Weak square: a hole in the pawn structure

In short

A pawn controls only the two squares diagonally in front of it. Once it has advanced, it can never control the squares behind it again. So it is easy to end up with a square that no pawn of its colour can reach any more. Such a square is called weak, often also a hole.

Nimzowitsch explains the term with the blockade. A piece directly in front of an enemy passed pawn stands safely, because the pawn shields it from the front. So its square often becomes a weak point of the opponent. Later, any square in front of an enemy pawn counted as weak if a piece can hold on there for good.

The term was widened even further. Lasker, for example, speaks of weak light squares, Nimzowitsch writes. Then the piece on the weak square no longer needs an enemy pawn as a protective wall. It is enough that the opponent can no longer control these squares.

So your own pawns stop enemy pieces from settling in your camp. That is why you should ask yourself before every pawn move: which square will this pawn no longer be able to control afterwards? Nimzowitsch advises avoiding moves that weaken important points.

Lesson 27 shows the square in front of an isolani. Lesson 39 shows a square in the centre that no enemy pawn controls. In both lessons you make use of a weak square of your opponent’s.

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

A pawn move with late consequences

Against Pritzel both sides exchange queens early, and White presses on the d-file. Then Black plays c6 and so weakens the square d6. Before, the file was only under pressure; now it is weakened, Nimzowitsch writes. In his view a knight move to c6 was better.

For a long time nothing happens on d6. Much later a white rook occupies exactly this square, and shortly afterwards Black resigns. The occupation had been looming for a long time, Nimzowitsch writes.

What you can do about weak squares

In “My System” Nimzowitsch shows which of your own pawns you had better get rid of early. Some pawns only become weak when the opponent advances their pawns. Then you exchange such a pawn in good time, while you still can.

Sometimes two weaknesses disappear at once. Weak points and weak pawns tend to be exchanged for each other, Nimzowitsch writes. He compares this to an exchange of prisoners.

Today’s view

Today people mostly say weak square or hole. Such a square matters most in the centre or near the king. But whether it does harm depends on the position. Can an enemy piece get there and achieve something from there?

Where to find it in Nimzowitsch

• My System: I. Teil, 4.2b Der zweite Grund original text not yet published

  How the idea of the weak point may have arisen from the blockading square and was later widened.

• My System: I. Teil, 4.2c Der dritte Grund original text not yet published

  Pawns stop enemy pieces from settling in and stop weak points from appearing in your own camp.

• My System: I. Teil, Partie-Beispiele zu den ersten drei Kapiteln (original text)

  Nimzowitsch – Pritzel: a pawn move weakens the square d6, which White later occupies.

• My System: I. Teil, 5. Kapitel - Der Abtausch original text not yet published

  Among the rules on exchanging: weak points and weak pawns like to be exchanged for each other.

• My System: II. Teil, 4. Kapitel - Wie man starke Punkte systematisch überdeckt und wie man schwache Bauern bzw. Punkte loszuwerden sucht original text not yet published

  Alongside the overprotection of strong points: which weak pawns of your own you should get rid of in good time.

In the course

• The isolani
• The leap into the centre
• Nimzowitsch – Pritzel, Copenhagen 1922