Chess lessons › Chess endgames
Pawn breakthroughs
Give up pawns to make a passed pawn that the enemy king cannot catch.
The idea
Give up pawns to make a passed pawn the enemy king cannot catch.
- The middle pawn steps to b6 and offers itself.
- If Black takes, a pawn beside it steps up and offers itself too.
- One pawn gets through, and Black’s king is too far away to stop it.
In a game: When pawns face pawns and the kings are far away, look for a pawn you can give.
How the lesson begins
Three white pawns face three black pawns on the queenside, and both kings are far away on the kingside. The pawns look blocked, but White has a breakthrough: by giving up pawns, White makes a passed pawn, a pawn with no enemy pawn in front of it, on its own file or on the files beside it. Black’s king is too far away to catch it, and White is winning.
Find the move
White to move. Which pawn breaks through?
A hint
Push the middle pawn.
Show the answer
1. b6
b6! The middle pawn gives itself up. If axb6, then c6 comes next; if cxb6, then a6. Either way one white pawn gets through. If Black does not take at all, White takes on a7 or c7 and queens.