What Is Chess?
Chess is a two-player, turn-based strategy board game played on a square board divided into 64 squares arranged in an 8×8 grid. Each player begins with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns. The objective is to place the opponent’s king in checkmate — a position where the king is under attack and has no legal move to escape. Chess contains no element of luck or hidden information; the outcome depends entirely on the decisions of both players.
Chess is one of the most played games in human history. According to FIDE — the International Chess Federation — over 800 million people play chess worldwide. It is recognized as a sport in more than 100 countries and is practiced competitively at all levels, from school clubs to the Olympic Chess Olympiad. Online platforms have brought the game to hundreds of millions of digital players, making it one of the fastest-growing online sports of the 21st century.
What makes chess special among all board games is the sheer depth of its strategy. The number of possible chess games is estimated at 10 to the power of 120 — a number larger than the atoms in the observable universe. This means no two chess games need ever be exactly alike. Masters spend decades studying the game and still encounter entirely new positions. Chess combines logic, pattern recognition, memory, creativity, and psychological pressure.
Research has consistently shown that learning chess improves concentration, problem-solving ability, and mathematical thinking in children. Many countries have introduced chess as part of their school curriculum. Beyond education, chess creates a universal language — a game that needs no translation, played across cultures and connecting people of all ages on the same 64-square playing field.
♟ The number of possible chess games is greater than the number of atoms in the observable universe.
Why Chess Matters — Benefits and Importance
Chess is far more than entertainment. It is a tool for cognitive development, a competitive sport, a form of art, and a historical artifact.
Boosts Intelligence
Multiple studies show chess players score higher on spatial reasoning and problem-solving tests. Learning chess trains the brain to think several steps ahead.
Improves Academic Performance
Students who study chess show measurable gains in reading comprehension and mathematics. Armenia has made chess a compulsory school subject.
Develops Focus & Patience
A single chess game can last hours, requiring sustained concentration and calm under pressure. These skills transfer directly to academic and professional life.
Universal Language
Chess needs no translation. A player from India can sit across from a player from Norway and communicate entirely through moves.
Competitive Sport
Chess is recognized by the IOC as a sport. The Chess Olympiad features teams from 195+ countries — more than almost any global sporting event.
Foundation of AI Research
Chess was one of the first domains used to test AI. Deep Blue defeating Garry Kasparov in 1997 was a landmark moment in machine learning history.
The Chessboard — Understanding the Playing Field
The chessboard is an 8×8 grid containing exactly 64 squares, alternating between light and dark colors. The columns are called files (labeled a–h) and the rows are called ranks (numbered 1–8). Every square has a unique coordinate — for example, ‘e4’ refers to the square on the e-file and the 4th rank.
The board must always be placed so that each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner. The center four squares — d4, d5, e4, and e5 — are the most strategically important area. Controlling these squares in the opening is a fundamental principle of chess strategy.
The board is also divided into the kingside (files e–h) and the queenside (files a–d). Understanding the geography of the chessboard is the first essential step to understanding everything that happens on it.
Chess Pieces — All 6 Types Explained
Each player begins with exactly 16 chess pieces. Each type moves in a completely different way, has a different value, and plays a different strategic role throughout the game.
The pawn is the most common piece on the board, with each player starting with eight of them arranged on the second rank. Though individually the least powerful piece, pawns form the foundation of every chess position. The arrangement of pawns — called the pawn structure — determines the fundamental character of the position.
Pawns move forward only — they can never move backward. On its first move, a pawn may advance either one or two squares forward. Unlike every other piece, the pawn does not capture in the same direction it moves: it captures diagonally, one square forward to either side.
When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it must immediately be promoted to any other piece except a king. Almost universally, players promote to a queen. The famous Tarrasch proverb states: 'Pawns are the soul of chess.'
The knight moves in an 'L' shape: two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicular to that. The knight is the ONLY chess piece that can jump over other pieces — friendly or enemy — making it especially dangerous in closed positions.
