Pawn (chess) - History

History

The most basic piece in the game, the pawn has its origins in the oldest version of chess, Chaturanga. It is present in all other significant versions of the game, around the world. This piece only moved directly forward, capturing to the sides(one square forward diagonal to the left or right). These pieces were used as a metaphor for common men directly in the game, rather than the piece being applied to life's perspective the other way around.

In medieval chess, an attempt was made to make the pieces more interesting, each file's pawn being given the name of a commoner's occupation, from left to right:

• Gambler and other "lowlifes", also messengers (in the left-most file, that direction being literally sinister)
• City guard or policeman (in front of a knight, as they trained city guards in real life)
• Innkeeper (bishop)
• Merchant/Moneychanger (always before the king, whether or not he is to the left or right of the Queen, which depends on the colour of the pieces)
• Doctor (always the queen's pawn)
• Weaver/Clerk (in front of the bishop, for whom they wove or clericked)
• Blacksmith (in front of a knight, as they care for the horses)
• Worker/Farmer (in front of a castle, for which they worked)

The most famous example of this is the second book ever printed in English, The Game and Playe of the Chesse, which indeed was seen as much as a political commentary on society as a chess book, and was printed second by William Caxton because it was, like the Bible, among the most popular books of its day.

The ability to move two spaces, and the resulting ability to have an en passant capture, were only introduced in 15th century Europe (see En passant#Historical context). The rule for promotion has changed through history, see promotion (chess)#History of the rule.