Pawn storm

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A pawn storm, sometimes called a pawn avalanche,[1] is a chess tactic in which several pawns are moved in rapid succession toward the opponent's defenses.[2] A pawn storm usually involves adjacent pawns on the flank of the board, such as the queenside (a-, b-, and c-files) or the kingside (f-, g-, and h-files). A pawn storm can also happen on the center of the board.[3]

When involving only two pawns, a pawn roller is a chess tactic in which two connected passed pawns are used to mutually defend each other to promotion.[4] This allows the pawns to more easily travel down the board without possibly being captured. This differs from a pawn storm, as a pawn storm utilizes more than two pawns to travel down the board, and a pawn storm is typically used to attack or overwhelm an opponent's defenses.

An exact type of formation of a pawn storm/roller is a pawn phalanx, which is when two or more pawns are next to each other on the same rank, allowing them to control more squares in front and support each other's advances.[5][6]

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
  1. ^ "The Winning Academy 8: How to Stop a Pawn Avalanche". Chess News. 2022-03-18. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  2. ^ Pandolfini, Bruce (1995). Chess Thinking. Simon & Schuster. p. 179. ISBN 0-671-79502-3. Pawn storm.
  3. ^ "Pawn Storm - Chess Terms". Chess.com. Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  4. ^ "Pawn Roller (Chess)". [email protected] (in Spanish). 2015-08-13. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  5. ^ "Pawn-structures: Why pawns are the soul of chess – CHESSFOX.COM". Retrieved 2023-11-20.
  6. ^ Swaner, Billy (2020-12-10). "Chess Glossary : Section P". Chess Game Strategies. Retrieved 2023-11-20.