Pawn Structure ChessSome 250 years ago, the great Philidor wrote, "The pawns are the soul of chess." Although that statement is perhaps the most common cliche in the literature of the game, it is too often misunderstood. Pawns are usually considered weak because of their limited range of movement. But the pawns' restricted mobility is precisely what makes them so important strategically: they form a semi-permanent structure -- often called a "pawn skeleton" -- that establishes the territorial lines of the coming battle and thus the nature of the battle itself. Understanding how pawns affect strategy is the subject of this important book. In it you will learn: -- how to handle the characteristic pawn structure of each opening "family" and each major variation -- how to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of pawn chains -- when to exchange pawns in the center -- and when not to -- how to cramp your opponent's position and what to do if your opponent cramps yours -- how to create and exploit pawn "holes..".and much, much more, all copiously illustrated by complete games from actual play. |
Contents
The Slav Formation | 36 |
The Open SicilianEnglish | 66 |
Chain Reactions | 154 |
Copyright | |
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axb4 axb5 bad bishop Black plays Black resigned black-squared Black's pieces Bxc3 Bxc4 bxc5 bxc6 Bxd4 Bxd5 Bxe4 Bxe5 Bxe7 Bxf3 Bxf4 Bxf5 Bxf6 Bxg4 Bxg6 Bxg7 c-file center pawns chain counterplay cxd4 4 Nxd4 cxd5 cxd5 Nxd5 cxd6 d-pawn d4 cxd4 Defense diagram Dragon dxc4 dxc5 dxe4 dxe5 endgame exchange exd4 exd5 exf4 exf5 formation fxe4 fxe5 fxe6 fxg6 gxf4 gxf5 gxf6 hanging pawns hxg5 hxg6 Isolani king bishop kingside attack knight Maroczy mate middlegame minor pieces move Nbd7 Nc3 Bg7 Nf3 Nc6 Nge2 Nimzovich Nxc5 Nxc6 Nxd4 Nf6 Nxd5 Nxe4 Nxe5 Nxe6 Nxf6 Nxf6+ outpost passed pawn pawn structure player Position after 15 queen bishop Queen's Gambit Declined queenside Qxc3 Qxd4 Qxd5 Qxe4 Qxe5 Rac1 Rac8 Rad1 Rad8 Rae8 Rael recapture Rfc8 Rfd1 Rfd8 Rfe8 Rfel rook Rxc3 Rxd4 Scheveningen Sicilian Defense Supplemental Game threat threatens weak White played White resigns wins दूर ही ही