Question:

In chess, can a pawn in the 2nd last row move diagonally in order to get promoted, w/o killing an opponent?

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This happened to me before, and I am wondering if it is a valid move. Because it is known that the pawn can only move diagonally if he is overtaking an opponent, so I am wondering if the above scenario is a valid exception to the rule. Please provide proof; a website with chess rules, a book, etc. Thanks!

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  1. No.


  2. nope. you can only move pawns forward except when attacking.  if your friend really needs proof just google "chess rules" or something like that, you'll find plenty of evidence for him

  3. no. you can only move a pawn diagonal if it is taking another piece. other than that, it's forward.

  4. You don't need proof, it's impossible for the pawn to move diagonally UNLESS it is capturing a piece.  That's the way of pawns and is common chess knowledge.

  5. no. That would be breaking the rules.

    http://www.chessclub.com/resources/rules

  6. No, so you're opponent cheated.

    Diagnally to capture, straight ahead on all other moves excapt for the 1st move where it can go 2 spaces fowards.

    The only exception is en passant.  This is when your pawn reaches the 5th rank and your opponent moves a pawn in an adjacent column 2 spaces ahead, to the side of your pawn.  On your next move, AND THAT MOVE ONLY you may make the capture AS IF the pawn only moved 1 space foward instead of 2.  

    The reason for this is because pawns being allowed to move 2 spaces is just a 'speed up' rule but the powers that be did not intend for you to be able to get a 'passed pawn' in this fashion.  A passed pawn is a pawn that has no pawns in the columns in front or adjacent to it.  These pawns are more valuable/dangerous that regular pawns.

  7. Hello,,NO!! Change the rules for your own game play did you! You know the rules so play them!

  8. no it can only move diag if taking a piece

  9. Unfortunately for you, you got cheated in a very respectable game. That move is not valid. Like everyone else said the pawn can only be promoted by moving from the seventh rank to the eighth rank by (1) advancing to an unoccupied space directly in front of it or (2) capturing another piece that is on an eighth rank space that lies diagonally from the pawn waiting to be promoted. There is a move where the pawn can move to an unoccupied diagonal space and that move is "en passant".Even in this move your pawn wont reach a promotion spot and still has to move forward to reach the eight rank.

  10. "Because it is known that the pawn can only move diagonally if he is overtaking an opponent"

    What makes you think the pawn is a male?? You provide ME proof!!!

  11. No you can't

  12. No, a pawn can only move diagonally when capturing another pawn or piece or is en passanting another pawn. I would recommend getting the official USCF rulebook so something like this does not happen again. You don't need proof, only a basic understanding of the rules of chess.

  13. the only time a pawn can move diagionally w/o directly entering a space occupied by another piece is when a pawn making it's first move moves directly to the side of the pawn using the special 2 space move and it moves behind the pawn that moved and takes the pawn that moved
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