Mastering Pawn Storms: Strategies for Attacking the Enemy King

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00:00 Harry Meets Garry
07:14 The Hook Pawn on h6
09:48 The Correct Pawn Move
13:53 Avoiding Chess Crimes
16:53 The Padlock Formation
20:00 Harry, Garry, Happy
21:36 Should Black Castle Long?
22:55 Choose Among 3 Options
25:05 Sam Shankland Rule
28:29 Homework Position
This video shows you everything you need to know about pawn storms, a very typical and recurrent middlegame pattern. When the kings castle on opposite flanks, attack and piece activity become very important. In those positions, the main middlegame plan becomes a pawn storm, where your pawns roll forward to open up lines for your heavy pieces. The value of time becomes very important in such sharp positions. This video shows several important chess patterns around pawn storms that will help you execute strong attacks.
In this video, we actively engage with the material by asking "Why" questions. This way of learning will lead to conceptual understanding and deeper processing. This video also shows how blindly memorizing certain moves can lead you in the wrong direction. We talk about typical Sicilian Dragon Middlegames while analyzing Fischer and Botvinnik games. We discuss several attacking methods to accelerate our attack against the enemy king, but also defensive techniques to safeguard our king in such sharp positions.
You are always welcome to give me feedback and share your ideas! I hope this video will help improve your attacking game.

[@richardlee-shanok5578]

Great video! Probably the best one on pawn storms that I have ever seen!! Please keep making videos like this where we can learn the patterns! I hope your channel will take off soon - I believe it is only a matter of time with videos like this!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am so happy to read your motivating comment. Will surely continue making similar videos!

[@kadiryazgan]

Great video! I recently discovered your channel and already increased my long-stuck rating almost +100 points. Your lessons unlocked a new chapter in my thought process. Tesekkurler!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That is so fantastic to hear, really encouraging as a chess teacher! Congrats on breaking the plateau! Rica ederim!

[@davidbatchelder85]

your videos give me another vantage point from the stadium seats. I saw the b4. I viewed the knight to take, my tunnel vision just viewed cxb4 and me loosing the queen. Never thinking to move the queen. Duuuuuu. Idiot I am. After seeing it. The light goes off as it always does. Thank you for allowing me to change my seat in the stadium. NIce. How wonderful to climb the ladder of knowledge.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am so happy to hear your kind feedback. Conceptual change happens by giving your best with instructive examples. More to follow! ☺️

[@LarryFroom]

Excellent video. Thank you!!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Glad it was helpful! ☺️

[@pdxaxe9554]

Great video! I personally find a fierce attack so much more enjoyable than a slow grind. A beautifully played kingside attack is one of the best feelings in chess.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your kind comment! There is surely much joy in conducting attacks against the castled king. More videos will follow soon on common attacking patterns.

[@chickenmessiah]

Great video on a much needed topic-thank you. I have an idea for a video. Years ago I had a difficult book on which rook to move to an open square. Perhaps you could shed some light in your wonderful teaching style! Thanks again for your hard work and sharing your expertise.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your motivating feedback! Interesting idea! I will add it to my video idea list :)

[@dmacready]

Thanks for this. It's a really great lesson.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

You are so very welcome!

[@jacobcollins9821]

Fantastic video

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much! ☺️

[@timholt1556]

Thanks for this; very helpful! Love these types of positions.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

My pleasure! More will follow soon with common attacking patterns!

[@cristiantudorescu9153]

Thanks for the great video!! 🙏🏻🏅

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you 🙏☺️

[@gusserflys]

always excellent videos Dr. John..!!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Many thanks! Really glad that you liked it.

[@rv706]

I would need 10 videos like this: it was so useful!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! Please subscribe and tell your friends about the channel, and more than 10 will surely follow! 🙏

[@ctestestestest]

please more of this!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

More on attacking patterns will soon follow!

[@MrMauPat]

Thank you, I enjoyed the video very much.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

My pleasure, glad that you liked it!

