Chess Pieces And How They Move

Each player starts a chess game with 16 pieces. There are a total number of 32 pieces on the board.

White and black both start the game with the following pieces:

• 1 king
• 1 queen
• 2 rooks
• 2 bishops
• 2 knights
• 8 pawns

What Are The Names Of The Chess Pieces?

The names of the chess pieces are:

• King
• Queen
• Rook
• Knight
• Bishop
• Pawn

What Are The Values Of Each Chess Piece?

• King: Infinite
• Queen: 10
• Rook: 5
• Knight: 3
• Bishop: 3
• Pawn: 1

How Chess Pieces Move?

Pawns

In chess, each chess player starts the game with 8 pawns. In general, pawns can only move forward one square at a time.

When a pawn reaches the end of the board, it can decide to become either a Queen, Knight, Rook, or Bishop

When a pawn first moves, it can either move one or two squares.

After its first move, a pawn can only move one square at a time.

When a pawn captures a piece, it does so by moving diagonally (not forward).

Pawns can NOT jump over other pieces. If a piece is in front of a pawn, the pawn is blocked and cannot move.

Rooks (Castles)

Rooks (castles) start the game on the corner of the board.

The rook can only move horizontally or vertically.

Rooks captures pieces by taking the square the enemy piece sits on

The rook also participates, with the king, in a special move called castling.

Knights

Knights move either two squares horizontally and one square vertically or one square horizontally and two vertically.

This resembles Knights moving in an “L-shape”.

Knights are the only piece that can "jump over" all other pieces.

Knights captures an enemy piece by replacing it on its square.

King

The king is the most important piece in the game of chess (Since the goal is to win the opponent's king)

The king, however, is usually the weakest piece in the game.

White starts the game with a king on the first rank (to the right of the queen).

Black’s king should be directly across from Whites king.

See this setup below:

A king can move one square in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).

Kings captures an enemy piece by replacing it on its square.

The King also participates, with the king, in a special move called castling.

Queen

The queen is the second most important piece in the game of chess (Since it is the most powerful)

White starts the game with a Queen on the first rank (to the left of the queen).

Black’s Queen should be directly across from Whites Queen.

See this setup below:

A Queen can in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).

And a Queen can move any number of squares.

Queens captures an enemy piece by replacing it on its square.

Bishops

White starts the game with Bishops on the first rank (to the left and right of the queen and kings).

See this setup below:

Bishops can only move diagonally.

But a Bishop can move any number of squares on that diagonal.

Bishops captures an enemy piece by replacing it on its square.