Whats the strategy being a pawn ahead, generally when I'm a pawn ahead, I dont trade off pieces with the same zeal that I do, when Im two pawns ahead, because Im worried that, it's not always enough. How do you people handle this concept? Do you trade off pieces or try and attack a little more to get a better materialistic advantage?
Originally posted by HomerJSimpson Whats the strategy being a pawn ahead, generally when I'm a pawn ahead, I dont trade off pieces with the same zeal that I do, when Im two pawns ahead, because Im worried that, it's not always enough. How do you people handle this concept? Do you trade off pieces or try and attack a little more to get a better materialistic advantage?
Depends on the position.......not a lot of help I know 🙂
I mean people are one pawn up in the opening from gambits and the ideas/strategies can be different.
Originally posted by HomerJSimpson how/when do you know its enough to win?
I tend to be giving up pawns more often than getting them 🙂
It really depends on the material on the board and the position, say I could trade down to a double rook ending a pawn up then I really wouldnt since I doubt I could make a win from it, same with bishops of oppsite colour, queen endings with exposed king etc you will probably need a bigger material advantage to make anything of them.
I dont think its really about trading down when you are ahead but more about keeping the game calm (trading down is only a tool with this aim)....when you are behind in material you should be delighted to see any chaos created on the board (which avoiding trades tends to increase).
Originally posted by HomerJSimpson how/when do you know its enough to win?
Well if you can trade down and convert you one pawn up into a passed pawn. Then it is definitely a win.
If the position means that after trading down your likely to be left with same colour bishop as you opponent and the rest of your pawns locked with your opponent's then it is probably a draw.
It really depends on the position and what type of pawn you have. If you can foresee and endgame occuring then trade off pieces and your pawn should be enough. If you have the wrong type of pawn, rook pawns etc... then keep a few pieces on the board to assist it.
Remember 2 vs 1 is better then 4 vs 3 even though 2-1 = 1 = 4-3
Originally posted by trekkie Well if you can trade down and convert you one pawn up into a passed pawn. Then it is definitely a win.
If the position means that after trading down your likely to be left with same colour bishop as you opponent and the rest of your pawns locked with your opponent's then it is probably a draw.
Thats not exatly true, because if the person a pawn down has the opposition he can draw in a K+P Vs. K endgame
Originally posted by HomerJSimpson Whats the strategy being a pawn ahead, generally when I'm a pawn ahead, I dont trade off pieces with the same zeal that I do, when Im two pawns ahead, because Im worried that, it's not always enough. How do you people handle this concept? Do you trade off pieces or try and attack a little more to get a better materialistic advantage?
I attack more, unless there's a probable win in sight. if there isn't, I treat it as an asset. I generally don't trade pieces, unless moving to safety is very bad...
Just being up a pawn doesn't guarantee a win, and having the extra pawn doesn't automatically signal the time to trade down. You still have to play. In this game I went into a 2 pawn advantage endgame, thinking that I should win. My opponent, kmac27, played much better than me and forced a draw in what I thought should have been an automatic win for me. I was very angry with myself at the end of this game for blowing such an advantage, but full credit to my opponent who fought well and deserved the draw.
trading down A pawn up can be a great, or a terrible idea...
here's a few things to consider:-
doubled/trippled pawns.... if your up a pawn or 2, but they are doubled/trippled your extra pawn(s) are obvoiusally worth less.
Wing pawns (a, h file)....if the pawn your up is a wingpawn, then it maybe a bad idea to trade down, if the enemy king can get close enough, its going to be drawn....
HOWEVER, if you can play on both the Kingside AND Queenside at the same time wing pawns can be more deadly than anything else...
Isolated....If its isolated, its vunerable, and if its vunerable, you may lose it, and with it, the advantage.
Passed pawns...if your pawn is passed, then that can (and often does) negate all of the structural disadvanatges mention above, depending on the position of kings of course.
conected passed pawns... two passed pawns, that can protect each other are obvoisally much more dangerous
04 Nov '06 03:49
One pawn ahead, do you trade off pieces?
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