Pawn Wars
A small pawn-only chess duel on a five by five board. Race to the far row or capture them all, against three levels of computer opponent.
How to play
- You play white and move first. Each side has five pawns. Pawns step one square forward onto an empty square.
- A pawn captures one square diagonally forward. There are no double steps and no forced captures.
- Tap a pawn to select it, then tap a highlighted square to move. Black replies straight away.
- You win by reaching the top row, capturing every black pawn, or leaving black with no legal move. Black wins the same ways in reverse.
Tips and strategy
- The middle row is a no-man's land. A pawn that steps in can be captured, so ask who recaptures.
- Keep your pawns side by side so a captured pawn can be taken back at once.
- Count the race. A pawn with a clear file can reach the far row before you can stop it.
- On hard the computer looks nine moves ahead, so aim to win with tempo rather than set traps.
FAQ
- How do the levels differ?
- Easy plays a random move about a third of the time and looks one move ahead otherwise. Medium looks three moves ahead. Hard looks nine.
- Can the game end in a draw?
- No. Pawns only move forward, so every game ends in a win for one side.
- Are my results saved?
- Yes. Your wins and losses for each level are kept on this device.