Backward Pawn

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A backward pawn is a pawn no longer defensible by own pawns and whose stop square lacks pawn protection but is controlled by a sentry. Thus, don't considering piece tactics, the backward pawn is not able to push forward without being lost, even establishing an opponent passer. If two opposing pawns on adjacent files in knight distance are mutually backward, the more advanced is not considered backward.

=Aspects= A backward pawn is worse, or even a real Straggler, if on a half-open file as suitable target of opponent rooks. As pointed out by Sam Hamilton, considering stop squares might be insufficient for pawns which may actually push, but have a permanent weakened telestop. On the other hand, such a backward prospective pawn has a vital tempo, which is often decisive in certain pawn endings.

=See also=
 * Backward Pawns (Bitboards)
 * Faker
 * Hidden Passed Pawn
 * Weak Pawns

=Publications=
 * Hans Kmoch (1959, 1990). Pawn Power in Chess. New York: Dover, 1990. Previous ed.: New York: McKay, 1959. ISBN 0-486-26486-6

=Forum Posts=

1999

 * Detecting backward pawns by James Robertson, CCC, June 17, 1999

2000 ...

 * WHAT is the definition of a backward pawn? by Bas Hamstra, CCC, December 23, 2002
 * Backward Pawns by Mark Lefler, CCC, March 24, 2008
 * Doubled and Backward Pawn Engine "Definitions" by Brian Richardson, CCC, September 07, 2009
 * Re: Doubled and Backward Pawn Engine "Definitions" by Sam Hamilton, CCC, September 13, 2009

2010 ...

 * backward pawns in Stockfish by Marek Kwiatkowski, CCC, July 16, 2010
 * What is a backward pawn? by Lyudmil Tsvetkov, CCC, May 12, 2014
 * Pawn backwardness by Natale Galioto, CCC, October 06, 2015

=External Links=
 * Backward Pawn from Wikipedia

=References=

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