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O adversário não pode recuar o peão nesta jogada.

O adversário não pode recuar o peão nesta jogada.
The opponent cannot move the pawn back in this move.
From Lesson 258:Ability and permission (conseguir, poder, saber)·Portuguese (Portugal)

Questions & Answers about O adversário não pode recuar o peão nesta jogada.

Why do we use pode here instead of consegue?
This sentence is about the rules of a game (chess). We use poder when talking about permission or circumstances allowed by rules. If you used não consegue, it would imply the opponent is trying but physically unable to move the piece (perhaps it is glued to the board!).
Could we use não sabe if the opponent is a beginner making a mistake?
Not really. Saber is used for learned skills (knowing how to do something). Não sabe recuar o peão would mean they literally lack the basic knowledge of how to physically move a pawn backwards. Since the core issue here is that an official rule forbids the action, we must use não pode.
I usually see recuar used to mean retreating or stepping back. Can it be used with an object like o peão?
Yes! Recuar can be an action you do yourself (to step back or retreat), but it can also be used to mean moving something else backwards. Here, recuar o peão simply means moving the pawn backwards on the board.
Why does the sentence use nesta jogada instead of neste jogo?
Um jogo is the entire game of chess, while uma jogada refers to a single move or turn. The sentence means the opponent cannot move the pawn back on this specific turn. Also, remember as a quick refresher that nesta is the mandatory contraction of em (in/on) and esta (this).

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