Backward Pawn Explained
Pure understanding is exactly what we need.
It's completely fine to memorize openings and tricks by heart, but when you reach a sticking point, the only way to break through is through understanding, because understanding gives you the ability to handle any position, even if you're not familiar with it.
Today, I decided to cover a bit of that and dive into the concept of the Backward Pawn for anyone interested in exploring how to approach it.
How do you play against a Backward Pawn?
And how do you dominate in positions with similar motifs?
Let me guide you through it.
Here's the first position I’d like you to take a look at.
Now, let's pay attention on the Pawn placed on the square d6.
Because that Pawn there is a Backward Pawn.
Let's define Backward Pawn properly.
Backward Pawn is the pawn which represents pawn structure weaknesses because it can not be protected by any other pawn.
Therefore, that pawn needs constant protection from other minor and heavy pieces.
Now, when you know that fact, how Backward Pawn affects to the side which posses Backward Pawn?
Negatively!
Because if that pawn has to be protected by other minor and heavy pieces that means that mobility and flexibility of minor and heavy pieces have been decreased.
Practically in this example you can see how dark square Bishop is defending a Backward Pawn well on d6 from our Rook on d1 but unfortunately that dark square bishop can not do anything else instead of just protecting that pawn.
We have enough information now abut the Backward Pawn to establish the plan for Black in this position.
Take a moment and try to figure out the thing you would work on in this position if you were playing with the pawn structure weaknesses such as backward pawn?
There are 2 main options Black should work on in this position:
a) Push Backward Pawn
b) Create counter-attack
Our goal as White here is to restrict both options if that is possible!
Here is the guide how you should play against the Backward Pawn.
1) Put the pressure or in another words, attack Backward Pawn as many times as it possible, BUT - before you do it, you have to measure is that additional pressure or attack will be useful or not? Because adding the pressure itself doesn't mean necessarily that you will benefit from it.
Let's break that down before we get to the second step from the Guide.
It's time to back and see the current pressure on the Backward Pawn made by Rook from d1.
That's the useful pressure because:
a) it keeps dark-square bishop busy with the protection and
b) the second reason is not allowing black to push backward pawn.
By following the guide let's consider the option for adding the pressure.
What can be the option/s?
Obviously Queen to d2 or d3. At that point whether we bring our Queen to d2 or d2 we would have 2 heavy pieces pressuring that Backward d6 pawn.
The truth is, bringing Queen to any of those squares would be phenomenal example of useless pressure and wasted move.
There are 2 main reasons behind it.
a) Our real intention is not to capture the Backward Pawn on d6 next move because that Backward Pawn is defended by less valuable piece than piece with witch we are going after it, therefore our opponent DOESN'T HAVE TO REACT.
- REMEMBER!
If you want to make adding pressure useful, that move has to make your opponent to react on your plan.
It's sort of initiative.
If we would play Queen on any of those squares our opponent can just chill and laugh at us.
b) From Strategic Perspective, placing the Queen in front of the Rook is not recommended option most of the time. Everything depends on the position, but tend to avoid going with most valuable piece first unless that is necessary.
One more thing before we get to the second step from the Guide.
I prepared the example similar to this one just to make you aware what would be the useful attack at this point.
Take look at this position.
The immediate thing to notice is Knight placed on g3 and not on e1 anymore.
Take a moment now and try to figure out what would be the useful move at this point?
The right move is NF5!
By playing a Nf5 we attack both pieces at the same time Backward Pawn on d6 and Dark-Square Bishop on e7 (defender), therefore our opponent does not have a time to defend Backward Pawn anymore, otherwise we will capture Dark-Square Bishop.
You can realize that our opponent has to react on our threat now, but whatever move is, we are winning Backward d6 pawn next move.
This was quite easy because it's quite aggressive move which bring to us an advantage immediately, but let's see how we should work on building up the advantage.
Here is the another similar position I created.
You can see that our Knight is on g3 not on e1 and opponent's dark square Bishop is on f8 instead of e7.
How that has changed the position?
Take few minutes and try to figure out by yourself what would be the best move here and what is the strategy domination we are reaching?
