Basic Chess [Getting Started | Moving Pieces | Glossary] [Suggested Reading]
Each piece on either side of the board is capable of moving and capturing opposing pieces in a certain way. Below is a table with pictures of individual pieces, how they move, and descriptions of each one. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.
| Pieces | Movement | Description |
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Pawns are the pieces found on the second rank of each side and traditionally identified by a spherical top with an hourglass bottom. Understanding this piece may be difficult because of how it captures compared to its movement. Pawns move in a straight line and capture opposing pieces on squares next to them diagonally. On its first move, pawns are allowed to move one or two squares forward, but move one square at a time after that. If any pawns make it to the other side of the board, they receive a promotion. Also capable of En Passant. |
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Knights are often identified by beginning players as a horse because it looks like a horse's head. Beginner players may find this piece the most difficult to understand because of its complex movement. Its movement and capture of pieces is best described as an L-shape on the board as it moves either two squares up and one over left or right, one square up and two over left or right, or any combinations of the two ways from the square it starts on. Knights are the only pieces in the game allowed to move around and over other pieces. Checkmate is not possible with this piece and just a King. |
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Bishops are recognized because it resembles a knight (in armor), due to the slit in the top of the piece (looks like a knight's helmet). This slim designed piece is capable of only diagonal movement and capture as far as possible. Checkmate is not possible with this piece and just a King. |
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Rooks are most recognized as being either a tower or a castle. Although limited in movement to only horizontal and vertical movement as far as possible, this piece is important with the King, when castling. |
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Queens are the most powerful and usually the second tallest piece in the game. Understanding the movement of this piece means combining the movement of the Bishop and the Rook. |
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Kings, identified by a cross on the top of the piece, are priceless on the board because if either player's King is in checkmate then the game ends. Similar to the Queen, although its movement is limited to one square at a time, it becomes important when castling. Also the tallest piece in the game. |
Special Moves
| Movement | Description |
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Castling To castle, the King moves two squares toward a Rook on its side of the board, and the Rook moves to the square behind the King. Players may choose to castle toward the king or queen side. Conditions:
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En Passant French term meaning "in passing." Special capture by pawns when a pawn moves two squares forward and stops adjacently to an opponent's pawn on their 5th rank. Immediately after that move, the opponent may choose to capture it diagonally, shown in the pictures on the left as Black captures White. |
Basic Chess [Getting Started | Moving Pieces | Glossary] [Suggested Reading]
**All pictures were taken with my web cam and are free to the public, but please link back to this page.**
by Bobby Kuechenmeister
Originally written as a term project for Dr. Dennis G. Jerz's English 309: Writing Electronic Texts course.
first posted December 20, 2001
last updated October 23, 2005