Luft

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 rd f8 g8 h8 kd Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2 pl
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1 kl
Image:chess zhor 26.png
White needs to give his king luft to avoid a back rank checkmate.

Luft, the German word for "air" (sometimes also "space" or "breath"), is used by some chess writers and commentators to denote a space left by a pawn move into which a castled king may move, especially such a space made with the intention of avoiding a back rank checkmate. A move leaving such a space is often said to "give the king some luft".

A simplified example is seen to the right. Black is threatening checkmate with the simple 1...Re1# and White must deal with this threat. The right thing to do is to give the king some luft by moving a pawn on the g or h file: 1.g3, 1.g4, 1.h3 and 1.h4 should all be good enough to avoid immediate mate. After each, 1...Re1+ can be simply met with 2.Kg2 or 2.Kh2.

Image:chess zhor 26.png
Image:chess zver 26.png a8 b8 kd c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8 Image:chess zver 26.png
a7 pd b7 c7 pd d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 xo b6 pd c6 xo d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3 pl
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 pl g2 pl h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 kl h1
Image:chess zhor 26.png
Black has a weak luft, White has a strong luft (Evans, 1967).

It is usually better to move the h-pawn (or the a-pawn if the king is on the queenside) because moving the f-pawn can weaken the king's position and moving the g-pawn creates holes at f3 and h3 (or f6 and h6 for Black on the kingside). In the diagram, Black has a weak luft because of the holes on a6 and c6; White has a strong luft, without holes (Evans 1967:52-53).

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