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Session 3 - the Pawn Lever
A Pawn Lever occurs when two opposing pawns are in a position where they can capture each other. Most often employed in opening a closed position. Characteristically advancing a pawn offers a trade with the objective of
- improving the playing side's pawn structure
- damaging the opposition's pawn structure
The illustrative end-game example in the diagram emphasises the manoevre. The keymove b6 is decisive for either side:
- if White plays b6 he is guaranteed a promotion
- if Black plays b6 for promotion while White is denied
Eddie continued to illustrate the manoevre with examples taken from several of his own games. He finished by taking instances from Danny Kopec's book "Mastering the Sicilian" where the pawn lever featured regularly as the turning point in games. The most spectacular use of the pawn lever though is Mikhail Tal's famous victory against Bobby Fisher in 1959 - move 17 and Tal quietly advances his d-pawn and Fisher's position just falls apart.
Eddie is an Ulster Champion and has represented Ireland in International competition