Chess is essentially a simple game. Two players, a board, and pieces that can only make certain moves. It’s easy to win – by knocking down the king
It seems so simple, yet chess masters are viewed with awe – and fear – like endangered species in a zoo. Why? Because knowing the rules of the game is just the tip of the iceberg, or rather a map of the minefield that needs to be overcome.
There are a few rules to keep in mind when making beats.
First of all, although there are equals and equals in this game, a bit like in war, anything can kill (that is – knock down). This means that a pawn can take down a hetman, a rook, etc., and a hetman, a rook, etc. – a pawn. And don’t forget that even though the king sits immovably on his throne, and only moves from time to time, he can also hit – so don’t underestimate him.
Beating in itself is extremely simple. All it takes is for a piece to come within range of an opponent’s move for a beating to occur. Suppose a rook is on a3, and a pawn on a6, and there is a move of the rook. It has two options: to move in any direction (according to its specifics), or to beat the opponent’s figure. We assume that she chooses the latter strategy. It executes it by occupying the a6 square. In this way the pawn is removed from the board and the rook takes its place
It must be remembered that in this situation the rook would not be able to jump over the pawn without knocking it down, to find itself on a7. If it wanted to do that, it would have to kill first, and then move to a7 on its next move.
A peculiar figure in this set is the knight, which moves three spaces in any direction, but has to turn at least once. Let’s say that the knight is on d4 and the pawn is on d5, and there is a move of the knight. Even though the knight will pass the pawn during his move, he will not be able to knock it down. Why? Because the knight has not finished his move yet. But if the pawn was on f5, then there would be one less pawn on the board, and one more knight on f5.
The second important rule that makes chess such an appreciated discipline is that beating is not obligatory. If an opponent’s pawn is planting itself under your hetman, you don’t have to hit it. You can safely bypass it and come back to beat it another time. This rule, which is sometimes forgotten, doubles the number of possible combinations in the game, so it is very important to take control of the board.
Probably not many people have heard of such a thing as beating in passing. It’s understandable, because it’s not as impressive as castling, but maybe knowing this technique will bring you closer to victory. Why is it not a very impressive move? Because it’s reserved only for pawns. Usually pawns hit on the diagonal, but a through-bid allows them to bypass this rule and pick a piece next to it.
Let’s say that after a series of moves the black pawn lands on d4, and the white pawn in its first move beats two pieces right away and lands on c4. Thanks to the rule of beating in passing, the black pawn will be able to beat the white pawn and finally set up on d3.
Therefore, in order to make this move the pawns have to be next to each other and the beating has to happen right after the opponent’s first move (i.e. two squares at once). Simple, right? Now that you know the rule, don’t forget to surprise your opponent with it!
Main Photo: Vlada Karpovich/pexels.com
