A queenside or kingside majority is more pawns than the opponent on one wing. Playing for one means steering the opening towards a majority that can make a passed pawn.
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Start0/8
Some openings are played with the endgame in mind. If your majority can create a passed pawn and the opponent's cannot, every trade of pieces brings you closer to winning.
How to do it
- 1Check which wing your majority is on, and whether theirs is damaged.
- 2Trade pieces, because the fewer that remain, the more the pawns decide.
- 3In the endgame, advance the healthy majority with your king close behind.
For your level
A majority that can make a passed pawn beats a bigger one that cannot. Count files as well as pawns.
Check you have it
Question 1 of 1
On which file does Black have two pawns, one behind the other?
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
Common mistakes
- Playing for the structure and then keeping the pieces on, where the opponent's bishops decide the game.
- Advancing the majority before the king can support it.
Questions
- Why can a majority with doubled pawns not make a passed pawn?
- A passed pawn needs more pawns than the defender on those files. Four pawns on three files against three pawns on the same three files can be held, so the extra pawn counts for little.