Knights are worth approximately 3 pawns and are considered 'minor pieces' alongside bishops. Knights are generally stronger in closed positions with locked pawn structures. 'Knights on the rim are dim' — a knight on the edge of the board has far fewer squares it can reach.
The bishop moves diagonally any number of squares. Because of this movement, a bishop that starts on a light square will always remain on light squares. This is why each player has two bishops: one for each color complex.
Most modern chess theory considers bishops to be very slightly more valuable than knights — often called the 'bishop pair advantage.' A bishop blocked by its own pawns is called a 'bad bishop' — it has little mobility and influence.
The rook moves horizontally or vertically any number of squares. It is one of the two major pieces in chess (along with the queen) and is worth 5 pawns. Rooks work best on open files where they can exert maximum pressure along the entire length of the board.
In the endgame, rooks become extremely powerful because the board opens up. The famous principle 'Rooks belong behind passed pawns' is one of the most important endgame concepts.
The queen is by far the most powerful piece in chess. It can move any number of squares in ANY direction — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The queen combines the movement of a rook and a bishop, making it worth approximately 9 pawns.
The queen was not always this powerful. In the original Indian chaturanga, the equivalent piece could only move one square diagonally. The dramatic transformation to the modern queen happened in 15th-century Europe. Because the queen is so valuable, players must use it carefully — bringing it out too early exposes it to attacks by less valuable enemy pieces.
The king is the most important piece in chess — not because it is powerful, but because it is the target. The entire game revolves around protecting your king while threatening the opponent's. The king moves one square in any direction.
In the opening and middlegame, the king is highly vulnerable. Players castle their king to safety behind a wall of pawns. In the endgame, the character of the king transforms completely — it becomes an active fighting piece that must march toward the center to support its pawns.
How to Set Up a Chess Board — Step by Step
Setting up a chess board correctly is the very first skill every beginner must learn. Follow these steps exactly.
How Chess Pieces Move
Pawn
Forward 1 square always. Forward 2 squares on first move only. Captures diagonally forward 1 square. Cannot move backward. Special: en passant capture.
Knight
Moves in an 'L': 2 squares in one direction + 1 square perpendicular. From the center, reaches up to 8 squares. The ONLY piece that jumps over others.
Bishop
Moves diagonally any number of squares. Always stays on the same color square it started on. From the center, reaches up to 13 squares.
Rook
Moves horizontally or vertically any number of squares. From any square it always reaches exactly 14 squares. Participates in castling.
Queen
Combines rook + bishop. Moves in any of 8 directions any number of squares. From the center, can reach up to 27 squares — more than any other piece.
King
Moves exactly 1 square in any direction. Can never move into check. Participates in castling. Cannot be captured — the game ends if it is checkmated.
Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate
Check
Check is the condition where a player's king is under direct attack by one or more enemy pieces. When your king is in check, you must immediately resolve the situation. There are exactly three ways to get out of check: move the king to a safe square, block the attack with one of your own pieces, or capture the attacking piece. If none of these is possible, it is checkmate.
It is illegal to make a move that leaves your own king in check. A player can also be in check from two pieces simultaneously — a 'double check' — where the only legal response is to move the king.
Checkmate
Checkmate — often shortened to 'mate' — is the ultimate goal of chess. It occurs when a player's king is in check AND there is no legal move to escape. The word comes from the Persian phrase 'shah mat,' meaning 'the king is helpless.' When checkmate occurs, the game ends immediately.
Famous checkmate patterns include Scholar's Mate (mate on move 4 targeting f7), Fool's Mate (the fastest possible mate in 2 moves), Smothered Mate (knight delivers mate while the king is surrounded by its own pieces), and the Arabian Mate (rook and knight in the corner).
Stalemate
Stalemate occurs when the player whose turn it is has NO legal move AND their king is NOT in check. The result is always a draw — even if one player has an enormous material advantage. Stalemate has saved countless players who were losing badly. For the stronger side, avoiding stalemate is an important technical skill.
