Pawns.
There is an overlooked task in pawns activities that is very important, Try it next time you have an opportunity.
That task is to block powerful offensive pieces like towers and bishops.
Now I am playing a game in which my opponent could mate me by placing one of his towers in my base line, but I have a pawn blocking that tower. . . and if the tower takes my pawn. . . I am already prepared to it.
The fact is that the tower does not bother or worry me thanks to a "poor peasant" called "pawn".
Another thing the pawn can do is en passant. This is the only way a pawn can move diagonally without capturing. En passant happens when two pawns advance from different sides. While they get closer to standing next to each other, one pawn may move diagonally. This is en passant.
The pawn, as small of a piece, is very significant. The pawn has special moves like en passant and promotion, which can hopefully, save your king, and the game.