Michael Goeller, Copyright © 2007
Pawn Battle Rules and Strategies
By Michael Goeller
“Pawn Battle” is a simplified chess game that’s easy to play. It’s also a fun way to practice using
pawns while learning some strategies that are important in chess. Here are the basic rules:
· Set up the pawns as they are in the opening position in chess (along the 2nd and 7th ranks, as
shown in the diagram below), and take turns moving one pawn at a time according to the
rules governing pawns in chess (see below). White moves first as in regular chess.
· The first player to get to the other side of the board (to make a Queen) or to capture all of
his opponent’s pawns wins. You can also win if your opponent “resigns” (or surrenders).
· It is a draw (or tie result) if either side has pawns but no legal move (because all of the
remaining pawns are blocked). We call this “stalemate.”
· You move one pawn at each turn. You cannot “pass” your move or move twice.
The Set-up for Pawn Battle
Rules for How Pawns Move
The basic rules for how pawns move in “Pawn Battle” are the same as they are in regular chess:
· Pawns can only move forward, never backward or sideways. If another pawn obstructs their
progress, then they are blocked and can no longer advance.
· Pawns capture diagonally one square in front of them of the same color, displacing the
enemy piece. For example, a pawn on the e4 square could capture a pawn on d5 or f5.
· Pawns generally move forward only one square at a time, except on their first move (from
the 2nd or 7th rank) when they have the choice of either moving one square or two.
· Don’t forget the en passant rule! If a pawn moves forward two squares on its first move (from
either the 2nd or 7th rank) and passes an opposing pawn (on either the 4th or 5th rank) that
could capture the pawn if it were to move only one square, then the opposing pawn can capture
the passing pawn en passant (French for “in passing”). The en passant capture must be
exercised immediately or not at all.
· When a pawn reaches the other side of the board, it becomes a Queen (or any piece).
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Michael Goeller, Copyright © 2007
Basic Concepts in Pawn Battle
Beginner’s games in Pawn Battle are often decided by basic mistakes. Remember, if you accidentally
lose even one pawn you will likely lose the game—unless you can get a draw by stalemate!
1. Pawn En Prise 2. Counting Captures
The most common way for beginners to lose at Whenever you advance a pawn so that it can be
Pawn Battle is by giving their pawns away, captured by enemy pawns, be sure that you have
leaving them en prise (“available for capture,” in as many defenders as there are attackers. In the
French). In Diagram #1 above, it is White to diagram above, Black has failed to count the
play and win a pawn that Black has left en prise. captures correctly. White to play and win.
3. Passed Pawn = Touchdown! 4. Zero Legal Moves = Stalemate!
Pawn Battle sometimes comes down to a race Even when you are behind in the pawn count
between “passed pawns” (that is, pawns with no and all hope seems lost, you can still play for a
obstructions). Who will get to the finish line and draw (a tie) by setting up a position where you
make a Queen? The winner is the one who gets have no legal moves. We call that “stalemate.”
there first! White to play – who wins? In Diagram #4, White to play and force a draw.
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Michael Goeller, Copyright © 2007
Pawn Battle Strategy
There is more to pawn strategy than waiting for your opponent to make a mistake and lose a pawn
or allow stalemate. The principles below are valuable for understanding how pawns work in chess.
5. Majorities and Passed Pawns 6. The Disabled Majority
Passed pawns can score a touchdown to win the We say that a majority is “disabled” when it is
game. But how can you get a passed pawn? not possible to use it to create a passed pawn. In
You can create a passed pawn by making even Diagram #6 above, how has White disabled
exchanges where you have a majority of pawns Black’s majority? How will White win because
(more than your opponent). In Diagram #5 Black’s majority is disabled?
above, White to play and win.
7. The Breakthrough Sacrifice 8. Zugzwang!
We saw that majorities create passed pawns, but In Pawn Battle, you can’t pass your turn even
you can also create a passed pawn by removing when moving any pawn will lose. We call this
the guard with a “breakthrough sacrifice.” In situation “zugzwang” (German for “the
Diagram #7, White to play and win. compulsion to move”). White to play and win!
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Michael Goeller, Copyright © 2007
Pawn Battle Themes and Tactics
The following positions illustrate more strategic themes and tactics that will help you win at Pawn
Battle while deepening your understanding of pawn strategies in regular chess.
