Chess rules · beginner

Pawn Promotion

A pawn that reaches the last rank becomes a queen (or rook, bishop, knight).

touch_appLearn it by doing: read the short explanation, then play it on the board.

The rule

When a pawn reaches the far end of the board it promotes: it is replaced by a queen, rook, bishop or knight of your choice. Almost always you choose a queen. That's why pushing a pawn all the way can win games!

Practise it

  • Promotion: A pawn that reaches the last rank becomes a queen (or rook, bishop, knight).

Tips

  • Push the pawn to the 8th rank.

Why it matters

a8=Q! Your pawn becomes a new queen. With an extra queen, you're winning easily.