The Three Special Rules in Chess
Chess has three special rules that apply only in specific situations: castling, en passant, and pawn promotion.
Castling
Castling is a special move involving the king and one rook — the only time in chess where two pieces move in the same turn. The king moves two squares toward a rook, and the rook then jumps over the king to the square on the other side. Castling kingside is called 'castling short'; castling queenside is 'castling long.'
Castling is legal only when ALL of the following are true: (1) neither the king nor the rook involved has previously moved; (2) there are no pieces between them; (3) the king is not currently in check; (4) the king does not pass through or land on an attacked square. The rook is allowed to be under attack or pass through an attacked square — only the king's path matters.
En Passant
En passant is French for 'in passing.' When a pawn moves two squares from its starting position and lands beside an enemy pawn, the enemy pawn may capture it as if it had only moved one square. The capturing pawn moves diagonally to the square the moving pawn skipped. This is only legal on the VERY NEXT MOVE — miss it, and the right is permanently lost. It is the only chess move where the captured piece does not occupy the destination square.
Pawn Promotion
When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board — rank 8 for White, rank 1 for Black — it MUST immediately be replaced by another piece (king excluded). Almost universally, players promote to a queen ('queening'). Occasionally, underpromoting to a knight is correct — typically when queening would cause stalemate or when a knight delivers immediate checkmate.
How Does a Chess Game End?
A chess game can end in three ways: a win for White, a win for Black, or a draw.
Wins
Checkmate
The opponent's king is in check with no legal escape. The game ends immediately.
Resignation
A player gives up when the position is hopeless. Most professional games end in resignation.
Time Forfeit
In timed games, if your clock runs out you lose — unless the opponent lacks the material to mate.
Draws
Stalemate
The player to move has no legal moves and is not in check. Immediate draw.
Mutual Agreement
Both players agree to a draw at any point — common in equal positions.
Threefold Repetition
If the same position occurs three times, either player may claim a draw.
Fifty-Move Rule
If 50 consecutive moves pass with no pawn move or capture, either player may claim a draw.
Insufficient Material
If neither player has enough pieces to deliver mate (e.g. K vs K), the game is drawn immediately.
Chess Time Controls — Bullet, Blitz, Rapid, Classical
In competitive chess, every player has a limited amount of time to make all their moves. Different time limits create entirely different styles of chess — from calm, deep classical games lasting hours to frantic bullet games decided in under two minutes.
Most modern time controls include an increment — extra seconds added to your clock after every move. For example, '5+3' means each player starts with 5 minutes and gains 3 seconds per move. Increments prevent games from ending purely on time when both players are still making good moves.
Chess Notation — How Moves Are Recorded
Chess notation is the system used to record chess moves, allowing games to be written down, shared, studied, and replayed. The standard system used worldwide today is algebraic notation, adopted officially by FIDE in 1976.
Each piece is represented by a capital letter: K = King, Q = Queen, R = Rook, B = Bishop, N = Knight. Pawns have no letter — a pawn move is simply the destination square (e.g. 'e4'). Captures use 'x' (e.g. 'Nxe5'). Check is '+' and checkmate is '#'.
Example (Ruy Lopez opening): 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| K | King |
| Q | Queen |
| R | Rook |
| B | Bishop |
| N | Knight |
| x | Capture |
| + | Check |
| # | Checkmate |
| O-O | Castle Kingside |
| O-O-O | Castle Queenside |
| = | Promotion (e.g., e8=Q) |
| ! | Good move |
| !! | Brilliant move |
| ? | Mistake |
| ?? | Blunder |
| !? | Interesting / risky |
| ?! | Dubious |
Chess Openings — The First Moves of a Game
The opening is the first phase of a chess game, typically lasting the first 10–20 moves. Despite the complexity of opening theory, all good openings follow the same basic principles.
Three Core Opening Principles
Control the Center
Pawns and pieces in or near the central squares (d4, d5, e4, e5) control more of the board.
