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Beginner lesson 6/20
Special pawn rules
Learn promotion, the initial two-square move and en passant.
Learn this chess concept step by step, then practise it on the interactive ChessRivo board.
Open interactive lessonAbout this lesson
Pawns have simple movement but several special rules.
Key ideas
- From its starting square a pawn may move one or two squares if clear.
- On the last rank, a pawn promotes — usually to a queen.
- En passant is possible only immediately after the relevant two-square pawn move.
Coach tip: Passed pawns become more valuable as they approach promotion.
Test yourself
What usually happens when a pawn reaches the last rank?
- It disappears
- It promotes
- It moves backward
Show answer
Correct answer: It promotes
Practise this lesson interactively
Open the ChessRivo Academy board exercise for this exact lesson. Your progress is saved when you are signed in.
Open interactive lessonHow to use this lesson in a real game
Turn the idea into a repeatable decision process.
- Before moving, name the position feature this lesson is about.
- Find one candidate move that follows the lesson idea and one alternative.
- After the game, return to the critical position and compare your choice with the lesson.