Pawn play: when to wreck your structure?

Hi,

I am trying to fix a problem I seem to have: I don't like to wreck my pawn structure when the gains are not concrete.
For example: - when I won't win wood, but may prevent some counterplay.
- Or when I gain some pressure for the price of a backwards pawn.

Stuff like that: tangible, but not super concrete. Meanwhile a wrecked pawn structure is forever. So I hesitate too much entering these situations.
Maybe you can call such moments 'positional sacrificing into tactical play'.

Can you help me out by suggesting some (hard!) study material?

Thanks!
Duzzz

I usually simply try to prevent any bad pawn formations. However, the most important is to understand what is bad and what is not. For example, a double pawn, or even a triple pawn (had that once) would be pretty bad at the edge of the board, but can be strong in the middle, especially if the opponent does not have enough pawns/defenders to counter them. This is best shown in a position like this.

lichess.org/editor/r1bq1rk1/ppp1bppp/2np1n2/1B2p1B1/4P3/3P1N2/PPP2PPP/RN1Q1RK1_w_Qq_-_0_1

You see how black does not mind to get a double pawn on c6 but does mind to have one on f6 as it means bringing the king open. Both pawns are good there, but a pawn defending the king is worth more in opening / mid-game. However, it can mean a good advantage in the end-game.

#2: True. These generalities prevent me from weakening my own structure, but sometimes it is best to break these 'rules'.
I seem to have trouble in complex middlegame positions judging when to, and am looking for training material to fix that.

Maybe someone knows a book that details playing with bad pawn structures in exchange for activity?

Duzzz

Every doubled pawn is an open line: use it! You‘re welcome.

very interesting, Thank you Sarg0n

Try playing sideways pawns variant if you want to do it pretty easily.

I play gambits most of the time, for both sides. What i have learned is that a pawn advantage is more often that not, not significant at all until you reach the endgame and your opponent has opposition advantage. So, ruined pawn structures are not much of a concern to me so long i have counterplay or that they arent easily exploitable.

And in fact, most of the times, those ruined pawn structures are caused by a bishop capturing a knight. So think about it this way. He forfeited the bishop pair to ruin my structure, how can i exploit the weaknesses left by said bishop?