Hedgehog Formation
Explore the hedgehog formation (a6-b6-d6-e6 pawns + Nf6 + Bb7) from real Lichess games. Black accepts cramped space for elastic, counterattacking play with ...b5 and ...d5 breaks.
About this pattern
The hedgehog — black pawns on a6, b6, d6, and e6, plus the iconic knight on f6 and queenside-fianchetto bishop on b7 — is a flexible, ultra-modern setup popularized in the late 20th century. Black accepts a small spatial concession to maintain elastic structure, awaiting the right moment to break with ...b5 or ...d5. The setup arises from the Sicilian Kan, Symmetrical English, and several Queen's Indian lines. White must convert their space advantage before Black's "spikes" emerge.