Connected pawns

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

White's pawns on the a-, b-, and c-files, as well as on the g- and h-files, are connected.

In chess, connected pawns are two or more pawns of the same color on adjacent files, as distinct from isolated pawns. These pawns are instrumental in creating pawn structure because, when diagonally adjacent, like the two rightmost white pawns, they form a pawn chain, where the pawn behind protects the one in front. When attacking these chains, the weak spot is the backmost pawn because it is not protected by any other pawn.^[1][2]