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The importance of pawns

Over the boardStrategyChessTactics
Do you often sacrifice pawns without thinking? Let’s change that!

Value of pawns

A pawn is nominally worth 1 point, but its real value depends on position. A passed pawn near promotion can easily outweigh a minor piece, while a backward pawn on its starting rank is often weak.

Capturing pawns

Many people throw pawns away, because they have a less value. But, if you look at the pieces values, you will see that a bishop/knight it's worth 3 points, so 3 pawns. If the opponent captures 3 pawns, it's like they capture your bishop or knight.

Pawn structure

Pawn structure is the skeleton of your position. Connected pawns defend each other and control key squares far better than isolated or doubled pawns. A healthy structure creates strong outposts for your pieces and restricts your opponent’s activity.

Pawns structures examples:

https://lichess.org/study/F9yokDdw

That's all for now! 🙂 Remember:treat your pawns with respect, they may be the smallest pieces, but they are the soul of chess.