Defraining Promotion !?

I was reading the rules this morning (as you do) and noticed the following pawn promotion rule which is re-cited as follows :-

(My coloured highlights and italics)

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Promotion

Pawns have another special ability and that is that if a pawn reaches the other side of the board it can become any other chess piece (called promotion). A pawn may be promoted to any piece. [NOTE: A common misconception is that pawns may only be exchanged for a piece that has been captured. That is NOT true.] A pawn is usually promoted to a queen. Only pawns may be promoted.

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Now I am no legal expert but what I deduce from this rule is that players could argue that they have the right to determine themselves whether to promote a pawn or not - bearing in mind Chess programs do not give players the right to defrain from immediate promotion !?

Any members care to opinion upon this rule as published by chess.com ?

Note: Last time I read this rule was in my 'methuselah' days!

If a pawn reaches the eighth rank it must be promoted to another piece (except king or pawn). You can choose not to move it to the eighth rank but it must be promoted when you do.

Official rules: http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=124&view=article

3.7 e. When a pawn reaches the rank furthest from its starting position it must be exchanged as part of the same move on the same square 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.

Thanks Gomer_Pyle 

Clearly when reading the official FIDE rule 3.7e it is not complex, it is easily understood and it leaves no room for doubt as to when promotion MUST take place.

I reccomend there is a need for chess.com to re-write the current 'Pomotion rule' scripting to comply with the official rule FIDE rule 3.7e

Please !?

King_Conqueror

The chess.com rule is fine. The pawn may be promoted to any piece, it must be promoted to some piece.

Yeah, except the chess.com rule doesn't explicitly say the latter. Kind of the point of the OP there. But then, it appears to me that the chess.com rules are aimed more at being understandable than legally rigid.

During the 19th century there were plenty of debates as to how pawns should promote, but the current rule that promotion is obligatory is well over a hundred years old by now.

I would suggest to replace "it can become" with "it becomes". Because it does make a difference; positions do exist in which players might want to not promote in order to cause stalemate.

Hello Loomis

The current chess.com rule is not fine as it stands.

It is ambiguous, misleading and a poor substitute for FIDE rule 3.7e.

There is no need a 'second interpretation' of this rule.

Replacing the current chess.com 'Promotion rule' text withFIDE rule 3.7e  text is not difficult and removes all doubt and keeps chess.com 'Promotion rule' text in line with the FIDE rules.