[@Aramalisadventures]

Thank you for this great video as always! In the last position (before homework), I think it is better for Rab1 instead of Rfb1 (1.b4! Nxb4 2.Qb2 Nc6 3.Rab1…) because the f-rook should go to c-file which was opened after c4 Greetings from Beirut, Lebanon!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you for your kind feedback! I think you are right about Rab1 over Rfb1! Thanks for this attention to detail!

[@fredgandolfi2356]

Informative, and instructive. By the last exercise, thanks to the preceding ones, the solution is obvious . The right amount in both time and content. It takes a lot of time and effort to prepare these lessons, thank you so much!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am so happy to hear your feedback. It indeed takes time to prepare these exercises, while making sure the order is right and they don't get overwhelming for the students.

[@pakasokoste]

Very useful, instructive and awesome video as always!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I am so happy hearing it, thank you so much ☺️

[@robertedson2374]

Excellent video!!!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you very much!

[@santosozhang1985]

Thank you for such an excellent attacking lesson.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts 🙏

[@user-ot8bb3ng7o]

Ever so grateful🎉 for these videos, SOoooooo eye opening,I actually came across the pawn lock in a computer game, appreciate the new knowledge 💯👏👏 thank you

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Wonderful feedback, thank you so much! Really glad to hear that you applied your new knowledge! A new chunk has been formed in your brain! ☺️

[@shlomolaufer]

One more great lesson.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much 🙏

[@erikfromc]

In the homework position, I don't see anything better than g3, with an eye to opening the g file for the heavy pieces. Hopefully I didn't miss something more subtle.

[@erikfromc]

Although f6 looks tempting as well.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Great find!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That trades the queens after ...Qxf6. White should seek for more, as the g-file will open up soon after g3.

[@CC-ii3ij]

Amazing!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

🙏☺️

[@brainfellow5140]

Great video, Dr. Can, so instructive, as always, thank you! Re: Homework - I see two outcomes but not sure which is better: g3 would challenge the h4 pawn directly to try to open the g-file for the pieces. If black takes on g3, white Queen takes back and is already on the file starting at g7 and ready to pile on rooks, but if instead gxh4, even if black Queen recaptures, g-file is still opened. g4 would invite an en-passant hxg3 by black, but black doesn't have to and could keep the file closed. So then white could push g5 and invite black Queen to take and if they don't but instead push g6 themselves, we push f6 to lock up the position and our white Queen can maneuver to gobble up h4 and stare into the black king's area.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much, great analyses! If you had to choose, would you go for g3 or g4 then? ☺️

[@brainfellow5140]

​@@Dr.CansClinic That's where I'm stuck deciding, but if I have to choose one, I suppose g4 is more aggressive as g3 feels slower to get the file open.

[@cobeferraro3464]

Magnifico!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you! ☺️

[@RAFAELSILVA-by6dy]

Thanks

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much for your generous contribution! Really appreciate it 🙏

[@RAFAELSILVA-by6dy]

@@Dr.CansClinic I'm retired and have taken up chess again after 35 years. I was about 1800-1900 all those years ago. Trying to get back to the 1800-2000 level. Your videos are great for me. Thanks.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@RAFAELSILVA-by6dy That is amazing to hear, thank you so much! Please keep me posted on your future progress 😊😊

[@jasonshields6479]

Excellent. Bought you course. How do I contact you for coaching ?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thank you so much! You can contact me on chesscom or lichess (usernames on video descriptions).