Develop Your Pieces
Get your knights and bishops off their starting squares quickly. Undeveloped pieces are sleeping.
Castle Your King
After developing, castle to safety. A king stuck in the center is a constant target.
Most Popular Openings
Italian Game
One of the oldest openings, dating to the 16th century. White places the bishop on c4 to target the f7 pawn — a classic attacking approach.
Ruy Lopez (Spanish Opening)
One of the most studied openings at all levels. White pins the knight defending e5, creating long-term pressure. Used by almost every World Champion.
Sicilian Defense
The most popular chess opening at club and professional level. Black fights for the center asymmetrically, creating imbalanced positions full of tactical possibilities.
Queen's Gambit
White offers a pawn to gain central control. Not truly a gambit because Black cannot safely keep the pawn. Made famous by the Netflix series of the same name.
King's Indian Defense
A popular counter-attacking defense. Black allows White to build a large center and then immediately attacks it. Favored by Kasparov and Fischer.
French Defense
A solid, strategic defense. Black builds a strong pawn structure but can end up with a cramped position. Produces long, positional battles.
Chess Strategy — How Masters Think
Middlegame Strategy
The pawn structure determines what plans are available. Locked structures favor knights and slow positional maneuvering; open structures favor bishops and rooks. Identifying the correct plan from the structure is the master skill of middlegame chess.
Piece activity and outposts are the building blocks of strong positions. An outpost is a square in enemy territory where your piece cannot be attacked by an enemy pawn — knights placed on outposts are devastating because they cannot be dislodged.
King safety governs the middlegame. Once both kings have castled, attacks are organized around opening lines toward the enemy king. Pawn storms, piece sacrifices to open the king's position, and infiltrating squares near the king are the most common attacking themes.
Material is not everything. The 'exchange sacrifice' — giving up a rook for a minor piece — is a classic positional sacrifice that wins long-term compensation in the form of pawn structure, square control, or attacking chances.
Endgame Principles
The endgame begins when most pieces have been exchanged. The king transforms from hunted target to active fighting piece — getting the king into the center is often the single most important endgame move.
Rook endgames center on two iconic positions: the Lucena (a winning technique for the side with the extra pawn) and the Philidor (the standard drawing technique for the defender). Mastering these two positions is essential for any serious chess player.
Tactics
Tactics are short sequences of moves that win material or deliver checkmate. Even the best strategic plans are meaningless if a player overlooks a one-move tactic.
Fork
One piece attacks two enemy pieces simultaneously. The opponent can only save one — the other is lost.
Pin
A piece is pinned when moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it. Absolute pins (against the king) are especially powerful.
Skewer
Like a reverse pin. A valuable piece is attacked, and when it moves, a less valuable piece behind it is captured.
Discovered Attack
A piece moves, revealing an attack from another piece behind it. The moved piece can also attack — called a double attack.
Zwischenzug
A German word meaning 'in-between move.' A surprising intermediate move improves the position before the obvious recapture.
Deflection
A piece is forced away from defending a critical square or another piece. The defender is 'deflected' from its duty.
Chess Ratings — How Player Strength Is Measured
Chess ratings are numerical representations of a player's relative skill. The most widely used system is the Elo rating, developed by Hungarian-American physicist Arpad Elo in the 1960s and adopted by FIDE in 1970. A player rated 200 points above their opponent is expected to win roughly 76% of games.
FIDE Titles — From Candidate Master to Grandmaster
FIDE awards official chess titles to players who achieve specific performance thresholds in international tournaments. These titles are permanent — once earned, a chess title is never taken away.
| Title | Abbr | Min Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Candidate Master | CM | 2200 |
| FIDE Master | FM | 2300 |
| International Master | IM | 2400 |
| Grandmaster | GM | 2500 |
| Title | Abbr | Min Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Woman Candidate Master | WCM | 2000 |
| Woman FIDE Master | WFM | 2100 |
| Woman International Master | WIM | 2200 |
| Woman Grandmaster | WGM | 2300 |
The Grandmaster title is the highest awarded by FIDE. To earn it, a player must achieve a rating of at least 2500 AND score three 'GM norms' — performances at a specific level against other titled players. As of 2025, fewer than 2,000 Grandmasters exist worldwide out of hundreds of millions of chess players.
