Tactical motifs
Advanced pawn
A pawn deep in enemy territory, often one step from queening.
What is the advanced pawn?
An advanced pawn is a pawn pushed far into the opponent's half — usually a passed pawn on the sixth or seventh rank — that threatens to promote or ties down enemy pieces to stop it.
Why the advanced pawn matters
A pawn on the seventh is a monster: it forces the defender to give up a whole piece to block or capture it, and the tactics that clear its path are some of the most decisive in chess. Many endgames and sharp middlegames come down to one runner.
How to use it to win
Push and support passed pawns relentlessly — they grow stronger every rank. Look for deflection or clearance tactics that remove the one blocker, and remember the rule of thumb: passed pawns must be pushed.
Try an example puzzle
A real advanced pawn puzzle from the app. White to move — find the idea, then reveal the line.
7 
Show solution
1. Rxc2 Bxc2 2. d7
Drill the advanced pawn on thousands of real puzzles, matched to your rating.