59
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Is rotating a pawn so that it faces a different direction and then moves in that direction technically permitted according to the 2018 FIDE Laws?
This sort of thing is what the Preface of the Laws of Chess is for:
PREFACE
The Laws of Chess cannot cover all possible situations that may arise
during a game, nor can they regulate all ...
- 28.4k
52
votes
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Why struggle for a single pawn?
As the old poem says:
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of the rider the message was lost.
For want of ...
- 100k
34
votes
Why struggle for a single pawn?
I'm not at all disagreeing with the existing answers - both sound. Indeed every pawn is a potential queen. However, one aspect of the question remaining is: why struggle for a pawn as opposed to a ...
- 541
33
votes
Can a pawn move 2 spaces if doing so would cause en passant mate?
Can a pawn move 2 spaces if doing so would cause en passant mate?
Of course! There are no rules which forbid blundering mate in 1, even forced mate in one.
- 100k
32
votes
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Games where a pawn checkmates the king
One amazing game I know that ends in a pawn mate in one called The Polish Immortal in which Black sacrifices all four minor pieces to win the game! The pawn does a double-step to give the mate.
[Title ...
- 17.7k
30
votes
Are pawns pieces?
I think a "piece" in the chess context is typically shorthand for the more specific terms of a "minor piece" (Knights and bishops) or a "major piece" (Rooks and Queens).
...
- 712
29
votes
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How did a pawn appear out of thin air in “P @ e2” after queen capture?
You were playing the chess variant called Crazyhouse. In this variant you can place pieces you captured, as one of your color anywhere on the board, instead of a normal move.
I don't know the software ...
- 1,184
24
votes
Would there be more decisive games if we began to see stalemates as checkmates? And hence more "interesting" chess?
Absolutely not. Making stalemate a win would be a sure way to make for less interesting chess. Any rule change which makes it easier to convert a small material advantage to a win, will ipso facto ...
- 4,117
23
votes
Can a pawn that performed an en passant capture promote at all?
From FIDE rules (3.7 e):
When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting position it must be exchanged as part of the same move on the same square for a new queen, rook, bishop or knight ...
- 518
23
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Is the "Pawn Box" possible in standard chess?
As @BrianTowers showed, it can be done. Here’s a shorter proof game for the fun of it.
[FEN ""]
1. h4 g5 2. hxg5 f5 3. g4 Nf6 4. gxf6 d6 5. gxf5 Be6 6. f4 Bb3 7. axb3 c5 8. e4 c4 9. bxc4 d5 10. cxd5 ...
- 17.7k
23
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Can a pawn move 2 spaces if doing so would cause en passant mate?
Yes - Magnus Carlsen did exactly this in a game against Jon Ludwig Hammer. You can see the game: www.chess.com/game/live/66685869281
According to GothamChess' analysis at www.youtube.com/watch?v=...
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21
votes
Is rotating a pawn so that it faces a different direction and then moves in that direction technically permitted according to the 2018 FIDE Laws?
There is no loophole. Rules 3.7.1 to 3.7.4 allow pawns to move forwards along the same file, or diagonally forwards onto an adjacent file.
The only argument here seems to be that "forwards" is not ...
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21
votes
Why do I need to notate the file when capturing with a pawn?
You seem to want the notation to be as efficient as possible, disregarding ease of use. Let's take this to extremes:
If White only has a single move or capture that ends on c4, then instead of Bc4 or ...
- 905
20
votes
Is the "Pawn Box" possible in standard chess?
Here is one simple solution:
[fen ""]
1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 e6 3.dxe6 f6 4.g4 g6 5.g5 Ne7 6.gxf6 Nd5 7.e4 Nc3 8.bxc3 Qd4 9.cxd4 b5 10.d5 b4 11.a3 c6 12.axb4 c5 13.bxc5 Bd6 14.cxd6 g5 15.h3 g4 16.hxg4 Rg8 ...
- 100k
20
votes
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What is the the idea behind this popular double pawn sacrifice line In the Evans Gambit?
