I am wondering if some chess aficionado will know the answer to this question that my nephew posed to me:
Was there ever a game in a tournament that a player had his pawn reach the other side of the board, but instead of promoting it to a queen or any other official…he ask for a pawn? He has the official rules of chess, but he couldn’t seem to find a rule where a play can ask for a pawn upon reaching the other side of the board with a pawn. He was told that if you do, the pawn goes back in the original position.
Upon reaching the other side of the board, the pawn must be changed for a piece, other than a king or pawn, of the same color. I’ve heard that there used to be a loophole where you could get a piece of the other color, but the USCF and FIDE rulebooks both specifically prevent this today. That loophole might just be an untrue legend, though.
While a good joke, I feel that some may not understand it, so therefore a disclaimer is included here for those who may need it: Steve Immitt is just joking, double en passant is impossible by definition. Good one, Steve!
There is only one situation I know of in the long distant past before the rules were clarified where this might’ve happened.
Back during the time when games were adjourned there was also a time when the handling of illegal adjourned moves wasn’t clear.
It was possible, and I recall one instance, where a player could seal an illegal move (to preserve the possibility of playing any legal move) and when play resumed the illegal move was revealed and if not opposed by the opponent it could be played (however advantageous), but if it was opposed the player would be allowed to play any legal move, after having had hours to analyze the situation.
This proved too advantageous, so the rule was changed to make an illegal sealed move end the game in a forfeit.
But, back to the point: if a player were sealing a move and promoted to a pawn, then upon resumption he would be allowed to play any legal move, whether the pawn promotion or something else.
And let’s not forget the obsolescent 175-square rule. No piece can move more than 175 squares in a single move. This comes into play when playing on a 200-by-200 board.
As recently as 1902 you could promote a pawn to a pawn. Look here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promotion_(chess [seems to be a problem with the link - the last “)” isn’t being linked and is necessary part of the url - so do a cut & paste] Then scroll down to “Old promotion rule”. There are references along with a position that if white were to promote to anything other than a pawn (which creates a stalemate), white loses.
I think George Koltanowski had a tale he would tell, in which a player promoted to an opposite-colored king in order to have an extra target to checkmate. In the problem-like position he devised, this promotion was the only non-losing move (if it had been legal).
