AboutTony D'Aloisio Expertise I've read a good deal on the subject and I can answer a lot of chess history questions (or at least I'll know where to look them up). Also questions regarding analyzing specific positions (although with the advent of powerful chess software, this isn't likely to have the importance it once did).
Experience I was a national master in the US for a number of years. My peak USCF rating was 2290, and I was ranked in the top 150 in the state of California. My current published rating is 2177.
Education/Credentials B.A. Sonoma State University 1984 (English major with Communications emphasis)
Question i played a tournament game with a clock. opponed got his pawn down to last rank with the intention of swapping for a queen. he didn't call what he was changing to or change it but hit clock. now my turn. i move my king and hit clock. now his turn and decided to change pawn for queen. my question...is this legal, not calling or changing until 2nd move? can he still change after 2nd move? many thanks
Answer What he did was not technically correct, but not necessarily illegal.
The following is from the International Chess Federation (FIDE) laws of chess:
Article 5.6 (d)
On reaching the last rank, a pawn must immediately be exchanged, as part of the same move, for [either] a queen, a rook, a bishop, or a knight, of the same colour as the pawn, at the player's choice and without taking into account the other pieces still remaining on the chessboard. This exchange of a pawn for another piece is called "promotion", and the effect of the promoted piece is immediate [and permanent!].
(e)
In a competition, if a new piece required for the promotion is not immediately available, the player may stop his clock to ask for the assistance of the arbiter. The player must complete his move correctly, in the manner specified in Article 5.6(d).
*****
In practice though, you'll find that many players promote a pawn without exchanging it for the promoted piece, especially if they are short of time and no replacement piece is immediately available. Another reason is that the promoted piece is often captured right away, so it doesn't stay on the board for very long. Most players in such a situation simply announce their intended promotion ("queen," "knight," etc) and that suffices.
The FIDE laws are primarily intended for big international tournaments, world championship matches and such. Local tourneys aren't usually nearly so formal, and a certain amount of latitude is allowed, and even commonplace. The only circumstance where I would say you had a viable complaint in that situation is if your opponent had said "knight" (or "rook" or "bishop") when he promoted the pawn, then attempted to replace it with a queen next move. That would certainly have given you grounds for protest.
