Learning Pawn Conversion Online
Pawn conversion is among the most important parts of chess. It is the most important task of pawns. Converting pawns online is as important as converting pawns on traditional board. Here is a summary on pawn conversion.
Pawns have 3 major tasks on an online board—support other pieces, block enemy pieces, and convert to a major ally piece. When converting, pawns need to travel across the board to the enemy side and touchdown on the last row inside the enemy camp. In chess notation, this row is formed by squares a1, b1, c1, d1, e1, f1, g1, and h1 on one side of the board, and squares a8, b8, c8, d8, e8, f8, g8, and h8 on the other side.
From the original formation at the start of a game we should reserve some pawns for conversion and start them trekking forward to reach the other side. There will be encounters along the way and some pawns will be sacrificed, others used for blocking, and some for escorting kings. But we should reserve at least 2 to 3 pawns for conversion. Converting pawns online is one way of strengthening our position at the near end of a game.
Once we have our pawns near their finish line, the opponent may start eyeing them for capture. This is why we have to have them in a pair or in a formation supporting each other. If we have 3 pawns it is best to have them adjoining and supporting each other. It will be hard for the opponent to go after them when they're back to back supporting each other.
When they reach the last row they "graduate" and can be converted into any major piece we prefer. A wise decision is to convert them into queens. In some games 8 extra queens are allowable. In some games, we are allowed only a conversion to queen if our queen has been captured.
In yet other games we are allowed to convert pawns to major pieces only once per piece in a game. After converting a pawn into a queen, the next graduating pawn should be converted into a rook, the next into a bishop, and so on. We are not allowed to convert pawns into kings.
When playing online, especially in a tournament, the game seldom gets to the point where pawns graduate. This is because each player is aware of the time limit and hastens to perpetrate a checkmate. Nonetheless, converting pawns online should still be considered an option.
