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Rules

How the Pieces Move -- the pawn

Pawns move forward, vertically up the board, one square at a time. On their first move, they may elect to move forward two squares; but thereafter, they may only move one square, whether or not they used their two-square first-move option. Just like the other pieces, pawns may not move into (or through, if moving two squares) a square occupied by their own pieces. The also may not move forward vertically into a square occupied by an opposing piece: if an opposing piece stands in the square directly in front of the pawn, the pawn is blocked, and may not move forward, nor capture the piece. Pawns are able to capture other pieces, but not in the forward vertical direction in which they move. Rather, pawns capture forwards diagonally left or right, again one square.

Observe the following diagram: the left-hand white pawn can move forward one or two squares, but it cannot currently make any captures; the right-hand white pawn cannot move straight forward (because it is blocked by the center black pawn), but it can capture either the left- or right-hand black pawn (but not the center black pawn); the left-hand black pawn can either move forward one square or capture the adjacent white pawn; the right-hand black pawn can either move forward one square or capture the adjacent white pawn; the center black pawn can neither move nor capture.

Click here to open an interactive example board in a new window. Use the VCR buttons to get a feel for how the pawns move. Simply close or minimize the new window to return to this page.

Pawns have a special capture called en passant (roughly translated as “in passing”). If a player has a pawn on the fifth rank, and the opposing player moves a pawn on an adjacent file from its initial square two squares forward, the first player may make a pawn capture as though the opposing pawn had only moved one square forward. This is best understood by seeing it in action. Click here to open an interactive example board in a new window. Use the VCR buttons to get a feel for how en passant works. Simply close or minimize the new window to return to this page.

En passant capturing is of course optional, but the option may only be exercised immediately after the opposing pawn has made its two square move. If the player decides not to capture en passant immediately, he or she may not do so later.

Lastly, pawns have the special ability to promote. If a pawn makes it all the way across the board, it may be promoted to any piece (other than a king) of the same color. Most often, the pawn is promoted to a queen, since the queen is the most powerful piece. However, a player is allowed to “under-promote” a pawn to a rook, bishop, or knight. Note that it is perfectly legal to have more than one queen (or more than two rooks, bishops, or knights) on the board following a pawn promotion.

Next: How the Pieces Move -- Check