“The pawns are the soul of the game”… This saying comes from François Philidor (1726 – 1795), who was a famous chess player.
What can a Pawn do in Chess?
A pawn moves forward and can never go backward. He can capture other pawns and pieces sideways while moving forward one square ahead at the same time. A pawn cannot kill by moving straight. He can give a check to a king but cannot capture a king. He can capture a queen, rooks, bishops, knights and pawns. A pawn can capture another pawn en passant as well, when the opponent’s pawn moves forward two squares from its original position. A pawn can promote itself on the last rank to a piece of your choice.
Can a Pawn kill a King in Chess?
No, of course not!
Can a Pawn kill a Queen?
Yes!
Can Pawns kill backwards?
No!
Can a Pawn move sideways?
Only if it captures something, otherwise not.
Pawn Promotion
When a pawn reaches the last rank it can be promoted into a queen or any other piece. However, almost always you will promote the pawn to a queen because a queen is the strongest piece and often this will decide the game quickly in your favor once you are a queen up in material. If you promote you just replace the pawn for a queen on the same square.
How a Pawn moves
It is important that you understand how a Chess Pawn moves. There are various diagrams below where the moves are explained.
Keep in mind that once you move a pawn, it cannot return anymore. Pawns can’t go backwards. And it can go only one square forward unless it is placed on its original square. From there it can go forward two squares in one move.
Many pawn moves in the opening can weaken your chess position in general, as they create weak squares where the enemy can intrude later on.
 |
 |
| White can move his pawn straight ahead to reach the eight rank and make a queen. But if he just runs ahead with no protection at all, the black king will catch him. First go ahead with your king to keep the black king stay away. Logical, isn’t it? Use common sense in chess! |
1. The white chess pawn can take the black one. 2.Or he can move one square forward. |
 |
 |
| 1.The pawn can take away the rook. 2.Or he moves ahead one square without taking the rook.(stupid move) |
1.The P can take away the queen. 2.Or he can move one square ahead without taking the queen.(stupid move) |
 |
 |
| The black king must move away, because he is attacked by white P. The king cannot capture the P as he is protected by the white king. | The white chess Pawn on the a-file can move one square ahead. He wants to go to the eight rank (row) and make a queen.The white P on d3 is blocked and can’t move at all. |
 |
 |
| White: 1.The pawn can take the black one and goes to the same square where now the black one is placed. 2.Or he can move one square forward without taking the black one.(stupid move) 3.The f-Pawn can move one square forward. |
1.Here the P can take black bishop. 2.Or he can just move one square ahead without taking the bishop.(stupid move) 3.The white f-Pawn can move one square forward.(stupid move) |
 |
 |
| 1.The white c-pawn can go one square forward and reaches the square c8 (called: the eight rank). After that, he is transformed into a queen.(you can choose other pieces as well but the queen is the strongest.) 2.The P on e4 moves one square forward and gives check to the black king. 3.Or takes away the black pawn on d5. |
White moves: 1.The pawn can take away the knight and is transformed into the queen. 2.Or just goes one square forward not taking the knight and is transformed into a queen.(or other pieces) Black moves: 1. The black a-pawn goes one square forward in the hope to reach the first rank and make a queen as well. |
 |
 |
| 1.P takes the queen and gets a queen himself. 2.Or moves one square forward without taking the queen and transforms into a queen himself.(silly move) |
1.White P on d6 goes one square forward to reach the eight rank. 2.White P on d4 moves one square forward. |
 |
 |
| All pawns are blocked and can’t move at all. | 1.White P on e2 moves TWO squares forward. 2.or moves ONE square forward. 3.or takes away the black pawn. 4.White pawn on f2 moves TWO or ONE squares forward. 4.White P on g2 moves TWO or ONE squares forward. |
 |
 |
| 1.White P moves TWO squares forward.(without taking the black pawn) 2.or moves one square forward. In BOTH cases black can recapture!!(Black can take en passant!) |
1.White pawn can go forward TWO squares.(Black canNOT take en passant afterwards!) 2.Or goes ahead one square. And can NOT be exchanged off by black afterwards. |
 |
 |
| 1.White pawn can go forward TWO squares.(Black CAN take en passant afterwards!) 2.or goes ahead one square. And CAN be exchanged off by Black afterwards. |
1.White can move all pawns (not at the same time of course) ON THE SECOND RANK (Row) TWO squares forward, if he likes to. 2.The e-pawn van go one square forward. |
 |
 |
| 1.White e-pawn can go one square forward. 2.or can take away the black pawn on d5. |
1.Black P on e6 can take away (recapture) the white P on d5. 2.Or can move one square forward.(silly) 3.All black Pawns ON THE SEVENTH RANK can move TWO squares forward.(not at the same time, of course) |
 |
 |
| 1.Black pawn takes away the white one on d4. 2.or moves one square forward. 3.All black pawns ON THE SEVENTH RANK can move TWO squares forward.(not at the same time, of course) |
1.White pawn takes away the knight on g4. 2.Or just moves one square forward.(silly) |
Hey, that should be enough! Don’t you think? I hope you understand now how a chess pawn can move.
Please study Chess Pawns structures to avoid bad pawn structures.
Go to – Basic Chess Rules
Go from – Chess Pawn to – How to play Chess – Home
How Chess Grandmaster Igor Smirnov developed his chess teaching system.