Chess tactics: How to use the pawn effectively
In the game of chess, the least valued piece is the pawn. It is the most used and the most abused piece in the board, especially in the hands of novices who are in the learning stage of the game.
How a player effectively uses the pawn in the game determines his level of expertise in the game.
What is the significance for this least valued piece? I have in all eight such pieces that only hinder the movement of my main pieces. What is wrong if I lose one or two? – These are some of the questions that novices in the game ask about the pawn.
You might be aware that pawn is allowed to move two squares in the first instance and subsequently, it can move only one square forward. It cannot move sideward or diagonally. Contrary to other pieces, a pawn is allowed to capture a piece diagonally and not the piece placed in front of it. In other words, a pawn placed in “e2” square can capture a piece placed in “d3” square of in “f3” square and not any piece placed in the “e3” square.
It is a rule that a player opting to use the white pieces should make the first move and start the game rolling. As many as 20 options are available for a player to choose from as to which piece should he move and to which square should he move, and he has to choose one move from the available 20 options. In these 20 options, as many as 16 options involve the pawns. The other four options are available for the two knights stationed in the queenside and kingside of the board.
Invariably, in 9 out of 10 games, the pawn makes the first move and starts the game rolling. In the early stages, beginners do not fully realize the importance of the pawns and tend to make careless moves or sacrifice the pawns for no specific reason or advantage.
Yet another reason why the pawn is ignored is that the pawn cannot move backward. It can only move forward, two squares in the first move, and subsequently, only one square at a time.
However, the pawn has a unique feature that no other piece in the board has been bestowed with. Even the king, the commander and the chief piece in the board, does not have that unique feature. It is the only piece that can be promoted to become a queen, provided it reaches the last row of the opponent’s area.
For example, a player opting to play the white pieces will have its pawns located at the second row in the beginning. If any of the pawns in the second row reaches the eighth row, then the pawn becomes a queen and gets all the benefits of queen.
Using the pawn effectively should be a key component of any meaningful chess tactics or chess strategy that is deployed by a player against the opponent King.
One should avoid having an isolated pawn structure at any point of the game and the pawn should be a part of the flock that is ably supported. The formation of the pawns in the board has some unique advantages. It is advisable that the “V” shaped formation of pawns is avoided and that the inverted “V” shape is followed as part of the chess tactics and chess strategies.