Pawn chains: attack the base, never the head

When two pawn structures lock against each other diagonally, it's called a "pawn chain". Knowing where to direct your efforts in this kind of position completely changes how you approach the middlegame.

Head and base

A pawn chain has a head (the most advanced pawn, in contact with the opponent) and a base (the rearmost pawn, the one supporting all the others). The head tends to catch the eye first, but it's a classic mistake to focus your efforts there.

Look at the diagram

Why the base, never the head

The head of the chain (e5 for White in this diagram) is actually the strongest link: it's directly supported by the pawn behind it (d4). Attacking the head means striking the best-defended point of the whole structure.

The base, on the other hand, can only ever be defended by pieces, never by another pawn: that's the weak link. In the position above, Black has already started this work with ...c5 and ...Qb6, aiming directly at c3, the base of White's chain. The logical follow-up is ...cxd4, opening the c-file and relieving the pressure on that square.

And the other way around?

Symmetrically, the base of Black's chain is e6. White typically targets it with an f4-f5 push later in the game, trying to blow the pawn open to open lines against Black's king, which has often castled kingside in this type of structure.

Key takeaways

• ✓A pawn chain has a head (strong link, supported by another pawn) and a base (weak link, supported only by pieces)
• ✓Always attack the base of the opponent's chain, never its head
• ✓In the French Advance, White's base is on c3 (targeted by ...c5), Black's base is on e6 (targeted by f4-f5)