Importance of defending in Double Wing Attack

Hey all. I just encountered this tonight and it reminded me that it is a very easy trap to fall for as a beginner, so I want to discuss why it's important to build a proper defense when going for a Double Wing Attack.

In Double Wing Attack, both players push their rook file pawns into the opponent's bishop's head for the purpose of trading pawns in order to have one pawn in hand. The standard moves are as follows:

Double Wing Attack
1. P-2f 2. P-8d
3. P-2e 4. P-8e (diagram)
5. G-7h 6. G-3c
7. P-2d 8. Px2d
9. Rx2d 10. P*2c
11. R-2f

However, a beginner who is playing black that hasn't studied these moves might think that his opponent's bishop's head is completely unguarded, so instead of playing G-7h, he'll go straight for P-2d. This will create the perfect situation for white's most basic trap.



Play has resumed as follows:

5. P-2d 6. Px2d
7. Rx2d 8. P-8f
9. Px8f

To a beginner this might look like a good situation for black. He might be thinking play will go 10. Rx8f 11. P*8g, but...





White is actually going to play 10. P*8g. Suddenly, black's bishop is undefended, and white has the initiative. Play will typically resume as follows:

11. P*3c 12. Px8h+
13. Px3b+

But if black leaves himself undefended yet again...







... 14. B*3e

Due to black's greed (or panic), he is now put in a horrible position: his rook and 5g pawn are forked. Either he can save his rook and let white's bishop promote, or he can defend the 5g pawn and let white get away with having 3 major pieces right in the opening. Either way, black is put in a bad position, and no matter what he does, his position will only get worse and worse as the game goes on.




drisato (1168) vs. hirohiigo (1240): This is a game I just played tonight in which my opponent fell for this trap. I didn't beat him up as much as I could have since I don't like bullying players weaker than me, but it's a good real-life example of this situation.

Hidetchi has a great video on Double Wing Attack: