English: Chess: pawn's moves. The pawn may only move one square at a time, straight forward on the file on which it is placed, with the option of moving
two squares at first starting. Thus in section
a, the pawn at K 2 has the choice of moving either to K 3 or at once to K 4. But the pawn
takes on
diagonals only; thus, in section
b of the same figure, the pawn at K 7, having the move, can take either the black Bishop at K B 8 or the black Queen at Q 8, and in either case it must be converted into some piece of its own colour (other than a King), according to the choice of the player, when the converted piece will act immediately in its new capacity. It is against the laws of the game to leave it still a pawn.
The pawn cannot move backwards nor sideways, but only forward along the "file" on which he stands. The pawn is also restricted in his power of taking. Thus any adverse piece or pawn standing on the adjacent squares to a pawn (other than forward diagonals) cannot be taken. Pawns placed as shown in section c or d could not take each other.
The pawn may also take "
en passant," which means that if a pawn moves two squares at starting, thus "passing" an adverse pawn which could have taken it had it moved only one square, such adverse pawn has the option of taking it as if it had moved one square only; but the taking
en passant must form the next move of the adversary. Thus in section
c of the diagram, supposing the black pawn to have just moved from Q R 2 to Q R 4, it may be taken by the white pawn at Q Kt 5; the white pawn standing, after the move, at Q R 6. Such a move would be recorded thus: P takes P
e.p..