The Pawn moves only one square at a time, and that straight forward, except in the act of capturing, when it takes one step diagonally to the right or left file on to the square occupied by the man taken, and continues on that file until it captures another man.

Modern commentators consider Staunton's understanding of positional play to have been far ahead of his contemporaries'. In 1858 attempts were made to organise a match between Staunton and Morphy but they failed. Staunton has been a controversial figure since his own time and his chess writings could be spiteful.