| Piece | How It Moves | Special Rules |
|---|---|---|
| Pawn | Forward 1 (or 2), captures diagonally | En passant, promotion |
| Rook | Straight lines | Castling |
| Knight | L-shape (2+1) | Jumps over pieces |
| Bishop | Diagonals | Color-locked |
| Queen | Any direction | None |
| King | 1 square any way | Castling, checkmate |
Pieces
- Pawn (♙ / ♟️)
-
Moves: Forward 1 square (or 2 on first move).
-
Captures: Diagonally 1 square.
Special:
-
En passant: Captures a pawn that moved 2 squares past it.
-
Promotion: Reaches the 8th rank → becomes any piece (usually Queen).
- Rook (♖ / ♜)
-
Moves: Straight lines (any distance).
-
Special: Castling (moves with the king).
- Knight (♘ / ♞)
-
Moves: "L-shape" (2 squares one way + 1 square perpendicular).
-
Jumps: Over other pieces.
- Bishop (♗ / ♝)
-
Moves: Diagonals (any distance).
-
Stays on one color forever.
- Queen (♕ / ♛)
-
Moves: Any direction (straight/diagonal, any distance).
-
Most powerful piece!
- King (♔ / ♚)
- Moves: 1 square in any direction.
Special:
Castling: Swaps places with a rook (if no blocks/checks).
Checkmate: Loses if trapped with no escape.
How to move
- One move per turn
- Choose your piece, place it on a legal square
- Your color only: White moves first, then Black, alternating.
- No passing: You must move if it’s your turn.
How to Capture ("Eat")
-
Land on an enemy piece: Replace it with your piece.
-
Pawns capture diagonally only (not straight).
-
Kings cannot be captured (checkmate ends the game).
✔ Check: Attack the enemy king (they must escape next turn). ❌ Illegal: Moving into check or leaving your king in check.
Special moves
| Move | Key Rule | Notation |
|---|---|---|
| Castling | King + rook, no prior moves/checks | O-O |
| Promotion | Pawn→any piece at 8th rank | e8=Q |
| En Passant | Capture a 2-square pawn jump | exd6 e.p. |
- Castling (The King’s Escape)
- What: King + Rook move together in one turn.
How:
- King moves 2 squares toward a rook.
- Rook jumps to the other side of the king.
Rules:
- No checks: King can’t be in check or pass through check.
- Never moved: King and that rook must be untouched.
Types:
Kingside (♔→♖, faster): O-O
Queenside (♔←♖, safer): O-O-O
- Promotion ("Crowning")
-
What: Pawn reaches the 8th rank → turns into any piece (usually Queen).
-
How: Replace the pawn with a new piece (even if the original is still on the board).
Fun fact: You can have 9 queens (1 original + 8 promotions)!
Promotion example (Pawn→Queen at h8)
- En Passant (French for "In Passing")
-
When: Enemy pawn moves 2 squares forward past your pawn.
-
How: Capture it diagonally (as if it moved only 1 square).
Rule: Must do it immediately (next turn only).
#chess #elsalvador #somachess