(I actually had to rewrite this entire lesson as when I wrote the lesson previously, I wasn't even strong enough yet to truly understand the pawn structure)
Doubled pawns are the most neglected pawn structures. At basic positional understanding, they are simply very weak pawns. At slightly higher positional understanding, you will still not like having this pawn structure, but as a developing positional player, you will try to get rid of this quite quickly, or if you cannot do anything about it, you will use open files around the pawn. As you become a stronger player, you will start to realise that there is nothing wrong with these pawns if they cannot be attacked and you may even use it as a weapon with for more attacking chances or more control over a square. But overall, as you become a stronger player, you will notice more and more opportunities each positional factor presents, especially the doubled pawn.
This time, instead of a puzzle, I will present to you a game I played with one of my students. He is actually a strong player who is easily stronger than most 1700s, and this is the very first game I ever played with him (quite recent actually):
Well, of course I was the stronger player, but if not for my willingness to double my pawns (the first one opened the Rook and created a weak dark square colour complex for him which I could use with my Bishop), and if I didn't double the 2nd set of pawns in the game, then I would not be able to dominate his Kingside or have a much more powerful pawn break. So, what can we learn from this game (which I consider to be quite instructive)?
Doubled pawns are not weaknesses if they cannot be attacked
Doubled pawns can act as decisive pawn breaks
The threat of undoubling pawns with a superior pawn structure after can be forcing and may induce other weaknesses too
The open or semi-open files around the doubled pawns are often the most useful asset from the doubled pawns
And finally (not shown in the game or at least shown very little):
The threat of undoubling your pawns can often make your doubled pawns dominate "healthy" pawns and fix the position the way you want it and therefore are very good at controlling important squares
You can flex your superior understanding in chess to your opponent by creating good doubled pawns and using them to your advantage
One thing I will say is this: doubled pawns are truly weaknesses when they can be attacked but there are no neighbouring pawns to protect it. This is actually the reason why tripled pawns are absolutely horrible pawn structures as in order to get tripled pawns, the two neighbouring pawns must get in front of the pawn behind so there are simply no pawns to defend it.
(I actually had to rewrite this entire lesson as when I wrote the lesson previously, I wasn't even strong enough yet to truly understand the pawn structure)
Doubled pawns are the most neglected pawn structures. At basic positional understanding, they are simply very weak pawns. At slightly higher positional understanding, you will still not like having this pawn structure, but as a developing positional player, you will try to get rid of this quite quickly, or if you cannot do anything about it, you will use open files around the pawn. As you become a stronger player, you will start to realise that there is nothing wrong with these pawns if they cannot be attacked and you may even use it as a weapon with for more attacking chances or more control over a square. But overall, as you become a stronger player, you will notice more and more opportunities each positional factor presents, especially the doubled pawn.
This time, instead of a puzzle, I will present to you a game I played with one of my students. He is actually a strong player who is easily stronger than most 1700s, and this is the very first game I ever played with him (quite recent actually):
Well, of course I was the stronger player, but if not for my willingness to double my pawns (the first one opened the Rook and created a weak dark square colour complex for him which I could use with my Bishop), and if I didn't double the 2nd set of pawns in the game, then I would not be able to dominate his Kingside or have a much more powerful pawn break. So, what can we learn from this game (which I consider to be quite instructive)?
And finally (not shown in the game or at least shown very little):
One thing I will say is this: doubled pawns are truly weaknesses when they can be attacked but there are no neighbouring pawns to protect it. This is actually the reason why tripled pawns are absolutely horrible pawn structures as in order to get tripled pawns, the two neighbouring pawns must get in front of the pawn behind so there are simply no pawns to defend it.