Hanging pawns: strong and vulnerable at once

In short

Look at two pawns of the same colour standing side by side, for example on c5 and d5. If there are no pawns of their own colour on the b- and e-files, they are called hanging pawns. Side by side, they do not protect each other.

Nimzowitsch tells their origin like a family story. After an exchange, an isolani turns into an isolated pawn couple, two pawns diagonally one behind the other. If the rear pawn advances, hanging pawns arise. From the isolani they have inherited the mixture of weakness and attacking power.

For him, two things are certain. Because no pawn protects them, attacks along open files are particularly troublesome. And often one of the two can advance so that the other protects it. Then they are safer, but blocked; Nimzowitsch calls this blocked security.

When should a pawn advance? Nimzowitsch warns against a breakthrough that comes too early, and equally against security without any counterplay. An advance is worth it if some initiative remains afterwards, for example against a weak pawn of the opponent. According to Nimzowitsch, you should never go into a dead blockade; it is better to stay hanging.

Start with lesson 35, where you decide when one of the pawns advances. Lesson 27 explains the isolani. In Tarrasch against Nimzowitsch and in Spielmann against Nimzowitsch, Nimzowitsch plays with Black against hanging pawns.

Summarised by the editors in their own words. This is not a quotation.

From isolani to isolani

Often one of the hanging pawns advances all the way and is exchanged. Then a single pawn is left again, a new isolani. Nimzowitsch calls this a cycle. What matters then is whether the new isolani can hold.

He sees the hanging state as temporary. The art is to find the right moment to end it. Usually the defender advances one or two moves too early, Nimzowitsch observes.

Better hanging than fixed

The isolated pawn couple, from which hanging pawns often arise, is clumsy. Nimzowitsch advises its owner to do everything possible to advance the rear pawn. He much prefers hanging pawns, because they make threats. For him, an uncertain initiative is better than safe passivity.

What holds today

To this day, hanging pawns are considered double-edged. They are strong as long as pieces support them. They become weak when they are attacked and cannot advance. Nimzowitsch already considered them a living weapon, unlike the attacking power of the isolani. Which side is right is shown by the concrete position.

Where to find it in Nimzowitsch

• My System: II. Teil, 3c Die hängenden Bauern original text not yet published

  The family tree of hanging pawns, starting from the isolani, and when they should advance into blocked security.

• My System: II. Teil, 3b Das „isolierte Bauernpaar“ original text not yet published

  The isolated pawn couple and why its owner should seek the transition to hanging pawns.

• Chess Praxis: 4. Der isolierte Damenbauer, die zwei Hängebauern Die zwei Läufer original text not yet published

  Example games; Nimzowitsch considers hanging pawns a weapon that has not become outdated.

• Chess Praxis: Partie 65 (original text)

  Rubinstein against Nimzowitsch: blocked security with a small initiative instead of an early breakthrough.

• Chess Praxis: Partie 67 (original text)

  Tarrasch against Nimzowitsch: Black restrains and blockades White’s hanging pawns.

In the course

• The isolani
• Hanging pawns
• Spielmann – Nimzowitsch, San Sebastián 1911
• Tarrasch – Nimzowitsch, Hamburg 1910