Pawns Adventures: Infantry Breaking In!

TRAIN YOUR INFANTRY FOR BOLD WAR-WINNING BREAKTHROUGHS

BREAKTHROUGH (n) A pawn sacrifice whose purpose is to open lines and/or to create a passed (or free) pawn.

Pawn breakthrough is very common tactical weapon in endgame that is normally associated with sacrificing one or several pawns in order to create a powerful passer with, possibly, further promotion.

A passed pawn is a criminal which should be kept under lock and key. Mild measures, such as police surveillance, are not sufficient. – Aron Nimzovich

Since the opponent often gets passer(s) as well, there are usually sharp lines in which every tempo counts. 

It is very important for you to spot and take advantage of breakthrough opportunities. 

The Melborne Chess Club's mural pawn

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Here are some drills to train your infantry how to crack into the enemy lines like thunder! In order to catch your opponent by surprise, and be saved from surprises yourself, the following characteristics in position should ring your inner alarm bells, or wake up your killer instinct (Müller & Lamprecht, 2000),

1. Far-advanced (still flexible) pawn structures,
2. Space advantage on one wing,
3. Weakness(es) in the pawn structure (e.g. double pawns),
4. Pawn majority on the wing,
5. King is placed far away from controlling the squares of potential passers, etc.

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Let's get started with the drills. Try them first without checking solutions below/consulting engines. It would be more helpful for you to get a deeper acquaintance with us pawns and our heroic deeds!  

Everybody seem familiar with #1. It is the well-known position from Count Carlo Cozio's Il giuoco degli scacchi from 1766 (in the original position the Kings are on g2 and g4 respectively, which is of no significance for our purposes), 

#1

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#2

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#3

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#4

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#5

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#6

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#7

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#8

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#9

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#10

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#11

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#12

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The Macedonian phalanx

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S O L U T I O N S

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