@h3/h6 attacks in Crazyhouse

@Deadban said in #6:

So the line goes: @h6, gxh6; Bxh6, @g7; Bxg7, Kxg7; @g5 with the idea of controlling f6 and g6 where in future you should drop a knight and a pawn/bishop.

I do that a lot even in theoretical positions where I know the engine says it's bad. But creating long-term issues around your opponent king pays off in practice and more often than not people can't defend well.

But a different story is when you're playing correspondence or facing a 2600+ xD

@spidersneedlovetoo said in #7:

Thank you. Do you have an example game of this defense? My auditory processing disability makes it hard to follow the string of moves if they're not presented visually.

https://lichess.org/study/9QoscP8u/4u5zD9le

(ignore the moves that led to having a pawn in hand)
So after @g5 black has to either move the king back (usually h8 better) or put a bishop on e7, because the major threat here is to take the knight and after queen takes, to drop a knight on h5 forking.

My view is if you can play @h3/@h6 without it being an obviously bad move, you should generally play it. In fact, one entire defense is centered around this play. Consider the line 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 d5 3.exf6 exf6 for black. Black gives a knight for a pawn in the opening, but in return, black gets king safety and a pawn for h6. In fact, in high level play, the "free" knight is almost never taken.

In defense against these moves, Pepellou's advice is good. I have two points to add. First, you can also prevent it by not giving your opponent the pawn in the first place or break the bishop's line of sight with h3/h6. Second, know what pieces hurt you. For example, if you end up with an enemy diag on h3 or h6, typically only a heavy (rook or queen) hurts you. So, if you can hold heavy, go ahead and allow it. The following game illustrates second point. My opponent ends up with a pawn on h6 while I end up with diags on h3 and g2. I know I'm in a better position to hunt down a rook which ends up deciding the game.

#12

A few examples of the idea I think @Deadban is explaining:

In some cases, @h3/@h6 are clear due to either:

• Easily calculable concrete line.
• Pieces in pocket.
• Existing piece tension which allows you to trade and gain droppable attackers without losing tempo.
• Common themes that allow you to win back material if all else fails, e.g. @g5-@f6 and N@h5, as shown in some of the examples posted above. It's especially strong against Nf6 Be7.

You can see multiple of the above conditions being met in the examples posted above by @pepellou. The more conditions are satisfied, the merrier. Most notably:

• The ability to win a knight at any time via Bxc3.
• Be2, Nf3 allowing the @g5-@f6 theme.

In other cases, I find @h6 to be speculation for anyone under a certain rating (e.g. 2300). There are many @h6 suggestions which can only be played by an engine (or sufficiently high rated humans). Usually it's "easier to attack then defend", but that becomes increasingly less true if you give away material, cannot maintain tempo, and allow consolidation. It may be more acceptable from a very strong player's perspective to trade a bit of material for positional weaknesses.

Other than the above guidelines, I still haven't been able to formulate a generalized theory as to when @h6 is desirable.

"Off topic", but regarding the example game you posted:

• Ne2 is passive and doesn't defend g5/h4.
• O-O is a bit early; your opponent has developed slowly, so strike with d4.
• Kh1 is slow and sometimes makes @h3, @f3 more dangerous, and also weakens f2.
• c3/c4 is weakening and to be avoided in most openings; it's less bad here since the opponent is playing very slowly, but there are better ways to spend time (e.g. d4, Nc3). Also, after d4 exd4, your opponent will have a pawn in hand to play @h3 should they choose.
• f4 weakens the king, and makes black's dark-squared bishop happier.

Both white and black could benefit from developing their queen-side pieces.

Thanks Pepe, I couldn't find suitable examples in my recent history and didn't want to search too much.

In other cases, I find @h6 to be speculation for anyone under a certain rating (e.g. 2300). There are many @h6 suggestions which can only be played by an engine (or sufficiently high rated humans). Usually it's "easier to attack then defend", but that becomes increasingly less true if you give away material, cannot maintain tempo, and allow consolidation.

It also depends by who you're facing though. It's normal for higher rated players (e.g.2050+) to bluff an attack against a lower rated player (e.g. 1850), sometimes they believe you have an attack when you don't and they try to over defend when there's no need and you exploit that by changing your strategy.

It also depends by what type of player you are, I think. There's who likes to wait for the best attack of high success chance attack, who likes to go all in from the start (usually these guys don't even castle) and who likes to balance.
Personally I'm third type, I like to attack first but I generally won't if I don't see anything concrete in my favor.

@Deadban said in #17:

It's normal for higher rated players (e.g.2050+) to bluff an attack against a lower rated player

Hmm, not sure I'd called it a bluff.
You try to create problems that are difficult for your opponent.
And 9 times out of 10 it's not even a bad move.

I agree with @pkr5025 on this:

if you can play @h3/@h6 without it being an obviously bad move, you should generally play it

@sicariusnoctis said in #15:
In other cases, I find @h6 to be speculation for anyone under a certain rating (e.g. 2300). There are many @h6 suggestions which can only be played by an engine (or sufficiently high rated humans).

I don't agree with this.
It's hard for me to see such a move as "speculation". If what you mean is that you're playing it without calculating all the consequences, then 1. e4 would also be "speculation".
If a move is strong it's strong, it's not speculation :-D

One thing I'd like to mention on the topic as well is that it's very different to play White and to play Black. As Black you find yourself on your back foot more often than not, and that's why openings like the one @pkr5025 mentioned make sense:

In fact, one entire defense is centered around this play. Consider the line 1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 d5 3.exf6 exf6 for black.

As a Black player it's a dream to reach a position where you can actually be the one with the attack. Similar lines are rare for White because you just have better options without the material loss.

My point is @h3/@h6 are usually that strong that you're willing to sac for pawns to get them.

whoa. so much good info to parse and absorb. thank you, everyone. sorry if i actually learn something and someday win a game against you ; )