How Chess Pieces Move
Learn how each chess piece moves.
The King
The king moves one square in any direction — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The king can never move into a square that is attacked by an opponent's piece. If a king is attacked (in check), it must escape on the next move.
The Queen
The queen is the most powerful piece. It can move any number of squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It combines the movement of both the rook and the bishop.
The Rook
The rook moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically. Rooks are powerful in open files and on the 7th rank. Each player starts with two rooks in the corners.
The Bishop
The bishop moves any number of squares diagonally. Each player has two bishops — one on light squares and one on dark squares. A bishop never changes its square color.
The Knight
The knight moves in an 'L' shape — two squares in one direction and one square perpendicular. Knights are the only pieces that can jump over other pieces. They are strongest in closed positions.
The Pawn
Pawns move forward one square, but capture diagonally one square forward. On their first move, pawns can advance two squares. When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it promotes to any piece (usually a queen).
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