Concepts · Pawn Structure

Hanging Pawns

Two adjacent pawns on half-open files with no pawn beside them: mobile and space-gaining, but with nothing behind them. They are strong while they can advance and weak the moment they are fixed.

Key ideas

Advance one of them at the right moment
Fix them and they become targets
Piece pressure decides which it is

Watch

Games that teach hanging pawns

1 game

London SystemD0218:04

How Capablanca Beat Kreymborg with the London System | Attack, Strategy & Pawn Structure

Jose Raul Capablanca vs Alfred Kreymborg

Attack, Strategy & Pawn Structure: what Capablanca vs Kreymborg (London System) teaches. Both sides attack the other’s king with pawns and pieces — who is faster, and why every tempo counts.

Opposite-Side Castling
Pawn Break
Hanging Pawns
Doubled Pawns

NYSCA ch26 Feb 19101-0