[@eschiedler]

I thought a pawn storm happened whenever I flipped the entire board! lol just kidding homework spoiler - no engine With opposite side castling in the middlegame, white needs to generate activity and momentum. It should be on the queenside in this case, because there is no center or center/flank attack available in the pawn structure. Fortunately for white, black does not have an immediate checkmate threat or tactic. At any time, a3 by black can be met with Qxa4 or later b3 and b4 alone is not a threat to white. g4 loses initiative immediately to a c6 counterattack. White would be unable to continue the attack by either pushing g5 (because it would hanging) or attacking h4 because the black queen guards the pawn. If g4, black should not take en passant, but rather counter-attack and later close the queenside position as needed. Better is g3 threatening gxh4. g3 c6 dxc6 Rxc6 gxh4 d5 exd5 Rd5 and white has excellent attacking chances along the g and h-files. Black could defend the position but be in a defensive stance for much of the rest of the game with an unsafe king. Another option instead of g4 is the immediate f6 to trade the queens. f6 Qxf6 Qxf6 gxf6 Rhf1 Kf7 allows for white to open files but at the critical cost that it can't be exploited because black's knight attacks the e4 pawn, thus pinning down one of white's rooks. The best lines appears to begin with g3.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I always love your detailed analysis, thank you! 1.g3! is the best move for the reasons you mentioned!

[@shadeburst]

@@Dr.CansClinic g3 is too quiet for my liking. I want to attack kings not pawns! The rook on h1 is blocked by its own pawn and the only piece that can line up on the black king is white's queen. After g3xh4 the rook has two friendly pawns in its way. Qxh4 automatically opens an escape square for the black king after the rook and queen line up on g7. But you are right. A boring steady move can be the best, even if it is not forcing. In summary, for a homework assignment I expected something dramatic and exciting and this is too routinely normal.

[@shadeburst]

I am torn between g4 inviting en passant so that white can push the h pawn; f6 is also good because of Rf1, but I would play Qg4 first to pin the pawn while defending against Nxe4 at the same time. I also fool black into thinking that I am attacking the h pawn. How wrong am I?

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Thanks for the comment! Did you consider playing g3, using the h4 pawn as a hook pawn and open up lines on the kingside by force? Expecting en passant would be wishful thinking :) 1. f6 allows ...Qxf6 and we are entering an endgame. Hope it helped!

[@shadeburst]

@@Dr.CansClinic I would first play Rf1. If black is wide awake they will go Qf6 to block the pawn advance but if they miss it, f6 cuts communication between queen and h pawn. Worth a try? This is a scissors coup in contract bridge. The reason I didn't suggest g3 is that it is too obvious. I was expecting something in line with the shock tactics you demonstrated in the earlier games. They don't give opponent a chance to make a counter move.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@shadeburst Interesting take - I will check the scissor coup. But I would say it is Rf1 which makes the plans too obvious, and Black will surely prevent it - otherwise we engage in wishful thinking. g3 is logical as it OPENS the g-file for our rooks. The black king won't be happy seeing it ☺

[@robertedson2374]

I would say P-G3!

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Excellent, thanks! Lesson learned!

[@MrDanielfff777]

Lineees

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Whhyyyy??

[@user-gg6df4xr3i]

Sac Sac Mate? Fischer had it down to an art...But that was then,not so easy now.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

He made it look easy. And later he sounded like all was a piece of cake.

[@user-gg6df4xr3i]

@@Dr.CansClinic I got every one of your puzzles except one,pinning the king and it was obvious seconds later after i unpaused it for your answer...gutted.

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@user-gg6df4xr3i That is great to hear! How do we pin the king by the way? :)

[@user-gg6df4xr3i]

@@Dr.CansClinic Check first on a8 i think then back to a7,ill have to take a look at the video again,but i think thats how it went.then i think if the rook moves aeay some where...

[@mariorossi7225]

incorrect..it was "zac zac" not "tac tac"..you know 🙂

[@Dr.CansClinic]

I don't know ☺️

[@mariorossi7225]

@@Dr.CansClinic My 60 Memorable Game by Bobby Fisher. Second game in the book Fisher-Larsen. The quote "zac zac" is from his writing on the 16th move of the game. Also it's a famous quote, not so usual find something similar in a chess book as "zac zac".

[@Dr.CansClinic]

@@mariorossi7225 Thanks for this!