Chess Competitions — How Tournaments Work
Chess competitions range from local club tournaments to the World Chess Championship — the most prestigious event in chess, held every two years between the reigning champion and a challenger.
Round Robin
Every player plays every other player. The most accurate format for determining the strongest player.
Swiss System
Players with similar scores are paired each round. Allows large tournaments (100+) to finish in few rounds.
Knockout / Match
Players compete head-to-head; loser is eliminated. Used in World Championship cycles.
Arena
Players can start new games immediately after finishing. Popular online.
- World Chess Championship (classical, every 2 years)
- Candidates Tournament (selects the World Championship challenger)
- Chess Olympiad (team event, every 2 years)
- Grand Chess Tour (elite round-robin circuit)
- World Rapid and Blitz Championship
- National Championships (every country holds its own)
The Complete History of Chess — From Ancient India to Today
Origins: Chaturanga in Ancient India
The origins of chess can be traced back to ancient India, where a game called chaturanga was played during the Gupta Empire, roughly between the 4th and 6th centuries AD. The word 'chaturanga' is Sanskrit for 'four divisions of the military' — infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots — corresponding to the four piece types. Chaturanga was already remarkably similar to modern chess: different pieces had different powers, and the fate of the king determined the outcome.
The Persian Evolution: Shatranj
Chaturanga spread westward to Persia around the 6th century AD and evolved into shatranj. The raja became the ‘shah’ (king — the source of the word ‘chess’), and the phrase ‘shah mat’ — ‘the king is helpless’ — became the word ‘checkmate.’ Shatranj became enormously popular in the Islamic Golden Age, with masters like al-Suli and al-Lajlaj writing the first opening theory.
Chess Arrives in Europe
Chess entered Europe via the Moorish conquest of Spain, through Sicily and Italy, and possibly through Byzantine routes. By the 10th and 11th centuries it was widespread throughout medieval Europe. The pieces were reinterpreted to reflect feudal society: the vizier became a queen, the elephant a bishop, and the chariot a castle (rook). Chess was considered one of the seven skills required of a knight.
The Revolutionary 15th-Century Rule Changes
The most dramatic transformation in chess history occurred around 1475 in Spain or Portugal. The queen — formerly the weakest piece — gained the ability to move any number of squares in any direction, instantly becoming the most powerful piece. The new game was sometimes called 'Mad Queen Chess' — and within decades it had replaced the old shatranj throughout Europe.
The Romantic Era: 1600s–1800s
For two centuries chess was dominated by 'Romantic chess' — brilliant sacrifices and aggressive attacks pursued regardless of material cost. The most celebrated figure was Paul Morphy (1837–1884), an American prodigy from New Orleans often considered the greatest natural talent in chess history.
The Classical Era: Steinitz and Scientific Chess
Wilhelm Steinitz (1836–1900) revolutionized chess by replacing the Romantic attacking style with scientific positional principles. He argued that chess was about accumulating small advantages and only attacking when justified. Steinitz became the first official World Chess Champion in 1886 by defeating Johannes Zukertort.
The Soviet Chess Empire (1948–1991)
After WWII, chess became a matter of national prestige for the Soviet Union. From 1948 to 1972, every World Chess Champion was a Soviet citizen. The dominant figure was Mikhail Botvinnik, whose students included future champions Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.
Bobby Fischer and the Match of the Century
The 1972 World Championship between American Bobby Fischer and Soviet champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavik, Iceland, was one of the most dramatic events in sports history. Played at the height of the Cold War, Fischer won 12.5–8.5, breaking the Soviet monopoly on the world title for the first time in 24 years.
