The short answer
Four pieces use diagonal movement in standard chess: the bishop, the queen, the king and the pawn (only when capturing). The rook and the knight do not move diagonally.
Bishop
The bishop moves any number of squares along a diagonal, as long as no piece blocks the way. It can capture the first enemy piece on a diagonal. It is the only piece that moves only diagonally, so it is stuck on squares of one color for the whole game.
Queen
Yes, the queen can move diagonally. She moves any number of squares in a straight line along a rank, file or diagonal. Diagonally she moves like a bishop, but she is not limited to one square color. See the piece that can move in any direction.
King
The king can move diagonally, but only one square at a time. It can also capture diagonally if the target is an adjacent enemy piece that is not protected. For more, see how the king moves.
Pawn: diagonal captures only
A pawn never moves diagonally unless it is capturing. It moves straight forward, and captures one square diagonally forward. So a pawn cannot capture a piece directly in front of it, and it cannot capture backward. A pawn can also capture diagonally in the special case of en passant, where the captured pawn is not on the destination square.
Pieces that do not move diagonally
- Rook: only horizontally and vertically.
- Knight: moves in an L-shape. Its jump is not a diagonal line, although it can jump over pieces on diagonals.
Diagonal moves in practice
- Color complexes: a bishop can only reach squares of its own color. Having both bishops covers both colors, which is why the bishop pair is generally considered an advantage in the chess strategy guide.
- Blocking: bishops, queens and kings cannot pass through other pieces, so pawn structures strongly affect how powerful diagonals are.
- Tactics: pins and skewers along diagonals are common, and a bishop on a long diagonal can pressure the opponent’s king position.
FAQ
Can a king take pieces diagonally? Yes, if the target is adjacent and not protected.
Can a pawn capture forward? No. Pawns move forward but capture diagonally.
Do all diagonal movers move any distance? No. The king and pawn move only one square diagonally.
For a complete list of how every piece moves, see chess pieces: names and how each moves.