The Pawn

The Pawn

The pawn seems, to the beginner, to be rather insignificant. After all, it is worth only 1 point, the least of any of the other chessmen. However, pawns can be very important as you will come to appreciate.

At the beginning of the game each side has 8 pawns. Except on its first move, a pawn may only move one square forward at a time. Pawns can never move backwards. When a pawn makes its very first move it has a choice; it can either move one square or two. However, it moves one square in all following moves.

If the square immediately in front of the pawn contains another piece then the pawn is unable to move forward. It is blocked. None of the pawns in this diagram can move.

Although a pawn moves straight forward it captures by talking one square diagonally forward. In the diagram White can capture either the Rook or the Knight. She does this by removing the captured piece from the board and replacing it with the pawn.

This diagram shows the position after the pawn has captured the Rook.

When a pawn reaches the other end of the board it can be changed for any other piece of its own colour, except the King. This is called promotion. Therefore, a pawn can be promoted to a Queen, a Rook, a Bishop or a Knight. Normally a pawn is promoted to a Queen but sometimes there may be a good reason to promote a pawn to another piece instead. If there is not a spare Queen, a Rook turned upside down (or any other suitable object) is place on the board to represent a Queen . A pawn is promoted by removing the pawn from the board and placing the chosen piece on the promotion square.



The Pawn Game

Pelts and Alburt, in Comprehensive Chess Course, describe The Pawn Game. This game is very good for learning how pawns move. Remember the pawns move one square forward (never backward) except on their first move when they have a choice of moving either one or two squares. They capture by moving one square diagonally forward.

Choosing for colours

One of the players hides a Black pawn in one hand and a White pawn in the other. She then holds out both fists in front of her and the opponent selects one of them. The opponent will play Black if the fist contains the Black pawn, and he will play White if it contains the White pawn. After the first game the players switch colours every game.

The starting position

The pawns are placed on the board as in normal chess but no other pieces are used.

You win the game:

a) if your opponent gives up; or
b) if you are the first to capture all your opponent's pawns; or
c) if you are the first to reach the last rank (i.e. your opponent's first rank) with one of your pawns; or
d) if it is your opponent's turn to move but all her pawns are blocked and do not have any moves, while you yourself can make at least one move.

The game is a draw:

a) if the two players agree to call it a draw; or
b) if both sides pawns are blocked up so that neither side can make any moves.

Other rules:

a) If you touch one of your own men when it is your turn to move, you must move it.
b) If you touch one of your opponent's men, you must capture it if you can.
c) Once you make a move, you cannot change it so think carefully.