Karpov, Kasparov, and Deep Blue
Karpov dominated chess from 1975 to 1985 with quiet positional precision. In 1985, the young Garry Kasparov won the title at age 22 and held it for 15 years. In 1997, IBM's Deep Blue defeated Kasparov 3.5–2.5 — the first computer to beat a reigning World Champion in a classical match, a landmark moment for AI.
The Modern Era: Kramnik, Anand, Carlsen
Vladimir Kramnik ended Kasparov's reign in 2000 using the famous Berlin Defense. Viswanathan Anand of India became champion in 2007, inspiring an entire generation of Indian players. Magnus Carlsen of Norway held the title from 2013 to 2023 with the highest peak rating ever recorded (2882) before voluntarily declining to defend.
Gukesh — The Youngest World Champion
In December 2024, 18-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju of India became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in history, defeating Ding Liren of China in Singapore. His victory represents the rise of a new generation of digital-native chess prodigies and the growing dominance of Indian chess.
All World Chess Champions (1886–Present)
The World Chess Championship has been contested since 1886. Here is every undisputed World Chess Champion in history.
Chess Variants — Other Ways to Play
While standard chess is the most widely played form, many fascinating variants exist that use different rules, boards, or pieces.
Chess960 / Fischer Random
The starting position of the pieces is randomly chosen, eliminating the value of memorized opening theory. Invented by Bobby Fischer to put pure chess creativity back at the center of the game.
Bughouse
A 4-player variant played on two boards with partners. Pieces captured by your partner can be placed on your board as your move — creating chaotic, fast-paced fun.
4-Player Chess
Played on a special cross-shaped board with four sets of pieces. Players form alliances or fight free-for-all. Each player uses their own clock.
Crazyhouse
Like bughouse but for 2 players. Captured pieces join your army and can be dropped back onto the board as your move. Creates wild tactical positions.
Three-Check
The first player to put the opponent's king in check three times wins — regardless of material or checkmate. Forces constant attacking play.
Antichess (Losing Chess)
The goal is reversed: you must lose all your pieces or get stalemated. If you can capture an enemy piece, you MUST. The most counterintuitive chess variant.
Chess and Artificial Intelligence — A 70-Year Relationship
Chess has been central to the history of AI since the very beginning of the field. In 1950, mathematician Alan Turing wrote the first chess-playing algorithm — not on a computer, but on paper. That same year, Claude Shannon published a landmark paper on how computers could be programmed to play chess.
The progression from Turing's paper chess to modern engines spans 70 years. By the 1990s, Deep Blue's specialized hardware could evaluate hundreds of millions of positions per second, and in 1997 it defeated Kasparov. Today, programs like Stockfish play above 3500 Elo — far beyond any human.
In 2017, DeepMind's AlphaZero taught itself chess from scratch using only the rules and neural networks trained by self-play. AlphaZero defeated Stockfish and played a dynamic, sacrificial style remarkably unlike any previous engine — leading many observers to say AlphaZero played chess the way humans dream of playing it.
Today, chess engines are not enemies of the sport but essential training tools. Every professional player uses engines to analyze games, prepare opening novelties, and study endgames. The relationship between human and computer chess is now symbiotic.
How to Start Playing Chess — Your First Steps
Test Your Chess Knowledge
Chess Glossary — 55 Terms Defined
Frequently Asked Questions About Chess
Official Game Rules
The following rules govern competitive chess play, based on the official FIDE Laws of Chess and used in all CHESS OX tournaments and rated matches.
Section 1. Chess is played between two opponents who move chessmen on a board of alternating colored squares.
Section 2. Players must conduct themselves ethically in the spirit of fair play.
Section 3. Contests may be individual, team, medley team, or board Swiss.
- Individual Tournament: Players are paired against each other on an individual basis.
- Team Tournament: A team is paired against the same number of players from another team; individual results compile to a team score.
