I've seen plays
where, when a pawn is directly infront of an opposing piece, it moves diagonally to the left/right, and takes the piece - how does this work (note that it is not standard pawn move)
(bamboozled Can hear you getting fatter, Mon 5 Jan 2009, 20:03, 2 replies)

easy
a pawn can only capture by moving diagoally.


Mind you, I only know the basic moves and have probably set myself up for some right proper flaming.
(misskitty reeks of sex and turpentine; laudanum afternoons, Tue 6 Jan 2009, 2:46, closed)

Basic moves.
Yes, I too only knew the basic moves, and then decided to searched for pawn in Google... by gum, that was an eye opener...
(Mucky has squinted at the screen with one eye shut since, Tue 6 Jan 2009, 12:45, closed)

Not quite
The pawn moves one square forward only, other than first move which can be one or two squares forward.
It can capture pieces one square diagonally in front of it on either side.

"En passant" ('in passing'):
When a pawn moves two spaces on its first move and lands adjacent to an enemy pawn (thus by-passing the opportunity for the enemy pawn to take it had it moved only one square at a time), then the enemy pawn may move diagonally forward in front of the original pawn and take it off the board - despite the fact that the enemy pawn does not occupy the same square as the original pawn to do so. The 'en passant' capture by the enemy pawn move can only be made immediately after the original pawn's move - after that, it's not permitted.

It is a bit confusing - like castling. And both are a lot easier to explain with a demonstration than in writing. Which is why I should have linked to the Wikipedia page in the first place and saved myself the bother...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/En_passant
(annexed, Tue 6 Jan 2009, 12:57, closed)