
You can also think of it moving one square in any direction (up, down, left, right) and then one square diagonally. To create the “L”, you will move two squares straight then one square to the side:

When it moves, it creates the shape of an L and can jump over other pieces, both black and white. The knight is one of the trickiest pieces on the chessboard. In this case, the white pawn from d5 can no longer take en-passant. Let’s take the same position as before and imagine the black pawn started its move from e6 instead of e7: You can’t do the same if the pawn moves only one square in front. Secondly, you can only make this move if the pawn starts from its initial position and moves two squares, landing right next to a rival pawn. If you make another move, you are not allowed to change your mind on the second move and take en-passant. Two important things to remember: you have only one move to decide whether you want to take en-passant or not – right after your opponent has moved the pawn two squares in front, past your own. This is how the board would look like after the capture. So, here and only here, white can take en-passant: the pawn from d5 can go to e6 and capture the black pawn (which would be on e5): These pawns would never meet each other, hence never get the chance to capture each other: Imagine that white has a pawn on d5 and black would just go right past it with his pawn from e7, jumping directly next to it, on d5. This move is meant to avoid situations where two rival pawns never meet each other. “En-passant”Īnother special move of the pawn is en-passant or passing by. In practice, that should be very difficult to achieve though. Theoretically, you could have 9 queens on the board.

Here the black pawn has made it all the way to d1 black decided to get a queen instead and in the second diagram you have the position with a queen on the board, place on the exact same square the pawn was on – d1. To do this, you simply remove the pawn from the square it was on and replace it with the piece of your choice on the exact same square that the pawn arrived on. The most common choice is, of course, the queen, the most powerful piece on the board. It doesn’t matter that you already have that piece on the board, you can get another one. When you do so, you have the right to replace the pawn with any piece you like. To do this, you have to reach all the way to the other side of the board – 8 th rank for the white pieces and 1 st rank for the black ones. If you thought pawns are worthless, think again! Pawns are the only pieces that can transform into any other piece, except the king and, of course, a pawn. The pawn on a6 can’t advance either, as the white bishop on a5 is blocking it. Neither the pawn on h4 nor the one on h5 can move right now, as they are placed in front of each other. The only pawn that can move in this position is the one on c2, who can capture the black queen on d3.

If an enemy piece is placed in front of our pawn, then that pawn is blocked and won’t be able to advance until that square is vacated. In this case, too, they will only move one square at a time. However, the pawns on f4 and h6 can only advance one square, to f5 and h5 respectively.Īlthough they move in a straight line, the pawns can only capture in diagonal. For example:Īs you can see, here the pawns on g2 and g7 can choose between advancing one or two squares in front.

Once you’ve moved them, they can never advance two squares at a time again. Then and only then, the pawns can move two squares forward. The pawns move slowly – only one square at a time, except when they stand on their initial square (2nd or 7th rank, respectively). Just as well, a marching pawn chain can be very dangerous in the attack. Even though they are only worth one point, they are very important during a game.įor example, a “wall” of pawns can protect the king very well. Once you’ve moved them, they can never go back and this is why masters give pawn moves special attention. Let’s now see how each piece moves and what you need to know in order to start playing your first game of chess! The board has 64 black and white squares and on it, you will need to set up 32 pieces.
#Chess pieces moves and rules how to
If you have decided that you want to start learning how to play chess, then you need to get yourself a chess set. Chess pieces (chessmen) and a board is the essential part of each chess set.
