Danger square - chess term
Danger square
Definition
A danger square is any square whose occupation (or even temporary control) would create an immediate and substantial threat— often a mating, tactical, or positional breakthrough. Unlike a “weak” or “critical” square, the concept of a danger square emphasizes urgency: if the opponent’s piece lands there, material loss or checkmate can follow in short order. Consequently, players must treat such squares as priority targets for either prophylactic coverage or outright denial.
Typical Contexts & Usage
- King-side attacks: In many Sicilian and French positions, h7 (or h2) is the classic danger square for sacrifices like Bxh7+ followed by Ng5+.
- Outposts near the monarch: The square f7 in the opening, or f2 for Black, is a textbook danger square—control of it enables smothered mates, forks, and discovered checks.
- Passed-pawn races: When a pawn is two squares from promotion, its queening square (e.g., e8 for a White e-pawn) becomes the only relevant danger square on the board.
- Transition motifs: In endgames, penetration squares such as c7 or g2, which allow a rook to invade the seventh rank, qualify as danger squares because a single entry can decide the game.
Strategic Significance
Identifying danger squares is a cornerstone of prophylaxis—one of the
pillars of Nimzovichian strategy. By foreseeing the squares
through which an opponent’s plan must pass, a player can take control
of the future
:
- Prevention: Cover or occupy the square before the rival piece arrives.
- Over-protection: Add so many defenders that a thematic sacrifice fails.
- Deflection: Lure the key attacking piece away so it cannot reach the square in time.
Historically, masters such as Tarrasch and Botvinnik wrote about “key points”; modern engines quantify the same idea by showing huge evaluation swings once a danger square is occupied.
Illustrative Examples
1. The h7-sacrifice theme
In the classic position from the Lolli Attack (Italian Game), White plays 1. Bxh7+! Kxh7 2. Ng5+ Kg8 3. Qh5, and the neglected danger square h7 unravels Black’s defences. Losing that square often means mate or heavy material loss.
2. Smothered mate on f7
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5, the fork on f7 looms. Black must address this danger square at once (4…d5 or 4…Bc5), or suffer 5. Nxf7, winning material and wrecking the king’s shelter.
3. Kasparov vs. Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999
In Kasparov’s celebrated 24-move combination, the square g7 became a flashpoint. By sacrificing pieces to seize g7 with his queen, Kasparov forced a mating net around the Black monarch. The game is a textbook demonstration of converting a danger square into a final mating square.
Interactive Snapshot
The mini-diagram below shows a typical danger square on h7 in a French Defence structure. Try to find why Black’s last move …g6?? was fatal:
[[Pgn|1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4!? c5 7. Nb5!| fen|rnbqk2r/pp1n1pbp/4p1p1/1NppP3/3P2BP/8/PPP2PP1/R2QKBNR w KQkq - 0 8]]Interesting Facts & Anecdotes
-
Grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi was famous for asking
students,
What is your opponent’s dream square?
—his synonym for a danger square. - In many chess engines’ evaluations, stepping onto a defended danger square can swing the score by more than 5.0 pawns, instantly deciding the game.
- The phrase appears in several languages: Russian trainers speak of “opasnoye pole”, while German books use “Gefahrenfeld”.
Key Takeaways
- Spotting a danger square early lets you prevent an opponent’s combination before it is even possible.
- When you have the initiative, identify your target danger square and clear paths to occupy it—often worth a material investment.
- Evaluate seemingly quiet moves (…Kh8, h3, g6) by asking whether they secure or abandon critical danger squares.