[Retros] Promotion: legal order of partial actions

[Joost de Heer]

> Defining the cases of partial legal moves a question appears.

> I have in mind the image that nobody touches the eight rank with

> the pawn. So, I tend to interpretate straight promotion as a sum of

> two partial actions,

>

> a)  to pick out the pawn

> b) to install the promoted piece on the promotion square

>

> But, is there a legal order? I know many players (including me) that makes b) first.



>From the FIDE rules:

3.7e: When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting position it 
must be exchanged as part of the same move for a new queen, rook, bishop 
or knight of the same colour. The player`s choice is not restricted to 
pieces that have been captured previously. This exchange of a pawn for 
another piece is called `promotion` and the effect of the new piece is 
immediate.

4.6c: in the case of the promotion of a pawn, when the pawn has been 
removed from the chessboard and the player`s hand has released the new 
piece after placing it on the promotion square. If the player has released 
from his hand the pawn that has reached the promotion square, the move is 
not yet made, but the player no longer has the right to play the pawn to 
another square.

Both (IMO) indicate that first the pawn move must be made, and then the 
substitute piece must be added. It even implies (again, IMO) that the pawn 
move to the promotion rank must be made, you can't remove a pawn from the 
7th rank and then place a rook on the 8th, instead you have to move the 
pawn to the promotion rank, remove it, and then substitute it.

Joost