Backward pawn, Straggler | A half-free pawn on the second or third rank whose stop square lacks pawn protection but is controlled by a sentry. |
Basic duo | A duo where one of the pawns constitutes the base of a chain. |
Buffer duo | Two opposing duos facing each other with one rank in between. |
Candidate | Unopposed or half-free pawn. |
Center lever | A lever wholly within the two center files. |
Center pawn | Pawn on the d- or e-file. |
Centerswap | A capture from and to the d- or e-file that produces a doubled pawn. |
Chain | A diagonal pawn formations, identified by the number of their links (pawns). |
Chain lever | Adjacent levers in a diagonal formation, where the respective headpawns attack the base of the opposing chain, e.g., f5, g4 vs. g6, h5. Produces passed pawns. |
Compound formation | A formation consisting of several descriptive categories whose defining characteristics depend on the perspective from which it is viewed, e.g., d4, e4 vs. d5 – could be described as a center ram, center duo, tight duo, lever duo, center lever, tight lever, duo lever, etc. |
Conditional backwardness | A pawn that is backward in only certain respects. |
Counterpawn | Directly opposing pawn. |
Cross lever | Four immediately and directly opposing pawns, two of each color, e.g., d4, e4 vs. d5, e5. |
Dispersion | The vertical splitting of pawns (most commonly, isolation) caused by captures. |
Distortion | The horizontal splitting of pawns caused by advances. |
Double lever | An innerpawn under simultaneous attack from both adjacent files. It may be loose or tight. |
Double pawns, Twins | Friendly pawns on the same file. |
Doubling, Undoubling | The creation or elimination of a double pawn formation. |
Duo | Two adjacent pawns of the same color on the same rank that mutually cover the other’s stop square. |
Dynamical Obstruction | Opposing pawns on adjacent files. |
Faker | A half-free pawn with inadequate helpers. |
Fork lever | A lever attacking two units at once (can include a piece). |
Free pawn, passed pawn, passer | A pawn with no counterpawn and no opposing sentries. |
Frontspan | Vertical distance between a pawn and the forward edge of the board. |
Front-twin | The foremost doubled pawn. |
Half-free pawn | Pawn with opposing pawns or pawn on adjacent files. |
Hanging duo | An isolated pair of half-free pawns. |
Head-duo | The headpawn and a friendly pawn in contact with it. |
Headpawn | The foremost pawn in a pawn formation. |
Helper | A candidate’s own pawn on an adjacent file. |
Home pawn | Pawn on the castled side of the board. |
Home side | The castled side of the board. |
Inner lever | A lever where the capture would move toward the center. |
Innerpawn | Pawn on one of the files b-g. |
Interspan | Vertical distance between two opposing pawns. |
Innerswap | A capture towards the center that produces a doubled pawn. |
Lee | Shorter side of the horizontal beam of the pawn cross. |
Lever | Two opposing pawns in contact that can capture each other. |
Local majority | A pawn majority on one wing. |
Loose duo | A duo not in contact with an opposing pawn(s). |
Loose lever | A lever where each side has the option of capturing or bypassing. |
Loose twin | A double pawn whose undoubling is a possibility. |
Luff | Longer side of the horizontal beam of the pawn cross. |
Mechanical Obstruction | Opposing pawn on the same file. |
Mute chain lever | A chain lever in which the bases of the opposing pawn chains are not attacked, e.g., a5, b4, c3 vs. a7, b6, c5. Doesnt produce passers. |
Outer lever | A lever where the capture would move away from the center. |
Outerswap | A capture towards the rim that produces a doubled pawn. |
Outside passer | A passed pawn removed from the bulk of opposing pawns. |
passed pawn, passer, Free pawn | A pawn with no counterpawn and no opposing sentries. |
Passer duo | A duo of two passed pawns. |
Pawn-cross | Cross formed along the rank and file on which the pawn sits with the pawn itself at the center of the cross. |
Pincer lever | Two levers that convergingly attack a chain of two pawns, including it’s base, e.g., b2, c3 vs. a3, d4. |
Protected passer | A passed pawn protected by one or more helpers. |
Quart | Four horizontal friendly pawns. |
Quartgrip | Prototype of the siege. A formation of four vs. four pawns in which the shorter frontspan constitutes a great advantage. |
Ram | Two deadlocked, directly opposing pawns. |
Ranger | Pawn on the uncastled side of the board. |
Ranger side | The uncastled side of the board. |
Rearspan | Vertical distance between a pawn and the rear edge of the board. |
Rear-twin | The least-advanced doubled pawn. |
Rimpawn | Pawn on either the a- or h-file. |
Saw | A zigzag pawn formation (most commonly seen in the Stonewall formation). |
Sentry | Opposing pawn on an adjacent file. |
Sham twin | A double pawn whose undoubling is assured beforehand. |
Shielding | A pawn or a piece being protected from frontal assault by the opposing pawn whose stop or telestop it is occupying. |
Siege | Shielded backwardness that paralyzes a whole formation of pawns. |
Sneaker | An unfree pawn or faker that may become a passer through a sacrificial combination. |
Span | The pawn’s vertical distance from the edges of the board. |
Straggler, Backward pawn | A half-free pawn on the second or third rank whose stop square lacks pawn protection but is controlled by a sentry. |
Stopsquare, stop | The square directly in front of a pawn. |
Symmetrical exchange | An exchange eliminating a pawn and its counterpawn. Reduces chances for levers and opens a file. Typically stabilizing. E.g., 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3. cxd5 cxd5. |
Telestops | Squares beyond the stop square in the frontspan of a pawn. |
Tight duo | A duo in contact with an opposing pawn(s), whose axis forms a ram. |
Tight lever | A lever including a ram, that offers only one side the option of both capture and bypass, e.g., c4, d4 vs. d5, e6. |
Tight twin | A double pawn whose undoubling by force is theoretically impossible. |
Triad | A group of three pawns including a non-isolated twin, e.g., b2, b3, c2. A triad of unfree pawns is unable to produce a passer against a duo. |
Trio | Three horizontal friendly pawns. |
Twins, Double pawns | Friendly pawns on the same file. |
Undoubling, Doubling | The creation or elimination of a double pawn formation. |
Unfree pawn | Pawn with a counterpawn. |
Unsymmetrical exchange | A dynamic exchange resulting in a half-open file and half-free pawn for each side. E.g., 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3. cxd5 exd5. |
Wedge | Two converging chains reaching into enemy territory. |
Wing pawn | Pawn on the files a-c or f-h. |