You already know the rule that in the opening we must control the center or if you can build the center then you must build it. Today we will learn how to play the pawn center.

The first advantage you will get from pawn center is that your center is secured by your pieces.

After building the pawn center you have two choices.

You must advance your centred pawns.

You must attack on flanks.

We will look at some exemplary games so you can understand the pawn center.

Enough theory! let’s watch the games.

Pawn center game 1:

[Event "European Rapid Championship, Warsaw"] [Site "?"] [Date "2010.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Andriasian, Z."] [Black "Litwiniec, M."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C53"] [PlyCount "33"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 d6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 h6 8. Qb3 Bxc3+ 9. bxc3 Qe7 10. O-O Nf6 11. e5 dxe5 12. Ba3 Qd7 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. dxe5 Ne4 15. Rad1 Qf5 16. Bxf7+ Qxf7 17. Rd8+ 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

In this game, you have watched how white built the center and how white gained his advantages. Let’s look at another game.

Pawn center game 2:

In this game, you will see the other benefit of having pawn center. In this game white builts the center and attacks on the flank as mentioned above.

[Event "Gothenburg"] [Site "?"] [Date "1989.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Hellsten, J."] [Black "Howe, M."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B50"] [PlyCount "41"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. c3 Nf6 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Bg4 7. O-O g6 8. Be3 Bg7 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 O-O 11. Nc3 Qa5 12. a3 Rac8 13. b4 Qd8 14. Qb3 b6 15. Rac1 Nd7 16. Rfd1 Kh8 17. Qa4 e5 18. dxe5 Ndxe5 19. Be2 Qe7 20. Nd5 Qd7 21. Ba6 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

Pawn center game 3:

In this game, you will see an attack on the king (Flank attack).

[Event "Karvina"] [Site "?"] [Date "1994.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Grabarczyk, M."] [Black "Podlesny, P."] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D06"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "1994.??.??"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 Nf6 3. cxd5 Nxd5 4. e4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Bd3 O-O 8. O-O a6 9. Qe2 Nbd7 10. Rd1 c6 11. Bg5 Re8 12. Rac1 h6 13. Bh4 Nf8 14. e5 Nd5 15. Bxe7 Qxe7 16. Ne4 Nf4 17. Qe3 Nxd3 18. Rxd3 Rd8 19. Nfd2 Ng6 20. Nc4 Qc7 21. Ncd6 Ne7 22. Qf4 Nd5 23. Qg4 Qe7 24. Rf3 Rf8 25. Nf6+ Kh8 26. Qh5 Rb8 27. Re1 Bd7 28. Re4 Nxf6 29. Rxf6 Kh7 30. Rh4 Qxf6 31. exf6 Rh8 32. Qxf7 1-0 You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.

Conclusion:

So I hope you got the point. When you have the pawn center, then you must advance in the center or attack on the flank.