What is Pawn?

The pawn is the most numerous and least valuable piece in chess—each player starts with eight. Pawns move forward one square (or two from the starting position) and capture diagonally one square forward. A pawn that reaches the opposite end of the board achieves promotion, becoming a queen, rook, bishop, or knight. Despite their low value (1 point), pawns are strategically vital—they form the skeleton of the position (pawn structure) and influence every aspect of the game.