[@peterintoronto6472]

Great as ever, but I think for teaching it is overstuffed. You should break the video in half and slow it down. We are required to know about padlock pawns, hook pawns, about something called umbrella pawns (why are they umbrella pawns?), about harry versus garry (the mnemonic seems to be only just getting started as a possible mnemonic) , about the Shankland Rule, and so on. And there are multiple side moves you take for granted as you go along in a hurry, I think this is your first video that I got lost and frustrated in -- why? not being a professional psychologist like you, I would say that figuring out pawn moves is immensely specifically scary, there seem to be a hundred ways to screw them up because of their anonymity, and the multiple crisscross capturing patterns awaiting them. Pieces seem to say what they ought to do, how to move, pawns don't tell you anything on the surface, especially when lined up against each other. I think you underestimate the scariness of pawn moves. Just being an honest student of all your wonderful videos.

[@mikkelhansen3714]

Honestly i dont know about that. I think that many of these concepts are already described in earlier videos and thus don't need too many more deep dives. Also he has courses you can buy if you want deeper explanations:) KZbin is free afterall

[@kennethgatto1032]

I strongly recommend Dr. Can's Chessable courses as an augment to these KZbin videos. Personally, I think the KZbin videos are of good length and cover the material to a good depth. I agree understanding about pawns is quite involved but it will come with time and study - cheers, Ken

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Hi Peter. Thank you for your honest feedback and kind comments. This subject is indeed deep and I may make a whole course about pawn storms in the future. KZbin only allows so much time unfortunately. Besides, most of these concepts I already explained in my previous videos, and we are reconsolidating most of them in this episode (retrieval practice). Moreover, as I mentioned in this video, two of my courses already has a deep dive into pawn storms, if you want to explore this further. All the best and please keep commenting on future videos!

[@RCSZach]

This is a great comment. Y’all don’t get it. This is my first video from this guy I’ve seen. So what’s the purpose of this video? To sell Chessable courses? I wouldn’t buy a course based on this video. He literally says “this was obviously the beginning” of pawn storm concepts. If this is the beginning where many concepts are not explained, no thanks. Is the goal to get me to go back to watch old videos? No thanks. I could go watch other chess creators who can explain a concept in 30 minutes at reasonable depth without expecting me to spend more time hunting down a bunch of other videos hoping I’ll find the right ones. Is the purpose to collect feedback for improving future videos? Clearly not because the subscribers and creator are just discarding valid and useful feedback. So it seems this channel is just for people who have already watched the old videos and already own the courses. Oh well. I won’t be back. There are many better places without gatekeepers to spend my time learning chess on KZbin.

[@mikkelhansen3714]

@@RCSZach I think you're the one who doesn't get it... You said you were new here which is perfectly fine, and maybe there is some good critique that Can can think about. However maaaany of these concepts are already explained in other videos, not just by him but by other creators and don't think I'm rude when I say that some of them are really elementary so for me I don't need a longer video just to explain concepts I already know. That is not for everyone as beginners probably might not be familiar with the concepts. Instead of going straight to criticism you could use you time better and maybe find other sources to learn more and get better at the game? It would be unfortunate for you. to disregard an entire channel packed with great advice and knowledge, just because you think something should be explain more. The whole Idea of the channel is to learn new things and remember patterns in chunks and let me tell you there is a lot of overlap of positions and concepts from video to video so watching one might not give you everything you need but it can plant a seed for you to remember something for next time. Its really amazing what can happen then. Give it a shot! or not - you definitely don't have to buy the courses if you don't want to. They are pretty cheap and amazing though but not for everyone.

[@fredramos2912]

Too much talking

[@Dr.CansClinic]

That needs an interpreter.

[@greybushweiselmann7234]

i think your bird died

[@Dr.CansClinic]

Too bad you were not paying attention to the chessboard...

[@shadeburst]

It could be a reference to Ted Hughes.