Protected Passed Pawn
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | ||
| 8 | 8 | ||||||||
| 7 | 7 | ||||||||
| 6 | 6 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | ||||||||
| 4 | 4 | ||||||||
| 3 | 3 | ||||||||
| 2 | 2 | ||||||||
| 1 | 1 | ||||||||
| a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
A passed pawn that is protected by its own pawns is called a protected passed pawn. In the first diagram in this article, the pawns on the b and e files are protected passed pawns. Two or more passed pawns on adjacent files are called connected passed pawns (see connected pawns), and they are very strong. In the diagram at the top, White's b and c pawns are connected passed pawns. A pair of connected passed pawns is sometimes called a steamroller. It is often strategically advantageous for the side with connected passed pawns to place them on the same rank and then advance them in tandem, because this makes them more difficult to blockade.
Sometimes, minor pieces are sacrificed so that a pawn can have a clear path to promotion on the eighth rank. In the example at the right (Botvinnik versus Capablanca), in order to capitalize on the passed pawn on e6 and break its blockade by Black's queen, White continues 30.Ba3! Qxa3 31.Nh5+! gxh5 32.Qg5+ Kf8 33.Qxf6+ guaranteeing the e-pawn's promotion. The passed pawn's value is well worth the sacrifice of both the knight and bishop because it clears the path of the black queen and knight. The only pieces preventing the e-pawn's promotion are the black queen and knight, and once they are gone, the e-pawn has a free path to promotion because Black's pawns are helpless to stop it. Had there been a black pawn on the seventh rank that challenges the advancement of the e-pawn, it could have stopped the progress of the white pawn.
Read more about this topic: Passed Pawn
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