Promoting a Pawn?

Hi,

I'd like to know what is the meaning of a pawn being promoted and how is that done?

WHen you get a pawn to the other side of the bored you can change it to any peice you want.

Thank you, for your replies.

Does that mean that before my pawn reaches the level of promotion to a QUEEN, I need to have already had my QUEEN captured? I mean, if my queen has not yet been captured, where do I get another queen piece? for example in Draughts/Checkers, when my piece is promoted to a King by reaching the other side of the board, my previously captured piece comes onto my (new) king piece so as to make it known as a king.

If you promote before your queen has been captured, than you can flip a rook (that has already been captured), and it becomes your 2nd Queen.

One can use anything, such as a salt shaker, as long as both players agree.  Use your imagination. Fortunity, many sets are now include extra queens. 

Most players promote to a queen without considering the position.  It is possible to promote to a queen and immediately stalemate your opponent.  Or promote to a knight and mate your opponent.   

 Thanks for making that clear.  It is so easy to consider everyone would understand that would depend on the position. Those just beginning to learn could become confused.

It brought back to my memory of when I first learned a pawn could be promoted to a QUEEN, all I wanted was the power the queen gave me.  I thought with all of her power it would be a breeze to win.  Which also reminds me of the first time I was able to promote to a queen when I already had a queen,  I quickly stalemated my opponent because at that time the importance of controlling squares was not my top priority. Capturing was top most on my mind.