Hanging Pawns:
Part of the Advanced Beginner's Chess Guide (Section 1) and the
Chess Strategies Guide (Section 2: Studying the Pawns)

Hanging Pawns

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• Point Count Chess: Hanging Pawns [-];

In Diagram 4, following the moves 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bf4 Bd6 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 b6, Black prepares a second Pawn Chain, with c7-c5 heading for White's Phalanx ... Diagram 5 shows the position after 7. Nf3 Bb7 8. Rc1 c5 ... Note this formation, with 2x Pawn Chains, inverted towards each other, with the vanguard Pawns (c5 & d5) on their 'fourth rank', in Phalanx formation, as they face-off against the adverse Phalanx.

The positions are now set for Black to own a set of Hanging Pawns ... Diagram 6, below, shows the position after 9. dxc5 dxc5 10. cxd5 exd5, which leaves Black with Hanging Pawns (c5 & d5) ... These qualify as Hanging Pawns, since:

1. they're on Black's fourth rank;
2. there's no supporting Pawns on either adjacent files, as shown by the red Xs; and
3. this vulnerable Phalanx is under frontal attack - both Qd1 and Nc3 are attacking Black's d5-Pawn.

... and, below, you can play it through, to see it happen:

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