diff --git a/modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidator.scala b/modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidator.scala
index 22a8eee..f33d470 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidator.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/main/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidator.scala
@@ -173,3 +173,11 @@ object MoveValidator:
 
   def isLegal(board: Board, history: GameHistory, from: Square, to: Square): Boolean =
     legalTargets(board, history, from).contains(to)
+
+  /** Returns true if the piece on `from` is a pawn moving to its back rank (promotion). */
+  def isPromotionMove(board: Board, from: Square, to: Square): Boolean =
+    board.pieceAt(from) match
+      case Some(Piece(_, PieceType.Pawn)) =>
+        (from.rank == Rank.R7 && to.rank == Rank.R8) ||
+        (from.rank == Rank.R2 && to.rank == Rank.R1)
+      case _ => false
diff --git a/modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidatorTest.scala b/modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidatorTest.scala
index 6c819dd..b5dce75 100644
--- a/modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidatorTest.scala
+++ b/modules/core/src/test/scala/de/nowchess/chess/logic/MoveValidatorTest.scala
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package de.nowchess.chess.logic
 import de.nowchess.api.board.{Board, Color, File, Piece, Rank, Square}
 import de.nowchess.api.game.CastlingRights
 import de.nowchess.chess.logic.{CastleSide, GameHistory}
+import de.nowchess.chess.notation.FenParser
 import org.scalatest.funsuite.AnyFunSuite
 import org.scalatest.matchers.should.Matchers
 
@@ -255,3 +256,25 @@ class MoveValidatorTest extends AnyFunSuite with Matchers:
     val b = board(sq(File.D, Rank.R4) -> Piece.WhiteRook)
     val h = GameHistory.empty.addMove(sq(File.E, Rank.R2), sq(File.E, Rank.R4))
     MoveValidator.legalTargets(b, h, sq(File.D, Rank.R4)) shouldBe MoveValidator.legalTargets(b, sq(File.D, Rank.R4))
+
+  // ──── isPromotionMove ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+  test("White pawn reaching R8 is a promotion move"):
+    val b = FenParser.parseBoard("8/4P3/4k3/8/8/8/8/8").get
+    MoveValidator.isPromotionMove(b, Square(File.E, Rank.R7), Square(File.E, Rank.R8)) should be (true)
+
+  test("Black pawn reaching R1 is a promotion move"):
+    val b = FenParser.parseBoard("8/8/8/8/4K3/8/4p3/8").get
+    MoveValidator.isPromotionMove(b, Square(File.E, Rank.R2), Square(File.E, Rank.R1)) should be (true)
+
+  test("Pawn capturing to back rank is a promotion move"):
+    val b = FenParser.parseBoard("3q4/4P3/8/8/8/8/8/8").get
+    MoveValidator.isPromotionMove(b, Square(File.E, Rank.R7), Square(File.D, Rank.R8)) should be (true)
+
+  test("Pawn not reaching back rank is not a promotion move"):
+    val b = FenParser.parseBoard("8/8/8/4P3/8/8/8/8").get
+    MoveValidator.isPromotionMove(b, Square(File.E, Rank.R5), Square(File.E, Rank.R6)) should be (false)
+
+  test("Non-pawn piece is never a promotion move"):
+    val b = FenParser.parseBoard("8/8/8/4Q3/8/8/8/8").get
+    MoveValidator.isPromotionMove(b, Square(File.E, Rank.R5), Square(File.E, Rank.R8)) should be (false)