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The outside passed pawn

The outside passed pawn is a powerful weapon in pawn endings: it sits far from the main pawn mass, so stopping it drags the enemy king to the edge of the board. Meanwhile your own king takes charge on the other wing.

Here White has the king on c3 and pawns on b3 (the outside passer) and h4; Black has the king on b5 and a pawn on h5 (the h-pawns are blocked). White to move, and the position is won (per the tablebases): the b-pawn draws the black king away and White's king collects the pawn on h5.

A rule of thumb: with an equal number of pawns, the side whose passer is further from the kings wins - it distracts the defender, and the king on the opposite edge settles the game.

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How to convert an outside passer

  1. 1Push the outside pawn - its job is not to promote but to draw the enemy king away.
  2. 2While the enemy king chases the passer, walk your own king towards the pawns on the other wing.
  3. 3Collect the remaining pawns and escort your own home - the difference in tempi wins the game.
  4. 4Before any exchange, count who reaches the square of the new passer first.

Common mistakes

  • Walking the king towards the pawns without pushing the passer: with nothing to distract them, the opponent has time to defend.
  • Trading the outside passer for one of the opponent's pawns - it is precisely its distance that creates the advantage.
  • Not counting tempi before trading pieces: in a pawn ending a single tempo settles the outcome.

Common questions

What makes an outside passer better than an ordinary one?

It draws the enemy king a long way from the rest of the pawns. While the king chases it, yours collects the pawns on the opposite wing.

Does the outside passer have to promote?

Usually not. Its job is to win tempi: the opponent has to spend king moves, and in that time you create a second passer.

How do you tell a passer really is an outside one?

It stands on the wing opposite the main pawn mass, and the enemy king cannot hold it and defend its own pawns at the same time.

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