GM Davorin Kuljasevic - Pawns are the Soul of Chess - Video 3

Video 3 - Pawn Dynamics - Creating Space -- Part 1

In this chapter, we will examine a unique feature of pawn play: the ability to create space for other pieces, often by means of sacrifice. Since a pawn is the smallest unit in chess, it's the easiest piece to sacrifice without disturbing the material balance significantly. Such pawn advances aim to clear squares, files, and diagonals for pieces operating behind them. This way, we can increase the mobility and coordination of our army, limit the mobility of the opponent's pieces, and create weaknesses in his position. This strategy often allows us to inject a dose of dynamics into the position. This means we can often win time by forcing the opponent to respond to our pawn sacrifice or its consequences. As a result, we can increase our winning chances since the opponent has to play much more accurately to fend off our initiative or the attack. Moreover, the element of surprise when sacrificing a pawn can have an unpleasant psychological effect on the opponent.