Stonewall attack
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Characteristic position of the Stonewall attack after 6. Ng1 – f3
In the game of chess, the stonewall attack describes a certain white piece structure in the opening . It is classified under the key D00 in the ECO codes . Characteristic for this system is the white pawn chain c3 – d4 – e3 – f4, the “ Stonewall ” (German: “Steinwall”).
The white stonewall is based on the variant of the same name for the black in the Dutch defense . The white player aims for it in the queen pawn game , for example via the sequence of moves
- 1. d2 – d4 d7 – d5 2. e2 – e3 Ng8 – f6 3. Bf1 – d3 e7 – e6 4. f2 – f4 or 3.… c7 – c5 4. c2 – c3 Nb8 – c6 5. f2 – f4
The speed at which White moves in can be felt in the analogy to the Queen's Gambit 2.… c7 – c5 3. c2 – c3 Nb8 – c6 4. d4xc5 e7 – e6 5. b2 – b4 a7 – a5 6. Bf1 – b5. Black's most skilful defense is 2. e2 – e3 Ng8 – f6 3. Bf1 – d3 Nb8 – c6. The advance e7 – e5 can prevent the planned 4. f2 – f4. But then the optimally placed Bd3 is pushed aside by 4.… Nc6 – b4 or exchanged for 5. Bc1 – d2.
The transition to the stonewall attack is also possible from the Bird opening (1. f2 – f4).
In principle, the same criteria apply to the evaluation of White's position as in the Dutch Defense: White tries to control the central square e5, at the same time weakening the square e4, which can no longer be controlled by his own pawns. The bishop on c1 is restricted by the white central pawns (“bad bishop”), but can sometimes be transferred to h4 with a loss of speed via d2 and e1. The pawn formation is solid due to its difficult to reach base points b2 and e3. Black should try to exchange the “good” Bd3.
In the mid-1990s, the Stonewall attack was considered a suitable means of surviving against chess computers . This locked by means c5 c4 (with attack on the white rotor) the center , castled short and fell by g2-g4-g5 and DH5 in a strong attack on the king.
literature
- David Hooper and Ken Whyld: The Oxford Companion to Chess , Oxford University Press, 2nd edition 1992, ISBN 0-19-866164-9 , p. 399.
- Andrew Soltis : The Stonewall Attack , Chess Digest, 2nd Edition 1993, ISBN 0-87568-165-4 .