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quartgrip

#1
I've come across this term quartgrip, which describes a formation of four adjacent pawns. The two pawns on the flank are on the same rank and one rank ahead of the other two pawns.

Here's an example.

en.lichess.org/analysis/4k3/2pppp2/8/8/8/2P2P2/3PP3/4K3_w_KQkq_-

What I can see is that it controls the fourth rank effectively and also controls four neighbouring third rank squares. No other 2-rank formation involving four pawns does that.

I'm interested to know if anyone has further insights to this structure. Like, at what stage of the game is this formation important? And why is it called quartgrip?

Thoughts welcome.
#2
"quartqrip"

first time I hear of this term but you are probably refering to this structure
en.lichess.org/analysis/standard/8/5pp1/4p2p/4P2P/5PP1/8/8/8_w_-_-

which arises almost exclusively from the classical Caro with 4...Bf5 and later when black exchanges white's knight on e5 white recaptures with the d-pawn. And its a kind of a grip because whatever break black tries, it leaves him with weaknesses. It is considered an advantage to have in endings where its especially dangerous as white can always create a passed pawn despite being 4 vs 4.
Kasparov among others,has won a decent game in this structure if my memory serves me well( which usually it doesn't)
#5
@MorningCoffee

Thanks for your insights : ).

A link to the Kasparov game would be interesting, but that would require memory serving well.

In a recent youtube video quartgrip was referred to without reference to the opponents pawn structure.

Following your comments, I see that in the symmetrical position if white moves first, there seems to be no good pawn reply to a central pawn advance. But, can black instead just improve their king?

@chess240

No I have not, cheers. Have you read it?

Perhaps there are advantages of this structure in other ways. Because I would have thought that in most symmetrical positions if white moves first they have an advantage, maybe I'm wrong.

Example games would be cool to see : p
#8
@MorningCoffee Thank you! That's really good exercise! Where did you study the theory about this?
The correct solution is to move g5 and then f5. After that it's easy.
#9
@MorningCoffee
My initial solution was to push the f-pawn (or g-pawn) twice, creating a passed pawn, and defend blacks advancing e-pawn with the king.

But after reading @Tangelo777's response I see that moving the g-pawn immediately after the f-pawn is a lot faster and black has a slower passed pawn. I was completely blind to this move, it's hard to see.

If black responds with a capture it is a two vs one situation and white will create a passed pawn. If black ignores it then the f-pawn or g-pawn can push again, attacking the defender of the flank pawn.

Cheers for the links @jonesmh.

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