How to Promote a Pawn in Chess

Step 3. Discover the Special Rules of Chess

There are a few special rules in chess that may not seem logical at first. They were created to make the game more fun and interesting.

How to Promote a Pawn in Chess

Pawns have another special ability and that is that if a pawn reaches the other side of the board it can become any other chess piece (called promotion).
A pawn may be promoted to any piece. A common misconception is that pawns may only be exchanged for a piece that has been captured. That is NOT true. A pawn is usually promoted to a queen. Only pawns may be promoted.

How to do "en passant" in Chess

The last rule about pawns is called “en passant,” which is French for “in passing”. If a pawn moves out two squares on its first move, and by doing so lands to the side of an opponent's pawn (effectively jumping past the other pawn's ability to capture it), that other pawn has the option of capturing the first pawn as it passes by.

This special move must be done immediately after the first pawn has moved past, otherwise the option to capture it is no longer available. Click through the example below to better understand this odd, but important rule.