Isolated and doubled pawns is lesson 1 of 2 in Pawn structure and plans, a strategy course suited to players rated around 1100 (improving players). Some pawns need help from your pieces, and some squares become homes for enemy pieces. Learn to spot both. It has 3 interactive exercises: 2 find-the-move puzzles, 1 board-square exercise. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
White's pawn on d4 is isolated. That means there is no white pawn on the files next to it, the c-file and the e-file. No pawn can ever protect it, so pieces must do the job. The square in front of it, d5, is a perfect home for a black piece, because no white pawn can chase that piece away.
Count the pawns on each side of the board. On the kingside, White has four pawns against three. White can make a passed pawn there later. Black has an extra pawn on the queenside, but the doubled c-pawns cannot make a passed pawn together. That is White's long plan: trade pieces and win the endgame with the kingside majority.
What you practise
Tap every isolated pawn on the board, white or black. Remember, a pawn is isolated when its own side has no pawn on either file next to it.
You play Black. Put your knight on the square right in front of the isolated pawn. This is called a blockade: the pawn cannot move, and your knight can never be chased away by a pawn.
Doubled pawns are two pawns of the same colour on one file. They cannot protect each other, and they move slowly. Here you can give Black doubled pawns. Take the knight on c6, so a pawn must take back.
Worked examples
Tap every isolated pawn on the board, white or black. Remember, a pawn is isolated when its own side has no pawn on either file next to it. Right. The d4 pawn has no c-pawn or e-pawn beside it. Black's a5 and c6 pawns have no b-pawn to help them.
You play Black. Put your knight on the square right in front of the isolated pawn. This is called a blockade: the pawn cannot move, and your knight can never be chased away by a pawn. Good. The knight on d5 stops the pawn and watches many squares. White's pawn is now a fixed target.
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