Backward Pawn
If you’ve been playing chess for a while, you may have come across the term “backward pawn.” A backward pawn should generally be avoided, and although it may not seem weak at first glance, if exploited correctly it could make the difference between a win and a loss.
Let’s take a look at an example.
The backward pawn in this position is the pawn on d6. So why is it a backward pawn? The reason is because the d6 pawn cannot advance because none of the black pawns can defend the d6 pawn.
This is a major weakness to black in this position because he must use his pieces to defend the backward pawn whereas white can advance his pieces while maintaining the threat of capturing the d6 pawn. For instance, if it were white’s turn in this position, white could play Qg3, which maintains pressure on the d6 square while simultaneously creating the new threat of Qxg7#.
Let’s take a look at another example.
If you said the black pawn on e6, you’d be correct! Notice that there are no pawns that can defend that e6 pawn, making it a weakness that white can exploit.
Great job! Now you know how a backward pawn works. Below is a game between Akiba Rubinstein and Georg Salwe that demonstrates how a backward can be a severe handicap and how exploiting it can give the exploiter a significant advantage.
Author: Saharsh Satheesh
