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Step 9: Advanced Track · about 30 min

Space and Pawn Breaks

🖨 Worksheet🔑 Answer key🖨 Easy-reading worksheet

Goal: Kids can tell who has more space, and know the cramped side should trade pieces and play pawn breaks.

You need: Demo board · One board and set per pair

1 · Teach it (20 min)

Read these out loud, or put them in your own words. Show each board on screen or set it up on a demo board.

  1. 1.“Space is how much of the board your pawns control. Count how far forward your pawns are. More space means your pieces have more room to move, and the opponent's pieces get in each other's way.”

  2. 2.“If you have more space, don't trade pieces. Every trade gives the cramped side more room. Keep them squeezed.”

  3. 3.“If you're cramped, do the opposite: trade pieces, and play a pawn break. A pawn break is a pawn move that hits the enemy pawns to open lines. In this position Black first develops the bishop to f5, outside the pawns, and then breaks with c5.”

  4. 4.“So when you look at the imbalances, ask about space. If you have more, squeeze. If you have less, trade and break.”

With younger kids: A cramped position is a crowded elevator. Get some people out (trade pieces) or open the doors (pawn break).
Watch for:
  • Trading pieces when you have more space.
  • Staying cramped and passive instead of playing a pawn break.

2 · Play it: Squeeze or Break (10 min)

Set up: In pairs, normal game.

  1. After 10 moves each, stop and decide together who has more space.
  2. The side with more space says one way to squeeze. The other side names a pawn break.
  3. Keep playing and try your plans.

3 · Practice and pass check

On iPads, kids open Student → Step 9 → Room to Move. On paper, print the worksheet. A kid passes by getting 2 of 3 on the pass check. The pass code for this lesson is S9-L6-SN.

Practice (3) with answers

1.Who has more space?

abcdefgh
  • ✓White
  • Black
  • It's equal

2.Black: get your light-squared bishop outside the pawn chain before you play e6. Draw an arrow or write the move.

hgfedcba

Move: Bf5

3.You have less space. What usually helps?

  • ✓Trading pieces
  • Avoiding all trades
  • Moving your king forward
Pass check (3) with answers

1.Black: play the pawn break that attacks the base of White's chain. Draw an arrow or write the move.

hgfedcba

Move: c5

2.You have more space. Should you trade pieces?

  • ✓Usually not: keep the opponent squeezed
  • Yes, trade everything

3.What is a pawn break?

  • ✓A pawn move that attacks enemy pawns to open lines
  • A pawn that is captured
  • Taking a break from moving pawns

Topic order based on: How to Reassess Your Chess, Part 10 (space). All wording is original.