Promotion is a choice with one exception: a piece may not be left where it could never move again.
A pawn or lance that reaches the last rank (rank 9 for Sente) must promote.
A knight that reaches either of the last two ranks (8 or 9) must promote.
The pawn and the lance
The pawn on e8 can only step to e9 as a tokin.The lance may choose on e7 and e8; on e9 it must promote.
The knight
Jumping to rank 8, a knight must promote: from there, an unpromoted knight could never jump again.Landing on rank 7 the knight may choose — it could still jump from there.
The same idea governs drops: you may not drop a pawn or lance on the last rank, or a knight on the last two. The illegal drops lesson covers that.
Try it
Try it: Send the lance all the way to the last rank.
Finish the exercise above to complete this lesson.