In the absence of these structural weaknesses, it is not possible to assess a pawn formation as good or bad—much depends on the position of the pieces.
The pawn formation does determine the overall strategies of the players to a large extent, however, even if arising from unrelated openings.
Pawn formations symmetrical about a vertical line (such as the e5-chain and the d5-chain) may appear similar, but they tend to have entirely different characteristics because of the propensity of the kings to castle on the kingside.
For a formation to fall into a particular category, it need not have a pawn position identical to the corresponding diagram, but only close enough that the character of the game and the major themes are unchanged.
They are ordinarily unstable and tend to transpose into a stable formation with a pawn push or exchange.
For instance, in the Queen's Gambit Declined, Black waits until White develops the king's bishop to make the d5xc4 capture, transposing to the Slav formation (see below).
Other: French, Scandinavian (in the main line where White has to get the queen back from a5), Trompowsky (colors reversed), Alekhine's.
Themes for White: Pressure on the d-file, space advantage, e4–e5 break (often prepared with f2–f4), f2–f4–f5 push, g2–g4–g5 blitz (see Keres Attack).
It used to be considered unwise for White to exchange a piece on c6 allowing the recapture bxc6, because the phalanx of Black's center pawns was thought to become very strong; however modern chess engines have shown ways for White to maintain a slight advantage even with Black's pawn on c6.
The Sicilian Dragon requires a high level of opening memorization to play properly.
Themes for Black: Pressure on the long diagonal, queenside counterplay, exploiting White's often overextended kingside pawns in the endgame, d6-d5 break.
Qd2 0-0 8. f3 (necessary to prevent Black from playing 8...Ng4 to attack White's dark-squared bishop; 8.f3 also gives e4 extra defense and prepares to launch a pawn storm with the move g4) 8... Nc6 9.
Black must play very carefully or White will place a knight on d5 and obtain a commanding positional advantage.
Themes for White: Nd4–c2–e3, fianchettoing one or both bishops, the Maróczy hop (Nc3–d5 followed by e4xd5 with terrific pressure on the e-file), kingside attack, c4–c5 and e4–e5 breaks.
Chess masters once believed that allowing the bind was a mistake as Black always gave White a significant advantage.
Conversely, the formation takes time to set up and limits the activity of White's light-squared bishop, which can buy Black some breathing room to accomplish this break.
Themes for Black: d4 weakness, a1–h8 diagonal, f4-square, kingside attack, trading pieces for a superior endgame.
The chain arises from a variety of openings but most commonly in the heavily analyzed King's Indian Classical variation.
The theme is a race for a breakthrough on opposite flanks – Black must try to whip up a kingside attack before White's heavy pieces penetrate with devastating effect on the c-file.
The position was thought to strongly favor White until a seminal game (Taimanov–Najdorf 1953) where Black introduced the maneuver Rf8–f7, Bg7–f8, Rf7–g7.
This may transpose into the Boleslavsky hole formation or the Maróczy Bind after Black plays the c7-c6 break and exchanges the c-pawn for White's d-pawn.
In response to exf6, Black accepts a backward e6-pawn in exchange for freeing their position (the b8–h2 diagonal and the semi-open f-file) and the possibility of a further e6–e5 break.
Other: French (Steiner, Exchange), Ruy Lopez (Berlin, Møller, Anti-Marshall), Petrov, King's English, French (colors reversed), Sicilian Alapin (colors reversed), Queen's Gambit Accepted (3.e3 variation).
Maintaining control over the weak square in front of the isolated queen pawn as it advances to prevent enemy blockade with the ultimate threat and goal of promotion.
On the other hand, White aims to keep the pawns hanging, trying to generate a kingside attack leveraging off of their superior center control.
Other themes for White include tactical possibilities and line opening breaks in the center.
Themes for White: Exploiting the dark squares, d6 outpost; queenside majority in the endgame, with an advanced pawn.
Players must carefully consider how to recapture on the e4/e5-square, since it alters the symmetric pawn formation and creates strategic subtleties.
Players must carefully consider how to recapture on the d4/d5-square, since it alters the symmetric pawn formation and creates strategic subtleties.
Adding the typical White fianchetto of the king's bishop to this structure provides significant pressure along the long diagonal, and usually prepares the f2–f4–f5 break.