The Frontline — The Power of Pawn Pals

a chess piece of the smallest size and value. A pawn moves one square forward along its file if unobstructed (or two on the first move), or one square diagonally forward when making a capture. Each player begins with eight pawns on the second rank, and can promote a pawn to become any other piece (typically a queen) if it reaches the opponent’s end of the board.

(2/8) In most teenage films there’s always a bully. That one person who insists on taking their anger out on others due to some form of a fragile ego. Despite this, we often see a brave protagonist of the victims who stands up for those who are bullied, and more often than not, that person is a friend!

Good friends are hard to come by, so when you find them, cherish them! Friends are supportive, loving, kind, relatable, down to do whatever to see you happy and have a good time — A friend is a true frontline shoulder for you! In the game of chess, the frontline consists of 8 pieces known as pawns, who defend another piece on the backline of defense. (See the image below for an example)

Seeing as though pawns are on the frontline, they’re the most likely to be captured, however, they out number any other type of chess piece on the board. Besides, the king and queen, every chess piece has a twin in its color. For example, there are two of every rook, bishop, and knight in each color set. Consequently, there 8 white pawns and 8 black pawns. Pawns may be the first to leave the board, but when they are used wisely, they have the ability to help you win and remain protected throughout the whole duration of the game.

In the game of chess, pawns are allowed to move one square forward at a time. There is an exception to this rule that allows a pawn to move two squares forward, but only if it is that piece’s opening move, meaning it has not yet moved from its original square. In order for a pawn to capture an opponent’s piece, they must be positioned diagonally across from each others as seen in the picture below.

The white pawn positioned on e4 captures the black pawn positioned on f5

If we are making the parallel between life and chess, then it is safe to say that your pawns are like your friends (and/or associates). When used wisely, they’ll always have your back and have no problem defending your honor. Consequently, conflict arises throughout life as it does in chess, and you may lose a piece. Unfortunately, in life friends come and go, so you have to be strategic with who you keep around. Some friends are there for the long haul, while others are present during various seasons of your life.

As you begin to think about your friends, your pawn pals, think about the ways you all have helped position eachother for success, or how your relationship with them has been a valuable experience. The world is our board, and we all are individual pieces. However, in a more granular scheme of things, we all have our own board of pieces that allows us to regulate our lives and decision-making. Each piece in chess is valuable and serves as a purpose. It is important for us to identify our purpose in life by examining what is right in front of us and how to effectively position the right pieces in the right place for success — Checkmate!

If you missed the first pieces to this 8-part series, be sure to follow along here:

• Part 1: Keep Pushing
• Part 2: The Frontline