pawn, freed h4 square for the knight on f3 which can jump on f5 later on. On the other hand black successfully opened g-file in his favor.
24. Rh1 Rad8
While white is running to get back his pawn on h5 black is trying to use open d-file. So at this point, we can conclude that black has most of the advantage: extra pawn, open d file and control over d4 and d5 squares.
25. Kg2 Qg7!
A very good move that defends indirectly the pawn on h5 since at 26. Rxh5 it follows 26…Nf4+ winning the rook. In addition, the queen is transferred to kingside putting some pressure over white king.
26. Kf1 Qg4 27. Rh2 Qg6
Black has advantage in this position but it is not clear how to improve. Idea of 27…Qg6 is to allow Nh6 in the next move, giving life to that bishop on f8.
28. Qe2 Bh6 29. Kg1 Rd7 30. Rd1 Rxd1 31. Qxd1
White is trying to exchange pieces and to go into the ending, but things are not so simple.
31…Rd8 32. Qe2 Bg5 33. Nxg5 fxg5 34. Rxh5 Rd2!
An interesting tactical trick by Fischer, which cannot be accepted by white since after 35. Qxd2 Qxh5 36. Qd6 Nd4, white’s king is in danger after Qh3 and Nf3.
35. Qg4 h6 36. Rh2 Kg7
White can’t do much in this position, he just sits and wait to see black’s plan.
37. Nc3 Rd3 38. Nd1 Qf7 39. Kg2 Qd7 40. Qf5!
White is sacrificing some material in order to get drawing chances by perpetual check.
40…Rxd1 41. Qe5+ Kg8 42. Rxh6!
The open position of black king gives white the most wanted draw.
42…Ng7 43. Rg6 g4 44. Rxg7!+ Qxg7 45. Qe8+ Kh7 and the players agreed on draw.
A tough game played well by both sides, in which we saw that double isolated pawns c5 and c6 did well their job in the center.
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