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88 \\ ... h5! wins - middlegame strategy
Compiled by whiteshark
--*--

"When in doubt, push your rook-pawns."
-Bent Larsen

Play the Whip! Winning with 1...h5!! A complete Defence for Black! 1...h5 was the siliest move I could come up with.

On a serious note, I'm searching for a pattern... Middlegame strategy with or w/o castling.
Nuff said for teh mom.

The most interesting point in my view is the h5-pawn, which is an advanced defender on the kingside with the paradoxical effect that Black's king cannot castle as easy as in other openings. In the stem game this pawn went to h4 and later on got lost, whereas White won the game by promoting his h-pawn. Arno Nickel: # 04b./ Arno Nickel

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. h3 e5 7. Nde2 h5


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Opening Explorer

7... h5! Attaboy!


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It is unusual in such a theory-heavy opening as the Sicilian to see a top player like Vallejo leave the well-trodden paths at such an early stage in the game. The audacious <7...h5> was first played by Bent Larsen in a period when he experimented with many opening ideas. The launch of the h-pawn may remind you of coffee-house chess (or ICC blitz), but it really isn't just about attacking bluntly on the kingside. Positionally speaking, the move <7...h5> is quite sound:

1. To stop the h-pawn in its tracks White would have to play 8.h4 here, which weakens the g4-square (as f4 is a normal part of White's plan).

2. Playing 8.h3, to meet 8...h4 with 9.g4, on the other hand, weakens the dark squares.

3. Allowing Black to play ...h4 gives him the opportunity to open the h-file whenever he wants to, and also weakens the g4-square somewhat (in these fianchetto lines White often wants to play h3 to protect g4, but this isn't possible when Black and White have exchanged their h-pawns on g3).

The main line is 7...Nf6 (your database will easily list some 3500 games!), but we do well to remember that 7...d6 8.0-0 Bd7 9.Re1 Be7 10.Nxc6 Bxc6 11.Qg4 h5!? 12.Qe2 h4 is another not unpopular line that scores very decently for Black: 13.a4 hxg3 14.hxg3 Nf6 is then the normal continuation.

Jeroen Bosch on A Berelowitsch vs F Vallejo Pons, 2011 in http://www.newinchess.com/Archives/...

1...h5!
M Pavlov vs G Minchev, 1992 
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 61 moves, 0-1

1...h5!
Fritz vs E F Pecci, 2001 
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 38 moves, 0-1

1...h5!
Fritz vs E F Pecci, 2001 
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 24 moves, 0-1

1...h5!
Fritz vs E F Pecci, 2001 
(A40) Queen's Pawn Game, 18 moves, 0-1

3...h5
N Noritsyn vs B Sambuev, 2011
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 28 moves, 0-1

5.../6.../7... h5/h4/h3
Joshua Paul Schmidt vs Nakamura, 2010 
(A00) Uncommon Opening, 13 moves, 0-1

6...h5 + 7...h4
Bagirov vs Gelfand, 1989
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 61 moves, 0-1

marching-through 11_h5/12_h4/13_hxg3/15_g2/17_gxf1=Q+ (0-1)
Larsen vs Spassky, 1970 
(A01) Nimzovich-Larsen Attack, 17 moves, 0-1

11.h4/12.h5/13.hxg6 ftw!
Rapport vs K Dragun, 2012
(A15) English, 28 moves, 1-0

6...h5
K E Engel vs J S Morgado, 1978
(A25) English, 31 moves, 0-1

12...h5!
Uhlmann vs Korchnoi, 1972 
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 31 moves, 0-1

7...h5 + 12...h4 + 13...h3
Rubinstein vs M Lowcki, 1912 
(A84) Dutch, 30 moves, 0-1

14... h5!
B Lalic vs Khalifman, 1997 
(A57) Benko Gambit, 27 moves, 0-1

10_h5/11_h4/17_h3
Rubinstein vs Spielmann, 1912  
(A43) Old Benoni, 32 moves, 0-1

9...h5 /13...h4
G Welling vs J van Mil, 1976
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 29 moves, 0-1

1...h5
I Ivanov vs G Minchev, 1992 
(B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 30 moves, 0-1

1...h5!
Fritz vs E F Pecci, 2001 
(B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 34 moves, 0-1

1...h5!
Fritz vs E F Pecci, 2001 
(B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 28 moves, 0-1

12...h5!
S Plukkel vs C Li, 2010 
(B50) Sicilian, 27 moves, 0-1

10...h5!
A Nickel vs The World, 2008 
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 42 moves, 1/2-1/2

10... h5 --> 8. 0-0-0 vs 16...0-0
S Garcia Fuentes vs P Kokol, 2009
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 23 moves, 0-1

10...h5 + 29...0-0 (1/2)
N Huschenbeth vs R Swinkels, 2008 
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2

10...h5, 24...h4; (1-0)
Leko vs Morozevich, 2007 
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 33 moves, 1-0

10...h5, 13...h4
G C Ardelean vs Lupulescu, 2007
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 56 moves, 0-1

10...h5, 13...h4, 29...0-0
M Dutreeuw vs Kotronias, 2005
(B67) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 7...a6 Defense, 8...Bd7, 72 moves, 1/2-1/2

11...h5! (but black blundered later)
M Agopov vs M Thesing, 2009 
(B42) Sicilian, Kan, 26 moves, 1-0

7...h5 + pawnstorm
Short vs Kamsky, 1990 
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 50 moves, 1-0

11...h5
Tal vs E Nievergelt, 1959 
(B63) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer Attack, 37 moves, 1-0

10...h5, 14...h4, 26... 0-0
Ivanchuk vs Kramnik, 1993 
(B57) Sicilian, 33 moves, 0-1

