Chess Pieces

The king is the most important piece on the chessboard. The king may move one square in any direction, including diagonally (except for castling). It can never be captured and if it is in danger then it must be made safe immediately. If it is not possible to make the king safe then the game is lost. When they are attacked by a piece of the opponent, it is called check, and when in a check that cannot be removed, they are checkmated, and the game is lost for their owner.
Special moves: Castling

The Queen

The queen is the most powerful piece on the board. This is because it can control more squares than any other chessman. It moves straight forward or backwards and diagonally any number of squares. However, it cannot jump over other pieces.

The Rook

The rook moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically, but it cannot jump over other pieces.

The Bishop

The bishop moves to any square on the diagonals on which it stands. However, it is not allowed to jump over other pieces.

The Knight

The knight's move is composed of two different steps; first, it makes one step of one single square along its rank or file, and then, still moving away from the square of departure, one step of one single square on a diagonal. It does not matter if the square of the first step is occupied.

The Pawn

The pawn normally moves only forward.
First move: It advances from its original square either one or two vacant squares along the file on which it is placed, and on subsequent moves it advances one vacant square along the file.
Capturing: it advances one square along either of the diagonals on which it stands.
Special moves of the pawn:
    En passant
    Promotion

Back to contents