Chess School Quiz Challenge #5

Challenge

Josefine Heinemann (White, photo) has her sights set on the black king, that much is clear. But Lara Schulze defends stubbornly. With 16...f7-f6 she neutralized the b2-bishop and stopped the white f-pawn so that it can't tear a hole in the black king's position. What's next for White?

Solution

Indeed, 16...f7-f6 was a sensible defensive move in a squeezed position, depriving two white attackers of their effect for the moment. But 16...f7-f6 was also a concession that offers White an approach to advance - an attacking mark, a target for a pawn break.

The first aim of the white attack against the king was and is to weaken the black castling position. This goal can now be achieved in a straightforward manner. Josefine Heinemann played 17.g3-g4, the best move. She planned to follow up against almost every black reply with 18.g4-g5.

White wants to use her g-pawn to establish a g4-g5 pawn break against the f6 mark. As soon as a white pawn appears on g5, the triple attacked point f6 will be under enormous pressure. The fianchetto bishop on the long diagonal a1-h8 again works against the black king's position, while one of the three pawns protecting the black king gets exchanged off the board.