While some might view the pawn as a weak chess piece, pawns are fully capable of attacking and taking other pieces. However, that is not the case for a king, because of an exception regarding the most important piece on the board. Chess rules do not allow a pawn to take a king. No piece … Read more
Once you know how a king moves in chess, it’s time to learn about how a king attacks other pieces. It’s not very complicated and quite similar to its movements on the board. The rules of chess allow a king to attack in any direction (horizontal, diagonal, or vertical). Since a king is allowed to … Read more
Pawns may seem weak compared to a king or queen, but the ability to promote into another piece makes them surprisingly strong. Helping your pawns reach the other side of the board can pay off quickly in a chess game. A pawn is not allowed to promote to a king, because having two kings would … Read more
Sacrificing chess pieces can be a sound strategy, as long as it helps a player win. But giving up a king is different: it is the most important piece among the chessmen. That’s exactly why the rules make it impossible for a player to forfeit their king during a game. The rules of chess state … Read more
The king can have many different appearances depending on the chess set you are using. The king’s piece can look like he is wearing a cross, ball, plume, French lily, or crown on top of his head. In modern chess sets, the king (♔, ♚) looks like a tall, royal figure with a cross on … Read more
After learning the starting position of the king on the chess board, the next step is understanding his movements. If you’re a beginner, learning how the chess pieces move is essential to gain a better understanding of the game. The rules of chess state that a king is allowed to move one square in every … Read more
When a queen wants to capture a king, immediate danger looms on the chess board. With the most important piece under a checkmate threat, the king in check must defend itself at all costs. A king can take a queen in chess, but only if the opponent’s queen is not protected. The rules of chess … Read more
Castling is weird, really weird. Among the special chess rules, the existence of a castle move will probably rank among the top in the category ‘strange’. So why does this move exist in the first place? Castling exists as a chess rule to speed up the opening and early game portion of a chess game. … Read more
If you’re only just learning how to castle in chess, the four rules of castling are essential. Once you know the conditions under which a player is allowed to castle with the ♔ King and ♖ Rook, things get a whole lot easier. Castling is a special chess rule where two pieces move at the … Read more
Castling might be one of the weirdest chess rules in existence. Not only is it the only way to play two pieces at the same time (♔ king and ♖ rook), it’s also the only move where the king is allowed to take two steps in a single turn. Following the rules of chess, the … Read more
