Lesson 9: Double Isolated Pawns

The double isolated pawn structure is one in which each side has an isolated pawn on the same file. This static structure can result, for example, from an isolani position after an exchange of a blockading knight.

In this lesson we will examine a game with double isolated queen pawns in which the game progresses through a variety of pawn structures before reaching double isolated pawns. In this game, there is a struggle between White's good knight against Black's bad bishop. Other positional ideas include control of the open files adjacent the isolated pawns, placement of the knight, and White's exploitation of his spatial advantage to support a kingside attack.


Game 1: Kasparov-Karpov (22nd game, 1986 World Championship)

1 d4 Nf6
2 c4 e6
3 Nf3 d5
4 Nc3 Be7
5 Bg5 h6
6 Bf6 Bf6
7 e3 O-O
8 Rac1 c6
9 Bd3 Nbd7
10 O-O dc
11 Bc4 e5
12 h3 ed
13 ed Nb6
14 Bb3 Bf5
15 Rfe1 a5
16 a3 Rfe8
17 Re8+ Qe8
18 Qd2 Nbd7
19 Qf4 Bg6
20 h4 Qd8
21 Na4 b5
22 Rce1 Qb8
24 Qe3 b4
25 Ne4 ba
26 Nf6 Nf6
27 ba Nd5
28 Bd5 cd5
29 Ne5 Qd8
30 Qf3 Ra6
31 Rc1 Kh7
32 Qh3 Rb6
33 Rc8 Qd6
34 Qg3 a4
35 Ra8 Qe6
36 Ra4 Qf5
37 Ra7 Rb1
38 Kh2 Rc1
39 Rb7 Rc2
40 f3 Rd2
41 Nd7 Rd4
42 Nf8 Kh6
43 Rb4 Rc4
44 Rc4 dc
45 Qd6 c3
46 Qd4 1-0


Position 1: Smyslov-Ribly (1983)

White (to move): Kg1, Qd1, Re1, Rf1, Nd5, Ne5, a3, b2, d4, f2, g2, h2.
Black: Kg7, Qd8, Ra8, Rf8, Be8, a7, b6, ,e6, f7, g6, h7.


Position 2: Zifroni-Bykons (Israel, 1995)

White (to move): Kg1, Qg3, Ra1, Re5, Ng5, a2, b2, d4, f2, g2, h3.
Black: Kg8, Qd7, Ra8, Re7, Bf5, a7, b7, d5, f7, g6, h7.


Position 3: Jagupov-Legkis (Javerona, 1994)

White (to move): Kg1, Qd6, Rc1, Rd1, Nc6, d4, f2, g2, h2.
Black: Kg8, Qe2, Ra8, Re8, Be6, d5, f7, g7, h6.