Start here · Essential guide
Chess Pieces: Names and How Each Moves
Learn the names of all six chess pieces, how many of each you get, and how each one moves and captures, plus castling, promotion and en passant.
Learning the Game
Piece Movement
8 guides, starting with Chess Pieces: Names and How Each Moves.
Can the King Capture the King in Chess
No. A king can never capture or touch the opposing king in chess. Learn why, how kings can still capture other pieces, and how checkmate ends the game.
How the King Moves in Chess
The king moves one square in any direction but never into check. Learn how it captures, how castling works, and which king moves are illegal.
How to Capture a Queen in Chess: Trades, Traps and Forks
Any piece that attacks the queen can capture her. Learn how to win a queen with attacks from lesser pieces, forks, pins, traps and queen trades.
The Chess Piece That Can Move in Any Direction
The queen can move in any direction along ranks, files and diagonals for any distance. See how the king and knight compare and what blocks each piece.
The En Passant Rule in Chess
En passant is a special pawn capture, sometimes misspelled empassment. Learn when it is allowed, see an example, how to write it, and common mistakes.
Which Chess Pieces Move Diagonally
Bishops, queens, kings and pawns can all use diagonals in chess. See how each piece moves diagonally and which ones, like rooks and knights, cannot.
Which Pieces Can Move Backwards in Chess: A Piece-by-Piece Guide
Every chess piece can move backwards except the pawn. See a piece-by-piece guide to retreating, why pawns cannot, and when retreating is a good idea.
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