The role of the Pawn in Chess
As Anatoly Karpov, the great Russian grandmaster put it, “Pawns not only create the sketch for the whole painting, they are also the soil, the foundation, of any position.”
Even though they have the least amount of ranking among all the chess pieces, pawns are an integral part of any chess strategy. They can have tremendous value when they function as a unit, and when they are used as a single piece, they can still be crucial
to the game.
However, only an intelligent chess player can fully maximise the potential of a pawn, either using it as a single piece or making use of it collaboratively. To make the right choice between the two alternatives, a player should be able to analyse the situation
properly. They should also be fully aware of the strategic importance of a pawn.
The first unique characteristic of the pawn is that it is the only piece in chess that has the option of making a special move in its first turn. The usual manner of a pawn’s movement is one square straight ahead, but when a pawn has to move for the first
time, it may move two squares straight ahead.
As with movement, the pawn can also make a capture that is different from its usual one step diagonal capture. This varied form of capture is called the en passant. This situation arises when a pawn moves two squares ahead during its initial move.
However, the first square that it has jumped is under attack by an enemy pawn.
Even though the pawn is not standing on the first square, the enemy pawn has the option of moving to the first square and making a capture of the pawn that has moved two squares ahead in its initial turn. The important thing to note in this regard is that
an en passant capture can only be made immediately after the pawn has moved two squares ahead, otherwise the option expires.
A third characteristic that the pawns posses, which differentiate it from the rest of the pieces, is that it has the potential to be promoted. If a pawn has advanced far behind the enemy lines and has reached the eighth rank, it can turn into any piece of
the player’s choice, except the king. If the player chooses to turn the pawn into a queen, it is called promotion. In the event that the pawn turns into a rook, bishop or a knight, the process is called under-promotion.
So much for a pawn’s uniqueness, we will now move on to how this piece can be used effectively in strategy. During any chess game, it is important to be careful about how to move and position your pawns because once they have been moved, they cannot turn
back. That is why the way the pawns are structured determines what sort of game will be played.
Pawns may be positioned in such a way that pawn chains are developed at the board. These reduce the mobility of other chess pieces. In some situations, there may be isolated pawns. Such pawns are vulnerable to attack. However, if an isolated pawn has advanced
far into enemy ranks and has a friendly piece - usually a rook - defending it, the isolated pawn becomes critical as the chances of its promotion increase.
These were some basic pointers about the pawn that every beginner should know about. Now go ahead and test what you have learnt by playing some chess.
Tags: