The Self-Supporting Pawn Duo

White to play and win

Play

Two connected passers on the g- and h-files march toward promotion as a unit. The defending king cannot corral both, and your king keeps the queenside under control.

No signup needed. The opponent never gives up, and every mistake gets explained.

The Self-Supporting Pawn Duo

Win against perfect defense

Waking the engine…

The theory

Connected passed pawns win because they never need the king to babysit them: they defend one another all the way home.

The phalanx rule. Advance the pawns together. Each one controls a square the other wants to occupy, so a single king can never blockade both.

Forcing the choice. The defending king can attack only one pawn at a time. Answer by pushing its partner to a protected square, and the pair keeps marching forward.

In this drill the timing of each push matters. Keep the pawns linked and let the enemy king exhaust itself between two threats it cannot both meet.

Keep going

Follow the full curriculum (free)