Doubled Pawns : Point Count Chess: [-]

About This Article…

This article includes my notes, additional images and interactive chess positions from my study of Horowitz & Mott-Smith’s book, Point Count Chess.

Source:
Point Count Chess,
Chapter 8. The Doubled Pawn (p92-102)

Point Count Chess, Examples:

• Endgame Weakness
• The Doubled Queen Bishop Pawn
  in the Queen Pawn Opening
• File-Opening
• The Pinned King Knight
• Doubling Away from the Center
• Acceptable Doubled Pawn

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Two friendly Pawns that end up on the same file, due to one having captured enemy material, as in Diagram 1, below …

Diagram 1: White has Doubled Pawns on the c-file.

A Doubled Pawn formation is considered weak, since it deprives both Pawns from working together; the Pawn at the front often holds-up the rearward Pawn, which typically becomes extremely vulnerable to capture. Once one of the Pawns goes, the other is often swiftly, and easily, dispatched.

Not all Doubled Pawn situations are considered Weak. In Diagram 2, below, White’s Doubled Pawns, also on the c-file, serve to strengthen White’s position in the Center.

Diagram 2: White’s Doubled Pawns,
on the c-file, not so weak, this time.

But, at all other times, Doubled Pawns are weak and so minus one point from the offending army’s tally. So, the key here is to assess the “quality” of the Doubled Pawn structure.

Moving On: PCC Examples, Doubled Pawns (Page 2).