Why do we have pawns?

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Pawn_Overide
Pawns are basically defenseless and are captured easily. Sometimes pawns are the very reason we are mated. Imagine a world without pawns...
nathtann
Pawns are very useful if used properly
Strangemover

Pawns are the soul of chess.

LM_player
I shudder at the thought of a board without pawns.
Alreadygivenup

Imagine a war fought without infantry,thats exactly the situation in chess without the pawns.

kindaspongey

Maybe it is related to why we have an appendix.

Eoin-MacLove

without pawns the pieces are sitting ducks.

pawnintheirgame29

  I would say that pawns do a great job of outlining your position. They can stop minor pieces and heavies from advancing down the board into your your camp. Best of all, they can be promoted at the end of the game, making the endgame a very interesting phase of the game. I do see your point that pawns can sometimes get in the way, but I do think that pawn lead to a more interesting game of chess.

kindaspongey

What about the Evans Gambit?

batgirl

cannon fodder.

SonOfThunder2
Pawn_Overide wrote:
Pawns are basically defenseless and are captured easily. Sometimes pawns are the very reason we are mated. Imagine a world without pawns...

What kind of war would it be without infantry? Pawns are expendible, and if used properly are the deciding factor in your game. All openings have a pawn in them, all endgames go back to how you used your pawns. Basically, pawns are the soul and blood of chess. 

jupjup12345

it is the meat shield so every game isn't mate in 4

Pawn_Overide
(Kindaspongey) What does that have to do with anything? Appendixes do... I don't know.
YU_2

Chess is a war game and pawns are foot soldiers (or as batgirl wrote "cannon fodder").

Like in real life, they are usually the first to be sacrificed... :-(((

 

Tin
[COMMENT DELETED]
ryn45

Pawn_Overide wrote:

Pawns are basically defenseless and are captured easily. Sometimes pawns are the very reason we are mated. Imagine a world without pawns...

Pawn_Overide wrote: Pawns are basically defenseless and are captured easily. says who? pawns are the weakest piece, so weak that no one can resist their attacks, read "pawn structure chess" bro

flumculus

I agree. Why bother with pawns when we could use queens instead. While we're at it, rooks and bishops are kinda pointless too, essentially just defunct queens. I propose we replace all chess pieces that aren't Queens, Kings and knights with Queens! 

 

That should simplify chess immensely.

flannelsock

 you  have pawns because we need little people to be.

Monie49
Pawns get in the way.
Eoin-MacLove

chess is supposed to be like life (otherwise you've gone full nerd) so the pawns are like kids. what did i win ?