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Estate News

The Passed pawn Isolated Pawn
On the diagram below you can see that the An isolated pawn is a pawn that cannot be
White a5 pawn is not only passed, but also protected by any other pawns. In King and
located on the other side of the board. These Pawn endings this is especially important
two factors make the a5-pawn extremely since isolated pawns become very weak. On
valuable. Black king cannot intercept this the diagram below the White b4 pawn is an
pawn, which guarantees a safe promotion, isolated pawn, because it cannot be defended
and secures the win. by other pawns. That gives Black a permanent
weakness to exploit.

Connected pawns:
Doubled Pawns Connected pawns are pawns that can
Doubled pawns are the pawns of the protect each other. This is one of the
same colour, located on the same file. This is strongest pawn structures. On the diagram
probably one of the weakest pawn structures below White and Black have connected
because not only doubled pawns cannot pawns. White’s structure is superior to the
protect each other, but they also can be easily structure of Black.
blocked with a single opponent’s pawn.

Backward pawn
This occurs when one of the connected
pawns cannot move forward because it will
Pawn islands be captured by the opponent’s pawn. A
Single pawns scattered all over the board. ‘backward pawn’ is something to avoid. On
In the endgame they often become easy the diagram below, both White’s and Black’s
targets for the opponent’s pieces. White’s pawns are connected. Black’s d6 pawn is the
pawns in the diagram below that are on the backward pawn, making the pawn structure
red sqaures are scattered. Something that weak. White’s b5 pawn is strong because it is a
should be avoided.
protected passed pawn.

The Villager • Issue 8 2020 • 13