2.8. Complex Pawn Endings
Although in tournament play pawn endings with many pawns are not common, we shall examine a few examples to demonstrate their peculiarities. The assessment of the position and the choice of the right plan are made considerably more difficult in view of the increased number of possibilities. Nevertheless, they must always be based on the specifics of the pawn structure, the relative king position and the number of reserve tempi. In addition to the well-known positional motifs i.e. the protected and outside passed pawn and the use of the opposition or correspondence in gaining space, the fixing of enemy pawn weaknesses and the disruption of the enemy pawn chain, as well as the possibility of a breakthrough will play a major role.
We shall first investigate some characteristic cases of breakthrough with pawns on the same wing. The white pawns have secured more space so one of them will promote by force.
