Chess Piece - Movement of The Pieces

Movement of The Pieces

• Main article: Rules of chess

	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h
8									8
7									7
6									6
5									5
4									4
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

Starting position (squares are designated according to algebraic notation)

Each piece moves in a different way.

• The rook moves any number of vacant squares forwards, backwards, left, or right. It is also involved in a special move called castling, along with the king.
• The bishop moves any number of vacant squares diagonally. Consequently, a bishop stays on squares of the same color throughout a game. The two bishops each player starts with move on squares of opposite colors.
• The queen moves any number of vacant squares in any direction forwards, backwards, left, right, or diagonally.
• The king moves only one vacant square in any direction forwards, backwards, left, right, or diagonally. It can also castle in conjunction with a rook.
• The knight moves to a vacant square in an "L"-shape two spaces forwards, backwards, left, or right, then one space perpendicular. The knight jumps over any intervening piece(s) when moving.
• The pawn can only move forward one space or, optionally, two spaces when on its starting square, away from the player. When there is an enemy piece one square diagonally ahead from the pawn, either left or right, then the pawn may capture that piece. A pawn can perform a special type of capture of an enemy pawn called en passant. If the pawn reaches a back rank of the opposite player, it undergoes promotion to the player's choice of a rook, bishop, queen, or knight (Just & Burg 2003:13–16).

Pieces other than the pawn capture in the same way that they move. A capturing piece replaces the opposing piece on its square, except for an en passant capture. A captured piece is removed from the board. Only one piece may occupy a given square. Except for castling and the knight's move, a piece may not jump over another piece (Just & Burg 2003:13–16).