Meaning & use
underpromotion
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable or uncountabletechnical
In chess, the act of promoting a pawn to a piece other than a queen, usually a knight, bishop, or rook.
Grammar: Can be countable (an underpromotion) or uncountable (the tactic of underpromotion).
Patterns
- underpromotion to a knight
- choose underpromotion
- by underpromotion
The grandmaster surprised everyone with an underpromotion to a knight, which led to a winning fork.
Underpromotion is rare but can be the best move when promoting to a queen would cause a stalemate.
She studied famous games where underpromotion decided the outcome.
Word forms
| plural | underpromotions |
|---|
Common combinations
- underpromotion to a knight
- He won the game with an underpromotion to a knight.
- tactical underpromotion
- The commentator praised the tactical underpromotion.
- avoid underpromotion
- Most players avoid underpromotion unless it gives a clear advantage.
Word family
- underpromote verb
- To promote a pawn to a piece other than a queen.
Practice
In chess, what is an underpromotion?
Choose one answer.
Underpromotion means choosing a knight, bishop, or rook instead of the usual queen. Promoting to a queen is the standard promotion, not an underpromotion.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “underpromotion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.