Chess Soldier Rules: Soldiers Are Pawns

No army is complete without soldiers. The same is the case in a game of chess. In a game of chess, soldiers are pawns. So, on a board, your row of pawns serve as the soldiers in chess, and while they are considered to be the most basic, fundamental, and weakest pieces in the game, knowing exactly how to use them can make or break your game.

Using Pawns as Soldiers in Chess

Before we even discuss the importance of pawns as soldiers in chess, we first must understand how they move.

How do Soldiers as Pawns Start? 

Each side starts out with no less than eight pawns, strategically positioned directly ahead of King, Queen, and other officers. Except for the knight, who simply hops over any obstacle it encounters, no chessman can even move without the pawns clearing the way first. Needless to say that pawns, like soldiers in a real war, are the first ones to really get the fight going. They will occupy space, drive back enemy forces, and, if necessary, sacrifice themselves for the greater good!

Chess Soldier Rules

Pawns are only able to move one square space at a time, except on the first move where it can move up to two squares forward. It is the only chessmen not able to move backward and the only piece that can capture an opponent different from how it usually moves in the game. These soldiers in chess capture foe pieces by moving a single square diagonally forward, left or right.

Soldiers in Chess Can Get Promotions, Too

Is our soldier doomed to be a soldier for all times? No! A pawn has the unique capability of promotion. When it finally reaches the opposite side of the board, it magically transforms into or promotes, any chess piece the player decides. Usually, it is a new or second Queen that is chosen, she is after all by far the strongest force on the board. Sometimes though it is convenient to choose another knight and this typically happens when there is a need for the knight's unique L-shaped movement which the Queen does NOT have.

The promotion feature of these soldiers in chess may well make a chess game the only place on earth where more than one Queen may rule! And as this would undoubtedly create chaos in a real-life situation, all modern-day chess players consider multiple Queens the most normal thing on the planet.

Learn Pawn Strategies with Your Very Own Chess Set

There are over a million possibilities in a chess game. With a board consisting of 16 pawns, there’s much to learn on how you can strategically use pawns as soldiers and win a game. Discover more about yourself as a chess player with The Official Staunton Chess Company. Each of our chess sets is a mark of wonderful craftsmanship that will surely make the game even more interesting to learn and play!