Pawn promotion strategy Why is it so important to KEEP a pawn from promoting if you have a piece situated so that when the pawn promotes your next move can be to capture it? Is this a matter of tempo? Frankly, once the pawn has reached the seventh rank why go through so much effort just to protect it? I guess I am new at this.
Usually, there's a piece behind that pawn that supports its promotion. Then you're eager to stop the promotion otherwise you'll have to give up your piece for the promoted queen.

If the pawn isn't supported, then the reason for blockade might be prevention of some tactics that could be related to a sacrifice of that pawn.

Aron Nimzowitsch once said:


  The passed Pawn is a criminal, who should be kept under lock and key.