general

definition of pawn

A laborer is a type of worker who has little specialization. Generally, the laborer is one who starts his work activity, who does not have a specific qualification and who receives a modest salary. Due to all this, he usually exercises his functions as an assistant to other workers with higher job qualifications.

In other times there was in Spain the job of road laborer, who was in charge of the maintenance and conservation of the roads. It is a profession that is currently defunct. However, there is a popular expression in which this office is referred to. Thus, it is said that someone asks road pawn questions when a person asks absurd or inappropriate questions, since they have an obvious answer. On the other hand, in some rural areas there are still peonadas, which are the working hours of a laborer.

In the game of chess

In the game of chess there are a series of pieces: a king, a queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and, lastly, 8 pawns. The pawn is the most numerous piece and with the greatest weakness in the strategy of the game. It is the only piece that cannot go back, since it must always move forward in a vertical direction, although to capture an opponent's piece the pawn moves diagonally.

There are several moves or piece positions in which the pawn plays a role (for example, the isolated pawn or the poisoned pawn). Chess players have various ways of playing with the pawns: some prefer to sacrifice them to achieve greater mobility and others use them to strengthen their position or to weaken the opponent.

From a strategic point of view, the pawn is the figure that symbolizes the role of the infantry in the army. In this way, losing a pawn in a game of chess would be like losing an infantryman in battle.

Moving the pawns without playing chess

In figurative language the concept of moving the pawns is used. Someone moves the pawns on the sidelines of chess when they implement a strategy in which they sacrifice something without much importance in order to obtain a greater triumph. In this sense, it should not be forgotten that the pawn in chess represents two values, humility and courage. Consequently, in some circumstances of life someone with great power has the possibility of sacrificing "his pawns" for some purpose.

In a figurative sense it could also be said that someone thinks like a pawn, that is, with a modest and humble mindset (as opposed to that of a king or queen). These uses of the word pawn highlight that the game of chess is present in language (for example, when something becomes too complicated and we must make an intellectual effort to solve it, we say that it is like a game of chess).

Photos: iStock - Lorado / kul20

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