Two pawn chains march at each other and meet on d4/e5. It looks as though you should capture or bring up the rear pawns - but the only winning move is 1.d5!, overtaking the oncoming chain. Let us see why, and what works for both sides.
The only move, 1.d5! At the branch, pick a defence for Black.
Two pawn chains march at each other: White's b2-c3-d4 and Black's e5-f6-g7. They meet at d4/e5. Only one move wins - 1.d5!, overtaking the chain. Any capture, or a move by a rear pawn, throws the win away.
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At the branches several defences are available - take any of them. «Back» returns one move, «Main line» plays the principal variation automatically.
The mirror image: 1...e4! and the black pawn goes through to queen.
The mirror image: the same formation, but Black to move. The same overtaking move 1...e4! carries the black pawn through.
The walkthrough has not started yet.
At the branches several defences are available - take any of them. «Back» returns one move, «Main line» plays the principal variation automatically.
The lead pawn on d4 slips forward - 1.d5! - and becomes a passer at once. The black pawn on e5 can only capture on d4 or f4 and cannot attack d5, so there is nothing to stop the white pawn: d5-d6-d7-d8=Q.
That is the overtaking technique: instead of exchanging or bringing up the rear, the lead pawn overtakes the oncoming chain and races for promotion first.
The exchange 1.dxe5 fxe5 wrecks White's own chain: Black is left with a passer on e5 that is closer to the queening square, and queens first. Capturing is out.
Moving a rear pawn (1.c4?, 1.b3?) loses a tempo - Black replies 1...e4! and overtakes White's chain instead. Only the immediate 1.d5! wins.
The technique mirrors exactly. With the move, Black plays 1...e4! and slips past White's d4 pawn in the same way, escorting the pawn home to queen.
So with oncoming chains like these everything turns on whose move it is: whoever overtakes first is the one who gets through.
Learn these set-ups - in them the breakthrough is already settled.
After 1.d5! the white pawn has overtaken the chain and become a passer: e5 cannot reach it. Then d6-d7-d8=Q, and Black cannot keep up.
What to avoid, so the breakthrough does not turn into a draw.
The exchange 1.dxe5 fxe5 wrecks White's own chain, and Black's e5 pawn queens first - White loses. In an overtake you must not capture, you must slip past: 1.d5!.
Rear-pawn moves lose a tempo: Black replies 1...e4! and queens first. It is the lead pawn that has to run - 1.d5!.
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Openings, endgame positions and breakthrough studies - the set-up appears on the board.
Only the lead pawn is in time to become a passer, overtaking the oncoming chain. The exchange 1.dxe5, or a rear-pawn move, loses a tempo and the black pawn goes through first.
After 1.dxe5 fxe5 Black is left with a passer on e5, closer to the queening square. White wrecks their own chain and loses the race.
The black pawn on e5 can only capture on d4 or f4 - it cannot attack d5. So d5 walks calmly on to d6, d7 and d8 and queens.
Yes, mirrored: with the move, Black plays 1...e4! and overtakes White's chain the same way. See the second board on this page.
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Work through the other pawn studies in the VC series on the board - breakthroughs, races and overtakes.
Build your own position in the board editor, play through the chess openings move by move, or look into endgame walkthroughs such as king and pawn. If you are only starting out, read the rules of chess and how to set the pieces up.
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