16...h5 u. 17...h4
D van Foreest vs J Mieses, 1949 
(B44) Sicilian, 19 moves, 0-1

here, not
Moun Moun Latt vs H Mas, 1999 
(B52) Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack, 22 moves, 1-0

not
C Lutz vs Ftacnik, 2001 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 35 moves, 1-0

12...h5/ 15...h4
Ganguly vs Polgar, 2011 
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 60 moves, 0-1

11... h5
Karjakin vs Gelfand, 2014 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 60 moves, 1-0

5...h5! + 6...h4!
NN vs Torre, 1928 
(B15) Caro-Kann, 11 moves, 0-1

13... h5!
R Byrne vs Fischer, 1967 
(B87) Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin with ...a6 and ...b5, 28 moves, 0-1

2... h5
L Paichadze vs B Savchenko, 2011 
(B20) Sicilian, 40 moves, 0-1

17...h5
Svidler vs Motylev, 2011
(B13) Caro-Kann, Exchange, 46 moves, 1/2-1/2

7...h5 / 8...h4 / 20...0-0 / 39...h3! (0:1)
A Berelowitsch vs F Vallejo Pons, 2011 
(B47) Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation, 39 moves, 0-1

8...h5 / 20...h4
Grischuk vs Le Quang Liem, 2012
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 60 moves, 0-1

7... h5, 23... h4
E Berg vs Jobava, 2014 
(B75) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 55 moves, 1/2-1/2

8... h5 (with late castling)
Areshchenko vs Jobava, 2013 
(B75) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 48 moves, 0-1

10_h5/17_h4/18_h3
Shirov vs Kasparov, 1997 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 38 moves, 0-1

7... h5
Steinitz vs Anderssen, 1866 
(B20) Sicilian, 55 moves, 0-1

6...h5
Carlsen vs Nakamura, 2013 
(B32) Sicilian, 31 moves, 1-0

7... h5, later castling
Anand vs Nakamura, 2012 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 65 moves, 1/2-1/2

10... h5
Wei Yi vs Shirov, 2013 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 58 moves, 1-0

6.h4 + 11.h5
Zvjaginsev vs P Kiriakov, 2008 
(C00) French Defense, 23 moves, 1/2-1/2

10... h5
Salwe vs Rubinstein, 1903 
(C50) Giuoco Piano, 14 moves, 0-1

10...h5 (good for a draw)
Grischuk vs Jakovenko, 2012 
(C67) Ruy Lopez, 87 moves, 1/2-1/2

19... h5?!/!?
M Umansky vs The World, 2009 
(D43) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 36 moves, 1/2-1/2

20... h5!
I Cheparinov vs Aronian, 2008 
(D12) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 41 moves, 0-1

12...h5 + 15...h4
V Akobian vs Mikhalevski, 2011 
(D70) Neo-Grunfeld Defense, 36 moves, 0-1

21...h5 + 22...h4
V Kovacevic vs Jansa, 1973 
(D91) Grunfeld, 5.Bg5, 25 moves, 0-1

9...h5!!? (with 4...0-0)
Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954 
(E60) King's Indian Defense, 72 moves, 0-1

28...h5! (draws the rook endgame)
Petrosian vs Keres, 1951 
(E14) Queen's Indian, 58 moves, 1/2-1/2

16... h5!
C Purdy vs M Napolitano, 1950 
(E26) Nimzo-Indian, Samisch, 45 moves, 1-0

7...h5 / 9...h4 KID
Bologan vs Bacrot, 2012 
(E70) King's Indian, 35 moves, 1/2-1/2

10... h5
D Anton Guijarro vs A Korobov, 2014 
(B30) Sicilian, 36 moves, 1-0

2...h5 3. h4
C Stromboli vs A Rombaldoni, 2014 
(A20) English, 27 moves, 0-1

M Ribon Calabia vs A Horton-Kitchlew, 2009 
(B00) Uncommon King's Pawn Opening, 31 moves, 1-0

4...h5/5...h4
Hartston vs S Mariotti, 1972 
(C25) Vienna, 33 moves, 0-1

8... h5
So vs Wojtaszek, 2015 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 70 moves, 1/2-1/2

7... h5 / 19...h4
Caruana vs Vachier-Lagrave, 2015 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 35 moves, 0-1

Wei Yi vs A Haast, 2015 
(B48) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 26 moves, 1-0

11_h5 / 12_h4 / 13_hg3
A Sharevich vs K Nemcova, 2015 
(E04) Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3, 29 moves, 0-1

8... h5
S Lu vs J van Foreest, 2015
(B47) Sicilian, Taimanov (Bastrikov) Variation, 51 moves, 1-0

8... h5 / 12... h4
Serper vs I Nikolaidis, 1993 
(E70) King's Indian, 48 moves, 1-0

Bologan vs H Wang, 2012 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 49 moves, 1-0

6/7/8 ...h5 / ...h4 / ...hxg3
J Augustin vs Nunn, 1977 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 33 moves, 0-1

8...h5 / 13...h4
Pachman vs Najdorf, 1955 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 19 moves, 0-1

8... h5
M Heidenfeld vs Korneev, 2016
(B40) Sicilian, 21 moves, 0-1

8...h5
P V Vishnu vs Nakamura, 2016 
(B90) Sicilian, Najdorf, 22 moves, 0-1

8... h5
Y Shvayger vs T Hillarp Persson, 2016 
(C03) French, Tarrasch, 36 moves, 1-0

6_h5 / 7_h4
H Stefansson vs S Guramishvili, 2017 
(A25) English, 18 moves, 0-1

10...h5
Wei Yi vs Ivanchuk, 2017 
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 29 moves, 1/2-1/2

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