The problem with 7... dxc3 is that White quickly regains both pawns.
r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b5/2BpP3/2P2N2/P4PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b KQkq - 1 7
[StartFlipped "0"]
7... dxc3 8. Bxf7 Kxf7 9. Qd5 Kf8 ...
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18
votes
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Why do I need to notate the file when capturing with a pawn?
There is no real reason, it's not technically necessary.
Equally, you don't generally have to write the 'x'. Knowing where the piece is going is enough to know that it's a capture.
People must have ...
- 28.4k
17
votes
Accepted
The chess.com engine didn’t show a checkmate
As White's previous move was pawn on h2 to h4 then pawn g4xh3 is a legal en passant capture.
For more info - see Rule 3.7.d of the laws of chess
17
votes
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Why is c4 a better move in this position?
White intends to play c5, which will gain space on the queenside and severely cramp black's position (The b6 knight has no good square).
On the other hand, e5 weakens white's control over d5 and f5 (...
- 186
17
votes
Why are side pawns better than center pawns in this position?
Chess strategy is complex and has several ingredients mingling at the same time. It is true that 3 c3 helps white mantaining two center pawns if black decides for a c:d4 pawn exchange. But black isn't ...
- 1,174
16
votes
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What is the maximum number of passed pawns in a position?
EDIT: record is now 20.0 moves! (See below.)
If we like pawns undoubled...
[title "16 non-doubled passed pawns in 21.0 moves"]
[fen ""]
[startply "42"]
1. g4 h5 2. g5 Rh6 3. gxh6 g5 4. h4 g4 5. b4 ...
- 13.4k
16
votes
Would there be more decisive games if we began to see stalemates as checkmates? And hence more "interesting" chess?
The game would definitely become way less interesting, as many endgames that offer a chance to keep fighting would become hopeless.
There would be more games that end in a win (so yes, more decisive ...
- 16.9k
16
votes
Accepted
How many times can the same pawn move be made in a game?
Eight is the maximum due to the geometry of the board. Only five of one side and three of the other can converge on the same single square.
Addendum: o@Red_Floyd2 on reddit found a faster way in 18.0 ...
- 17.7k
15
votes
When and why was en passant invented?
The answers currently here don't fully explain the motivation for the rule. One answer quoted this Wikipedia passage:
The motivation for en passant was to prevent the newly added two-square first ...
- 565
15
votes
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Pushing the e-pawn
I disagree that it is primarily about development.
This is a very common theme, and it comes down to the fact that e5 is not easily defended by a pawn (aka "artificially isolated"). Bg4 soon ...
- 32.7k
15
votes
Is rotating a pawn so that it faces a different direction and then moves in that direction technically permitted according to the 2018 FIDE Laws?
This is a good question, as much as some may be instinctively frustrated by it, because finding room for improvement in rulesets is useful and can prevent future issues where arbitration is required.
...
- 151
15
votes
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What should be the value change if pawns are doubled?
Start with whatever and tune it.
That's how chess engine programming works - you start with some number, and then tune it. For example you start with -5, then create another version with -10. You get ...
- 28.3k
14
votes
Is rotating a pawn so that it faces a different direction and then moves in that direction technically permitted according to the 2018 FIDE Laws?
No matter how a chess piece is shaped, FIDE rules do not define "front" or any other direction relative to the orientation of the piece.
Chess pieces do not have a front, rear, direction of advance, ...
- 589
14
votes
Accepted
Why is e5 the strongest move here for white?
You've given some good, very long-term reasons not to play e5. But in this position, dynamic considerations outweigh these long-term reasons.
Look again at the position: you have developed (if you ...
- 28.3k
13
votes
Pushing the e-pawn
e5 does nothing for you and helps your opponent. Why?
First, it does nothing for your development. Much better would be d3 which releases the c1 bishop and protects the e pawn. If your opponent plays ...
- 100k
13
votes
Accepted
Would there be more decisive games if we began to see stalemates as checkmates? And hence more "interesting" chess?
There are already many good answers here that address your question from a hypothetical point of view. I want to add to this discussion some empirical data coming from AI chess, based on the arXiv ...
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Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible