Pawn Chain
Strong players know that pawns are the soul of chess, and understanding pawn chains will help you understand why. Here's everything you need to know about pawn chains:
- What Is A Pawn Chain In Chess?
- Characteristics Of Pawn Chains
- Why Are Pawn Chains Important?
- Conclusion
What Is A Pawn Chain In Chess?
A pawn chain is a group of pawns that go uninterrupted along the same diagonal.
Characteristics Of Pawn Chains
One of the most important characteristics of pawn chains is the concept of the base of the pawn chain.
Because pawns can only attack forward, and all pawns in a chain are connected, only one of the pawns in a chain is unprotected. In the image below, you can see that the pawn on b2 protects c3, the c3-pawn protects d4, and so on.
However, the b2-pawn has no other pawn protecting it. The b2-pawn is the base of the pawn chain, and because of it, no other pawn can protect it. That's why, when attacking pawn chains, it's usually more effective to attack the base of the pawn chain instead of its top.
Another important characteristic of pawn chains is their impact on space. Because of their diagonal shape, players will have more space for their pieces behind the tip of the pawn chain than they do behind its base.
Why Are Pawn Chains Important?
Pawn chains are important because they can help players come up with plans. As discussed above, the direction of the pawn chain dictates where players have more space to maneuver their pieces. Conversely, it also defines where the opponent has less space.
Because of this characteristic, players should generally direct their efforts to the side where they have more space. Common chess knowledge says players should attack "where their pawn chain is pointing."
In this game between GMs Alexey Shirov and Judit Polgar, you can see the typical pawn chains that arise when Black plays the King's Indian Defense. Analyzing the pawn chains, you'll realize that White's pawn chain points toward the queenside while Black's points toward the kingside. Naturally, Black attacks on the kingside while White attacks on the queenside:
Conclusion
You now know what a pawn chain is, its importance, and how to attack it. Learn more about pawn chains with our lesson and start using this concept to win more games!
