Knights can jump over other pieces, which makes them great for surprise attacks. They are the only pieces that can jump over other pieces on the board. They go in an L-shape: two squares in one direction (up, down, left, or right), and then one square perpendicular to the first move. The Knights: The Sneaky Horses (Value: 3 points each) A rook on the seventh rank is often considered sufficient compensation for a pawn. A rook on the seventh rank (the opponent’s second rank) is typically very powerful, threatening the opponent’s un-advanced pawns and hems in the enemy king. If one file is particularly important, a player might advance one rook on it, then position the other rook behind- doubling the rooks. From this position, the rook is relatively unexposed to risk but can exert control on every square on the file. A common strategic goal is to develop a rook on the first rank of an open file (i.e., one unobstructed by pawns of either player) or a half-open file (i.e., one unobstructed by friendly pawns). And why is that? Because in that specific position, the Rook has no mobility, no good squares to land on, and the Knight can jump freely from one square to another, creating a mess in Black’s position.Īdditionally, they may participate in castling. In the diagram above, the Knight, which is supposed to have a value of 3 points, is worth much more than the Rook, which is supposed to be 5 points. Rooks work best when they work together, protecting each other and controlling the board.The reason the Rook is considered less valuable than two minor pieces is because it lacks mobility. The rook is worth about five pawns and is generally considered stronger than bishops or knights by nearly two pawns but less valuable than two minor pieces by approximately a pawn. They can move in straight lines – up, down, or sideways – as far as you want, but not diagonally and may capture an enemy piece on their path. Rooks are like the castles of your chess kingdom. The Rooks: The Castle Defenders (Value: 5 points each)

Losing your queen can be a tough blow, so keep it safe and use it wisely. The queen can be used for early and brutal attacks. However, there are exceptions to this rule. The queen is usually positioned behind the pawns and pieces during the opening. Each player starts the game with one queen, placed in the middle of the first rank next to the king. It can move any number of squares vertically, horizontally, or diagonally, combining the powers of the rook and bishop. The queen is the most powerful and valuable piece. The Queen: The Powerful Ruler (Value: 9 points) The king’s value is infinite because losing the king means losing the game. Despite this, the king can become a solid offensive piece in the endgame or, rarely, the middlegame. You cannot make any move that places your king in check.

If this cannot be done, the king is said to be in checkmate, resulting in a your game loss. If a your king is threatened with capture, it is said to be in check, and you must remove the threat of capture on your next move. The king is the most important piece in chess because the goal is to win the opponent’s king. To add to this, the king cannot castle when under check. The king can also castle when there are no pieces between the king and the rook on either side, and the king hasn’t moved to any square during the game. The opponent’s king must always be kept at a safe distance. It is also important to note that a King cannot be placed at a square exactly next to the opponent’s king. The king can also perform a special move called castling in tandem with the rook. Remember that the king can only move one square in any direction – up, down, sideways, or diagonally. You win the game if you put your opponent’s king in checkmate, which means the king can’t move anywhere without being captured. The King: Your Royal Highness (Value: Priceless/Infinite) The key is to plan your moves, control the center of the board, protect your king, and use your pieces wisely to outmaneuver your opponent.

Pawns move forward one square but capture diagonally.

The queen moves in any direction for multiple squares.

The king moves one square in any direction.

Other names for chess pieces