Castling in Chess
Learn the castling rules.
What is Castling?
Castling is a special move where the king and a rook move simultaneously. The king moves two squares toward the rook, and the rook jumps to the other side of the king. It's the only move where two pieces move at once.
Kingside Castling (O-O)
The king moves two squares toward the h-file rook. The rook then moves to the square the king crossed. In notation, this is written as O-O.
Queenside Castling (O-O-O)
The king moves two squares toward the a-file rook. The rook moves to the square the king crossed. Written as O-O-O in notation.
When You Can't Castle
You cannot castle if: the king has already moved, the rook has already moved, the king is currently in check, the king would pass through or land on an attacked square, or there are pieces between the king and rook.
Why Castle Early?
Castling serves two purposes: it moves the king to safety behind a wall of pawns, and it activates the rook by connecting it to the center. Most chess coaches recommend castling within the first 10 moves.
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