Exercise 12.1Question
Black to move
Black to move. Black wants to attack the c4-pawn. What comes first?
12
Middlegame Strategy Essentials · Kapilash Chess Academy
Weaknesses and the Second Weakness
How to win a strategic battle
In this lesson you will learn
- Doubled, backward and isolated pawns as targets
- Fixing a weakness before attacking it
- The principle of two weaknesses
- Converting a strategic advantage
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
12.1 Fix, Attack, Win
A weak pawn is a pawn that cannot be protected by other pawns: isolated, backward or doubled. The plan against it has three steps: fix it so it cannot advance, attack it with more pieces than can defend it, and win it or force the defender into passivity.
Diagram 12.1Black to move
Example 12.1 · The doubled c-pawns
The Nimzo-Indian, Sämisch Variation. White has the bishop pair; Black has damaged White's queenside pawns.
Black closes the centre, castles, and then attacks the c4-pawn with ...♘a5, later ...♗a6 or ...♗c8–a6 and ...♖c8. The doubled pawn on c4 cannot be defended by another pawn, so it becomes a permanent target.
12.2 The Principle of Two Weaknesses
One weakness can often be defended. The winning method is to attack a weakness until the defender's pieces are tied to it, then open a second front on the other side of the board. The defender cannot hold both at once.
TipDo not hurry when you have a lasting advantage. Improve your pieces, fix the weaknesses, and only then open the second front. Strategic advantages do not disappear; tactical chances do.
Remember
- Weak pawns: isolated, backward, doubled.
- Fix the weakness, attack it, then win it.
- One weakness can be defended; two weaknesses usually cannot.
- Don't hurry: strategic advantages last.
Exercises · Lesson 12
Every exercise has been checked with a chess engine. Find the best move or choose the right plan.
Exercise 12.2Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.3Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.4Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.5Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.6Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.7Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.8Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.9Find the move
Black to move
Black to move. Find the strongest move.
Exercise 12.10Find the move
White to move
White to move. Find the strongest move.