Creating an Outpost

The below examples will help you understand how to engineer outposts through pawn structures and trades.

Example 1: Black's last move was e7-e5 - not the best choice as it weakens the d6 pawn, blocks Black's dark-squared bishop, and creates a potential outpost for White's knight on d5.

1.Be3 hitting the d6 pawn

1...Rad8 2.Bg5! White is trading the last piece of Black that could prevent White's knight from going to d5.

Black decides to unpin the knight: 2...Rd7

3.Bxf6 Bxf6 4.Nd5 White's accomplished his mission of creating an outpost for his knight.

Example 2:

Unlike in the previous example, here Black doesn't have any clear weaknesses, so trading pieces won't cut it, we need to find a way to change the pawn structure in order to create an outpost.

1.e5! White's spotted a big problem with Black's position - there Black doesn't have a pawn that can support the d6 square. Black has a couple of options: to push the d5 or take on e5.

Taking is the worse of the two as after 1...de 2.de White's c3 knight is going to e4 from where it will be pressuring the c5 pawn as well as eyeballing d6 and f6 squares. Black now has way too many weaknesses to deal with.

The alternative 1...d5 isn't much better since it still weakens the c5 square. White can't play 2.Na4 right away due to 2...Qa5+!, but he can prepare the move: 2.Qd2! (2.b3 was also good)- White wants to keep the option of developing his bishop to a3, that is why he is not playing Bd2.

White is going to be sending his knight to c5 now and there isn't much Black can do about it now. White has successfully created an outpost for his knight.