I remember a recent post about chess where in the game a pawn can or must become the king (or was it the queen?). I know nothing about chess but what I have learned from a couple of movies. But that post and discussion struck me as an obscure, but important piece in the story, like those throw-away incidents in mystery novels which are the key to solving something. Does that rule in chess relate to this?
It's probable. You have four choices when a pawn of yours reaches the end row on your opponents side- you can go with a knight, bishop, rook or queen. Your queen is often the best choice, because not only can she move in all the ways the rook and bishop can (both diagonally and straight across ranks and files) but she can move as far as they can. There are times it is more advantageous to choose a knight, but most will queen.
Good explanation. I have played chess for over 40 years. The only way I would ever choose a knight would be if it immediately gained me a checkmate. It can happen, but I would say 99.9% the queen is taken.
I remember a recent post about chess where in the game a pawn can or must become the king (or was it the queen?). I know nothing about chess but what I have learned from a couple of movies. But that post and discussion struck me as an obscure, but important piece in the story, like those throw-away incidents in mystery novels which are the key to solving something. Does that rule in chess relate to this?
It's probable. You have four choices when a pawn of yours reaches the end row on your opponents side- you can go with a knight, bishop, rook or queen. Your queen is often the best choice, because not only can she move in all the ways the rook and bishop can (both diagonally and straight across ranks and files) but she can move as far as they can. There are times it is more advantageous to choose a knight, but most will queen.
Good explanation. I have played chess for over 40 years. The only way I would ever choose a knight would be if it immediately gained me a checkmate. It can happen, but I would say 99.9% the queen is taken.
Thanks. My son plays chess online (and before COVID Plandemic hit, in tournaments). I learned a little along the way, but no where near as much as he.