- Medley Team: Members are treated as individuals; their scores are summed for a team total.
- Board Swiss: A team is divided into subgroups, each run as an individual event; team score is the sum of all members.
Section 4. The player of the Black pieces is responsible for providing equipment unless otherwise specified.
Section 1. The chessboard has 64 equal squares alternating between light and dark.
- Acceptable light square colors: cream, white, tan/buff.
- Acceptable dark square colors: green, brown, black, dark blue.
Section 2. The board must be placed so each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner — “Light on right.”
Each player begins with 16 chessmen: 1 King, 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Bishops, 2 Knights, and 8 Pawns.
| Piece | White | Black | Count |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♔ King | e1 | e8 | 1 |
| ♕ Queen | d1 | d8 | 1 |
| ♖ Rooks | a1, h1 | a8, h8 | 2 |
| ♗ Bishops | c1, f1 | c8, f8 | 2 |
| ♘ Knights | b1, g1 | b8, g8 | 2 |
| ♙ Pawns | a2–h2 | a7–h7 | 8 |
Section 1. Players alternate turns. White always moves first.
Section 2. A move is completed when the player releases the piece on its destination square. In online play, a move is completed when the piece is dropped on a valid square.
Section 3. A player may not take back a completed move except where the move was illegal.
Section 1 — Transfer. A move is the transfer of a chessman from one square to another vacant or occupied square.
Section 2 — Capture. When a piece moves to a square occupied by an enemy piece, the enemy piece is removed and the capturing piece takes its place.
Section 3 — Castling. A special King-and-Rook move counting as a single King move. The King moves two squares toward the Rook; the Rook jumps to the square the King crossed. Illegal if: either piece has previously moved; any square between them is occupied; the King is in check; or the King passes through or lands on an attacked square.
Section 4 — En Passant. When a pawn advances two squares from its start and lands beside an enemy pawn, the enemy pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square. This right expires if not exercised on the very next move.
Section 5 — Promotion. When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board it must immediately be replaced by a Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight of the same color. The new piece takes effect immediately.
♔ King
One square in any direction. May castle once per game. Cannot move into check.
♕ Queen
Any number of squares in any direction. The most powerful piece on the board.
♖ Rook
Any number of squares horizontally or vertically. Participates in castling.
♗ Bishop
Any number of squares diagonally. Always stays on the same color square.
♘ Knight
An “L” shape: two squares in one direction then one perpendicular. The only piece that jumps over others.
♙ Pawn
Forward one square; two on its first move. Captures diagonally forward. Subject to en passant and promotion.
Rule 7 — Determination and Completion. A move is complete when the player’s hand leaves the piece on its destination square. In timed games, the player must then press their clock.
Rule 8 — Touch-Move. If a player deliberately touches one of their own pieces, they must move it if a legal move exists. If they touch an opponent’s piece, they must capture it if a legal capture exists. Saying “j’adoube” before touching a piece signals adjustment only.
Rule 9 — Illegal Position. If an illegal move is completed, the position must be restored to what it was before the illegal move and the game continues from there. If the position cannot be reconstructed, the game is annulled and replayed.
Rule 10 — Check. The King is in check when the square it occupies is attacked by one or more enemy pieces. A player must resolve check immediately by moving the King, blocking the attack, or capturing the attacker. It is illegal to make any move that leaves or places your own King in check.
Rule 11 — Won Game. The game is won by the player who delivers checkmate — the opponent’s King is in check with no legal escape. A game is also won if the opponent resigns, or if the opponent’s clock runs out (provided the winning side has sufficient mating material).
Rule 12 — Drawing Game. The game is drawn when:
- Stalemate — the player to move has no legal move and is not in check.
- Mutual agreement — both players agree to a draw.
- Threefold repetition — the same position occurs three times with the same player to move.
- Fifty-move rule — 50 consecutive moves pass with no pawn move or capture.
- Insufficient material — neither player has enough pieces to deliver checkmate (e.g. King vs. King).
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