def safe_pawn_count(pawns[n]) #pawns[n] = list of pawns, there are n pawns
    lowest_index = ∞
    lowest_count = 0
    for each pawn in pawns
        if pawn.row_index < lowest_index
            lowest_index = pawn.index
            lowest_count = 1
        else if pawn.row_index = lowest_index
            lowest_count = lowest_count + 1
    return n - lowest_count