You can not make a mistake, just give it a shot.
The best move still would be Nf5!
Even though we don't attack bishop anymore with that move but we add the pressure on d6 pawn which still can not be pushed which means that has to be defended, otherwise we will capture and be pawn up.
Therefore, options for our opponent are: Qc6 or Rc6, but whether that is Qc6 or Rc6 the point I want to show you is the same.
Our opponent has to react on our threat, that's useful pressure and then we get to this photo which explains what we just did with this move.
CONCLUSION: Our goal from the first step of the guide is to put the useful pressure on Backward Pawn, which will force our opponent to defend that pawn with other pieces and limit their mobility and flexibility with contribution for the step number 2 from the Guide.
Let's move on the second step.
SECOND STEP HOW TO PLAY AGAINST BACKWARD PAWN!
Let's return to our original position now.
We made the conclusion that additional pressure doesn't work at this point.
So, what are we supposed to do?
The second step from the Guide says, control the square in front of the Backward Pawn until you get to the point to have ultimate control of that square.
Controlling the square in front of the Backward Pawn (d5) is successfully managed by 3 our pieces from distance, that's the reason why our opponent can not push the Backward Pawn, but how we will know when we reached the potential for ultimate control of the square in front of the Backward Pawn?
and what is the ultimate control of the square in front of the Backward Pawn?
Here is the breakdown of it.
Ultimate control of the square in front of the backward pawn represents the situation when you can bring your minor or heavy piece in that square after a trade.
In another words, you want your Knight, Rook or Queen eventually on that square BUT not the pawn!
That tells us that potential has been reached at the moment when we can put our minor or heavy piece on that square but not the pawn.
So, how we should work on it?
There is some certain order we need to follow if we want to get the maximum from this position.
Now when we know that we want to put our piece eventually on the square d5, the first thing we are dealing with is removing all defenders of that square.
That leads us to our first move here.
Take a moment know and try to figure out the point how to remove defenders of that square?
The first move definitely should be Bf6 capturing the Knight.
Perhaps unusual to understand without right perspective of observation.
In some old books you might find that Bishop is worth 3.5 points, depending on the position but certainly it has good potential in open and semi-open positions.
So, where is the logic behind this move right now, for what sake we are trading our dark-square bishop for the Knight.
Remind yourself about the first mentioned things of opponent's goals here:
1) To push the pawn
2) Create counter-Attack
and then I said that we have to take both options from our opponent.
Thus, we want to simplify position as much as it possible by trading pieces which we will not need in the future for the pieces our opponent can use for creating counter attack in the future.
Our opponent recaptures with the Knight, in another words, bringing up the another defender of the square d5.
What are we supposed to do?
We challenge that defender immediately, we want to trade Knight for a Knight and that's only because we have a Rook to recapture after our opponent captures our Knight.
Remember, always with the piece on the square in front of the Backward Pawn, unless you have to recapture with the Pawn.
ANNOUNCMENT!
Removing defenders and simplifying position are steps which will bring us to ultimate control of the square in front of the backward pawn but as well, we want to bold the weakness.
Pawn Structure Weaknesses, they show they real face during the pre-endgame and endgame phase.
It's way harder defending the weaknesses and trying to create some counter-attack with simplified position where art of chess comes in.
Playing on nuances and looking at your opponent suffering, drop by drop.
If you can not figure out by yourself why not recapture with the pawn, here is the brief and clear explanation.
If you captured a Knight with the Pawn you would close up the semi-open file for your Rook, therefore:
a) Dark Square Bishop is free
b) Rook doesn't have a purpose
b) Potential for attacking that Backward Pawn in the future is really low.
Completely opposite from that, here is what happens after Rook recaptures.
a) Dark square Bishop is still focused on defending Backward Pawn
b) Backward Pawn Weakness is BOLD
c) We block the whole Pawn Structure in the center
d) Our Rook serves as a keeper for replacement later
The only thing from mentioned things above which might occur as a weird one is the meaning that Rook is a keeper?
That will be relieved in next part!
This was part 1.
Part 2 will be published soon.
Thank you and I hope this was useful!
