Pawn

The pawn is the weakest but most numerous piece in Chess, with a value of 1 point. It may move one vacant square directly forward or two vacant squares on its first move. Although the pawn is the weakest piece, each player begins the game with eight pawns, on the 2nd rank for White and 7th rank for Black, making them amazing pieces to efficiently take and control space on the board. Generally, standard algebraic notation represents a pawn movement by omitting a letter, though a capital P is used by some players.

The pawn historically represents soldiers or infantry.

Placement & Movement

Placement

Each player begins with eight pawns located on the second rank (white) and seventh rank (black).

The white pawns start on a2 through h2. The black pawns start on a7 through h7.

Movement

Pawns are usually only able to move one square directly forward, making them the only piece that cannot move backwards. On the pawn's first move, it has the option of moving two squares forward instead of one. (Note that squares must be vacant for the Pawn to move as the pawn is not able to capture pieces by moving directly forward.) In the second diagram below, the pawn on b5 is only able to move one square forward, but the pawn on e2 is able to move two squares forward as it is located on its starting rank.

Capturing

Unlike any other piece in chess, the pawn does not capture in the same way that it moves. A pawn can capture a piece by moving one square forward diagonally (see second diagram), either replacing an enemy piece on its square or by capturing en passant.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Starting positions of pawns.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Circles denote where Pawns can move.
Crosses denote where Pawns can capture.
Note the two squared move on it's first move.

Special Moves

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

The black pawn on d7 has just used its
two-square move to e5. The white pawn on f5 can use
en passant to capture it by moving to e6.

For more information on these moves, view the main articles linked within the descriptions.

Promotion

Main article: Promotion

If a pawn moves to its last rank (eighth for white, first for black), it may be promoted to a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same color. The pawn is replaced by the new piece on the same move. A player is not limited to promoting to pieces that aren't captured, so a player is able to have nine queens on the board. The most popular promotion piece is the queen as it is the most powerful. Promotion to a queen is called 'queening'. A pawn promotion to any other piece is called an "underpromotion."

En passant

Main article: En passant

En passant is a special move in Chess that occurs after a pawn uses their two-square rule to move next to an opposing pawn. The opposing pawn is then able to capture that pawn as if it had only moved one square. This rule is to prevent pawns from using its two-square move to pass an opposing pawn without being able to be taken. Note that 'en passant' is only able to be performed on the move immediately after the two-square pawn advance; you cannot do it on the next move.

Strategy

Pawn Structure

The configuration of the pawns on the board, also known as pawn structure, determines how the game is played. While other pieces can usually be (freely) moved to better positions, pawns are limited in movement and a badly placed pawn can often not be relocated. Being able to control two squares and being located in front of all the other pieces, pawns generally signify the space that a player controls and often, the space that a player can freely & safely move in.

Pawn Chain

Because pawns capture pieces diagonally and can be blocked from moving directly forward, conflicting pawns can end up being locked in pawn chains of multiple pawns. Each player controls the squares of one color and each pawn controls at least one square located between the adjacent and opposing pawn.

As you can see in the first diagram below, all pawns are stuck in a pawn chain and cannot be unstuck without another piece capturing a pawn.

Doubled Pawns

After a capture with a pawn, a player may have multiple pawns on the same file, also known as doubled pawns. Doubled pawns are a lot weaker than regular pawns adjacent to each other because they cannot protect each other and the front pawn blocks the pawn behind it.

Doubled pawns are often a great time to trade same value pieces as they give a disadvantage to the opponent's pawn structure.

Pawns that are both doubled and isolated are a great weakness as an opposing piece or pawn can simply move in front of the doubled pawns and cannot be (easily) dislodged without the interference of a piece instead of a pawn.

Passed Pawn

A pawn that cannot be blocked or captured by another pawn in its advance to promotion is called a passed pawn. Passed pawns are very important in endgames as the person that promotes to a queen first usually ends up winning the game.

Isolated Pawn

A pawn that has no friendly pawns in adjacent files that could protect it is called an isolated pawn. Any enemy piece that is in front of the pawn not only stops the pawn from advancing but also cannot be attacked by other pawns that in regular situations are in adjacent files.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

A pawn chain.

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Black has doubled pawns after a bishop-knight trade
but also opened the diagonal for their bishop.