Doubled Pawns – Triumph or Trouble?

There isn’t a chessplayer who hasn’t struggled with doubled pawns. Are they strong because they oversee and surveil important squares or reinforce defensive ramparts? Are they weak, prone to being collected by our opponent in the endgame – or sooner? The easy answer is that it depends on the position. But are there principles that may be applied to help evaluate positions with doubled pawns. “Yes!” says Belarusian grandmaster Sergey Kasparov.

In the first work devoted exclusively to this topic, the author examines the various pawn structures in which doubled pawns appear. He also investigates doubled pawns in the context of specific openings.

Contents include:

Doubled Pawns after the Capture g7xf6
Doubled Pawns in the Middle of the Board
Isolated Doubled Pawns
“Spanish” Formations
“French” Structures
Structures of the Sicilian Defense, Rossolimo Variation
Doubled Pawns on the c-file
And much more

The discussion and explanation of each topic is carried on in the context of almost 150 annotated games. The author goes about his task in his inimitable style, making for an entertaining yet instructive treatment of his subject matter.

International grandmaster Sergey Kasparov, with his popular writing style and insightful observations, is a favorite author and instructor in contemporary chess circles. Previous books include The Exchange Sacrifice: A Practical Guide (2016); The Dynamic Benko Gambit (2012); Steamrolling the Sicilian (2013); and A Cunning Chess Opening for Black (2015). He lives with his wife, women’s international master Tatiana Kasparova, in Belarus.