White's c3, d3 and e3 against d6, e6 and f6. White has no black opponent on the c-file - that is the «free pawn». The move 1.c4! starts its march to promotion at once. 1.d4? and 1.e4? are mistakes: they open the road for the black pawns and White ends up too late.
1.c4! - the pawn with no opponent marches through to queen.
Three white pawns on c3, d3 and e3 against d6, e6 and f6. The c-file is the only one with no black opponent. That is the pawn to move first.
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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.
See how the central move opens the road for Black's e-pawn?
White to move. 1.d4 looks solid enough - the central pawn goes forward. But it loses! Play through the line and see why.
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.
A free (unblocked) pawn is one with no opponent on the same file. In the position c3, d3 and e3 against d6, e6 and f6, White's free pawn is c3: there is no black pawn on the c-file.
That is the pawn to move first: c4-c5-c6-c7-c8. The d- and e-pawns stay put for now - they hold the position together and stop Black creating threats in the centre.
After 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4! Black gets a free pawn of their own - on e4 - and now it is that pawn which marches unstoppably to queen: 3.d5 e3 4.d6 e2 5.d7 e1=Q!
White's d-pawn does the same thing one step later, and Black's queen is already on the board - White loses. The move 1.d4? hands over the initiative.
Against 1.c4 Black can reply 1...e5, attacking the centre. White answers 2.e4! - closing the centre. After 2...f5 3.exf5! White gets a new free pawn on f5.
Then f5-f6-f7-f8=Q with the c-pawn in support. The theme is the same: the free pawn goes forward while the others provide the backing.
What to avoid, so the breakthrough does not turn into a draw.
The move 1.d4? looks natural, but it frees the road for Black's e-pawn. After 1...d5 2.e4 dxe4! White is too late in the race.
1.e4? is the same story: after 1...f5 2.c4 f4 3.e5 f3 4.exd6 f2 5.d7 f1=Q! Black queens first.
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Openings, endgame positions and breakthrough studies - the set-up appears on the board.
With the move 1.c4! - the only winning pawn. There is no black opponent on the c-file, so the c-pawn goes through to queen unhindered: c4-c5-c6-c7-c8=Q.
After 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4! Black gets a free e-pawn, which runs e3-e2-e1=Q and queens before White.
Reply 2.e4! - close the centre. After 2...f5 3.exf5! White gets a new passer on the f-file, and it is that pawn which queens.
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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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