There are many rules that have to be followed in playing a good game of chess. Courtesy rules, game rules, and movement rules. Chess is a game of rules, and when played correctly along with a good strategy you can become a chess master. Before that happens however, you need to understand the rules for each piece in chess; as there are sometimes many rules to be known for just one piece. In a game of 16 white pieces and 16 black pieces you need to know the rules for each piece.
1. King: The most important piece in the game of Chess
The object of this game is to capture the opponent’s king. When this is done the game is over. There are however some different things that the King is capable of doing.
Movement rules: In a conventional game of chess, the white team begins with the king in the middle-right of their first row. The Black team starts with their king directly across from the white king. A king can move one square in any direction you choose to move it. The exception to this rule is that you cannot move it to a spot that is threatened by your opponent’s piece, or a space that is already occupied by another piece on its own side.
Castling: Castling consists of moving the king two squares towards the rook and placing the rook on the other side of the king. This is the only time during the game when you can move two pieces in one turn and can only be don’t if:
1. neither the king nor the rook have been previously moved from their initial spots
2. there are no occupied squares between them
3. the king is not in a “check ” position
4. when the king will end its movement on a square under enemy control
In the opening and even in the middle of the game the king will play a small, if any role at all. Normally a player will just try to keep the king safe from being attacked. In the endgame the king can play a very active role as an offensive piece which assists the remaining pawns.
Castling consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook, then placing the rook on the other side of the king, adjacent to it. Castling is only permissible if all of the following conditions hold:
Queen: Archaically known as the minister, she is the most powerful piece in the game of chess. Each player starts with one queen on their side; she sits next to the king.
Movement rules: The queen can only move in straight lines to any number of unoccupied squares. She is allowed to combing the movement rules of the rook and the bishop and captures enemy pieces by taking the square on which they sit.
Rook: each player begin with two rooks in each of the corners closest to their own side.
Movement rules: The rook can only move horizontally or vertically; forwards and back. It can move through any space that is not occupied by an enemy piece. It captures enemy pieces by occupying the square on which they stand. It also participates in the special move with the king of the chess game called castling.
Bishop: Each player in the game of chess receives two bishops; one starts in between the king’s knight and the king, the other between the queen’s knight and the queen.
Movement rules: The bishop is not restricted in how far he can move, but is however limited to moving on the diagonal. They can’t jump over other pieces; captures other pieces by taking over the square on which they sit.
Knight: Players receive two knights in the game of chess which is represented by a horse’s head.
Movement rules: The knight has a most peculiar movement rule and pattern. When it moves it can move two squares (horizontally or vertically) in one direction and one square perpendicular to the first. The knight’s move is in an L-shape. The knight can jump over other pawns and pieces to get to the player’s destination of choice. It also captures enemy pieces by moving into their square. The knight is the only piece that can move at the beginning of the game even before any pawn as moved. It is also the only piece that can be in a position to attack the other pieces without being reciprocally attacked by that piece.
Pawns: You receive 8 pawns to play the game of chess. The pawns have a somewhat more complex movement than the other pieces.
Movement rules: A pawn can move forward one square at a time if it unoccupied. If it is an initial move it also has the option of moving forward two squares provide that they are both unoccupied. A pawn cannot move backward. Pawns capture differently than other pieces. They can capture enemy pieces on either side adjacent to their position but can’t move to those spaces. If it gets to the eighth rank it is promoted or converted to a different piece; usually the queen.
These are the rules for each piece in chess. Hopefully this will help you understand the game a little better.
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