9. Breakthrough Combination 10. Backward Pawns
We call a series of moves leading by force to an Pawns that have no friendly pawns for “back-
advantageous result a “combination.” Often, up” to support their advance are called
but not always, combinations involve a sacrifice “backward.” Backward pawns are subject to
of material for some other gain—such as forcing being blockaded, rendering them ineffective. In
a pawn through to become a Queen! White to the diagram above, who has more pawns? Who
play and win by a “breakthrough combination.” has backward pawns? Who will win and why?
11. Isolated Pawns 12. Doubled Pawns
“Isolated pawns” sit alone on a file with no peers “Doubled pawns” occupy the same file and can
on neighboring files to support their advance. get in each other’s way, making them ineffective.
White to play – who wins and why? White to play – who wins and why?
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Michael Goeller, Copyright © 2007
Solutions to the Puzzle Positions
The puzzle positions that accompany each concept sometimes have more than one solution.
Sometimes the solution depends on counting moves or counting captures which can happen in
different orders. Other times it depends upon understanding a basic concept. If you get the
concept of “a pawn majority,” for example, then you don’t even have to work out the details of
how the majority will create a passed pawn and make a Queen. You should see that making a
Queen is inevitable. That’s why players sometimes resign: the end is already in sight.
In order to understand the solutions to the puzzles, you need to understand the system of
“algebraic chess notation.” Basically, every square on a chessboard is named according to the
letter of its file (A through H) and the number of its rank (1 through 8), recorded always from
White’s perspective. Thus, the white square in the lower righthand corner of the board would
be called “h1.” A grid system of naming squares is often familiar even to children from the
popular game “Battleship.” The letters and numbers are indicated on every diagram above. For
purposes of clarity, the solutions below are given in “long notation,” which includes the square
the pawn vacated and the square it advanced to, separated by a hyphen.
1. White to play wins a pawn by 1.e4xf5 (the pawn on e4 captures the Black pawn on f5).
White will now be able to use his passed gpawn to make a Queen.
2. White wins a pawn and the game with 1.e4xf5 g6xf5 2.g4xf5 and then wins in the same
way as in the first problem, by advancing his passed gpawn.
3. White wins by 1.g2g4! Remember: pawns can move two squares on the first move. Play
might then go 1….c6c5 2.g4g5 c5c4 3.g5g6 c4c3 4.g6g7 c3c2 5.g7g8=Q and wins.
4. White forces stalemate by 1.c5c6! d7xc6 (otherwise White Queens first!) 2.e3e4! Draw.
5. White uses his pawn majority to create a Queen with 1.a3a4! g7g5 2.a4a5 g5g4 3.b5
b6 a7xb6 4.a5xb6 g4g3 5.b6b7 g3g2 6.b7b8=Q wins.
6. White can use his majority to make a passed pawn and get a Queen. Black’s majority is
disabled because 1…f7f5 allows White to win by 2.e5xf6 en passant. Play might go
1.b2b4 h7h5 2.b4b5 h5h4 3.a2a4 h4h3 (Black has no other useful move) 4.g2xh3
and now Black must eventually play 4…f7f5 allowing 5.e5xf6 and White quickly gets a
Queen.
7. 1.f4f5! e6xf5 2.e5e6 and White will make a Queen first.
8. White wins by 1.e3e4 a7a6 2.a2a3 and Black must make a move that loses a pawn and
allows White to quickly make a Queen: 2…a6a5 3.b4xa5 b5b4 4.a5a6! etc.
9. 1.b5b6! a7xb6 (or 1…c7xb6 2.a5a6!) 2.c5c6! b7xc6 3.a5a6 etc.
10. White advances his majority on the left to make a Queen or wins by zugzwang, e.g.: 1.b2
b4! (note that 1.a2a4? loses to 1…a6a5! and White loses by zugzwang due to having a
backward pawn) 1…h7h6 2.a2a4 f6f5 (Black has no good moves) 3.b4b5 (White can
also win by 3.g4xf5 etc.) 3…f5xg4 4.b5b6 g4g3 5.b6b7 g3g2 6.b7b8=Q and wins.
11. White wins by making a passed pawn and then a Queen using his majority on the right
side of the board. He can also win by eventual zugzwang with 1.b4!
12. A similar solution to puzzle #11. White’s majority makes a Queen, but Black’s cannot.
If you don’t understand the solutions, set up each position on a board and play out the solution
according to the directions given. If you still have questions, talk to your chess coach (or anyone
who understands the principles of chess) and see if he or she can explain it to you.
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