A Pawn sacrifice (or two) is often required to clear the way for the Rooks. It will take from two to five Pawn moves for your Pawn's to come into contact with the opposing Pawns. The same thing can also be happening on the opposite wing thanks to your opponent's counterattack!
Thus, it becomes a question of whose attack will be the quickest. The side who manages to make contact first will acquire the initiative and this will cause the opponent to interrupt his attack and make defensive moves. Therefore, speed is the most significant factor in a Pawn storm. Consequently, when you are contemplating castling on opposite sides you must consider the following:
1) Success in a Pawn storm will go to the player who is first to seize the initiative (i.e. makes first contact as mentioned above) or forces his opponent to go on the defensive.
2) Before committing yourself try to determine whether or not your opponent will anticipate the coming Pawn storm and be able to put up a good defense.
3) While conducting you own Pawn storm, keep an eye peeled for the chance to create difficulties for the opponent in the conduct of his own Pawn storm. Sometimes it can be advantageous to make a defensive move or two for yourself.
4) If you do decide on castling opposite sides, then you are committed and good positional judgment and sound tactical play will be required.
The following game was played in Leningrad from August 17-September 1, 1934 with foreigners Max Euwe and Hans Kmoch invited. Both started well, and were tied for first place with Botvinnik and Romanovsky after six rounds but then Euwe, fresh from an excellent showing at Zurich, was unable to win another game. Kmoch, after one more win, lost his last four in a row. Botvinnik took the lead in round 10 with a win then held onto it by drawing Riumin in the last round.
In the following game Euwe never even came close to getting his own Q-side Pawn storm going. Instead, he was on the defensive from the start and as a result he never had a chance.
Nikolai Riumin–Max Euwe1–0A28LeningradLeningrad URS1934Stockfish 14.1
English Opening: Four Knights Variation 1.c4 e5 2.c3 c6 3.f3 f6 4.d4 e4 This advance ends up with black getting a passive position. Normal and
best was 4...exd4 5.d2 xd4 6.dxe4 e6 Black could have equalized with 6.
..Nxe4 6...c6 7.g3 xe4 8.xe4 b4+ 9.d2 d5 10.xb4 dxe4 11.xd8+ xd8 12.g2 f5 13.0-0-0 White has the more active position. Cabrilo,G
(2490)-Marinkovic,I (2455) Belgrade 1991 7.g3 7.xf6+ xf6 8.g3 c5 9.e3 0-0 10.g2 e8 11.0-0 Genocchio,D (2373)-Paleologu,V (2183) Cesenatico ITA
2018. White has the more active position. 7...xe4 8.xe4 f5 This is too
risky! 8...b4+ 9.d2 xd2+ 10.xd2 0-0 11.g2 d6 12.0-0 d7 13.c3 c6 equal. Botvinnik,M-Flohr,S Leningrad 1933 9.c3 b4 10.d2 0-0 11.g2 f4 Risky play by Euwe, he may have felt that the solid 11...c6 preventing Nd5
was too passive. 12.d5 d6 This is bad because it results in his Q-side
pieces becoming gridlocked. 12...xd2+ 13.xd2 d6 14.xf4 xf4 15.gxf4 c6 Here white is better, but black is still in the game. 13.c3 b8 This is
very passive, but black is already at a loss for a decent move. 14.d3 g5
White's pieces are well placed while black's Q-side pieces are poorly placed.
Because of this white can already be considered to have a decisive advantage
which he will now demonstrate by means of a K-side attack. 15.h4 h6 16.g4
Preparing a P-storm. Hoping for g5. c5 17.d2 b6 18.0-0-0 b7 19.g5 The unfortunate position of black's K allows
white to proceed with his P-storm and at the same time gain some time. e6
Not 19...g6 20.h5 xg5 21.hg1 xh5 21...e5 22.f3 xc3 23.xc3 h6 24.e7+ h8 25.g6+ hxg6 26.xg6 h7 27.dg1 g8 28.h6 White is clearly
winning. e6 29.d5 xd5 30.cxd5 f8 31.hxg7+ 22.f3 and the threat of
Rxg7+ cannot be met. 20.d4 f7 21.h5 e6 22.d3 c5 23.d2 f3 With
this move Euwe is attempting to complicate the issue. 24.g6 This sharp move
is best. White could have played the routine 24.Bxf3, but to have done so
would have allowed black to get some counterplay. 24.xf3 f4 25.xf4 xf4 26.xb7 xd2+ 27.xd2 xb7 Black is still lost, but he has avoided
immediate disaster. 24...f4 A nice try, but black does not get nearly
enough compensation for his Q 24...hxg6 24...Qf4 4.88 Black would lose
without a fight after this. 25.hxg6 xg6 26.xf3 e6 27.dg1 White is
winning because black must part with material because the Q cannot safely
retreat. e8 This allows a pretty mate in 4. 28.h8+ xh8 29.h6+ g8 30.xg7+ xg7 31.xg7# 24...f5 is equally hopeless. 25.gxh7+ xh7 26.xf3 e6 27.h6 g6 28.e4 with a winning attack. 25.xf4 xf4 26.e3! fxg2 27.h4 g5 27...h6 This offered
stouter resistance. 28.f4 d6 29.g1 be8 30.g4 h8 White is winning, but
there is no forced win. 28.gxh7+ xh7 29.c2+ g8 30.g4 White has extra
material plus an attack; black's resistance is over. e6 31.f4 f3 32.xg2
Euwe resigned. 32.fxg5 is far weaker. xg4 33.xg2 xd1 34.xd1 f5
and black can put up a tough defense. 32.xg2 xg2 33.xg2 f6 34.f5 g5 35.xf6 gxf6 36.xd7 is utterly hopeless for black. 1–0
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