Doubled Pawns - Tripled and Quadrupled Pawns

Tripled and Quadrupled Pawns

Tripled pawns
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
Position after 19... fxe4
Kavalek–Fischer, Sousse interzonal 1967
Quadrupled pawns
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
Final position, black to move, draw
Kovacs–Barth, Balatonbereny 1994

Of course it is possible to have tripled pawns (or more). The diagram shows a position from the Lubomir Kavalek versus Bobby Fischer game in the 1967 Sousse interzonal. The pawns remained tripled at the end of the game on move 28 (a draw).

Quadrupled pawns occurred in the game Alexander Alekhine versus Vladimir Nenarokov in 1907, in John van der Wiel versus Vlastimil Hort in 1981, and in other games. The longest lasting case of quadrupled pawns was in the game Kovacs versus Barth in 1994, lasting 23 moves. The final position was drawn, demonstrating the weakness of the extra pawns (see diagram).

Read more about this topic:  Doubled Pawns