Isolated Pawn (Isolani)

You should know how to handle an isolated pawn…

Sometimes you can create an Isolated Pawn in your opponents position. This can be done in exchanging pieces or pawns on a certain square.

A Pawn, that is isolated, is weak, because it is not protected by another pawn. It is called an Isolani. Especially in the endgame Isolanis are weak and if you have an Isolani yourself try to avoid exchanging pieces but attack in the center and on the kingside instead.

You should try to attack as the Isolani is controlling vital squares in the center. You can use those squares as an outpost for your knight, and if the knight is traded off the Isolani will recapture and usually will not be an Isolani anymore.

If your opponent has the Isolani, don’t be afraid to trade off pieces and go into the endgame if possible. If you simplify the position trading off pieces then your opponent has not enough pieces left to start a serious attack but has to worry about not to lose his weak pawn.

First you block the weak pawn to stop it from moving forward. Then you control the square in front of it with many of your pieces. After that you try to attack it from all sides and win it or you attack something else as your pieces enjoy greater freedom because the enemy pieces are tied down to defend the pawn.

Black has an Isolani

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How Chess Grandmaster Igor Smirnov developed his chess teaching system.