Without pieces, there is no chess that can be played. Each chess player starts off with 16 pieces.

These pieces are:

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

Each of these pieces serves a different role in a chess game, and we will look at what makes each piece unique from the other pieces. Also, specific situations where they are at their peak when attacking.

You can understand better the royal game by studying this guide about the pieces together with the chess rules.

Pawn

Value and Location

Each pawn is worth one point. Each player starts out with eight pawns. White pawns start on the second rank from a2-h2. Black pawns start on the seventh rank from a7 – h7.

In every chess game, half of the pieces in the chessboard are pawns.

Movement

On their initial move, pawns can either move one square or two squares ahead. After the first move is completed by a certain pawn, it’s only allowed to take one step at a time on the same file.

In the position above, the pawn on b2 has the option to either play to b3 or to b4 on its first move.

The black pawn, on the other hand, as it has made its initial move before, can only take one step forward per each move: 1…g5 2…g4… 3…g3.

Pawns are the only pieces in chess that cannot go back!

Capturing

Pawns can capture enemy pieces that are diagonally adjacent to them. In the position above, the pawn on c3 is eligible to capture any of the knights, as they are sitting on the b4-square and the d4-square, which are diagonally adjacent to the c3-pawn.

If a pawn has captured a piece, e.g, cxd4, then the pawn will now start using the d-file to travel down the board.

You certainly win material when you exchange a pawn for any other of the chess pieces.

In the video lesson below, GM Igor Smirnov will share with you one of the most savage and aggressive chess openings for White after the first moves 1.e4 e5.

En Passant

This is a special move that only pawns can perform on to other pawns. The basic idea is that you will capture a pawn that has moved twice on the first move as if it had moved only once.

En passant occurs only when an opponent moves their pawn twice on the first move. An when the pawn lands, it’s directly adjacent to your pawn.

In the position above, if White plays 1.c4, then Black is able to capture using en passant, by playing 1…dxc3.

Promotion

Promotion occurs when a pawn reaches the last rank. In White’s case, it’s when a pawn reaches the eighth rank. And in Black’s case, it’s when a pawn reaches the first rank.

When a pawn does so, it’s able to change into either a minor or a major piece. This means it can either become a:

1. Queen (major)
2. Rook (major)
3. Bishop (minor)
4. Knight (minor)

Even though promotion can give you any piece, chess players most frequently choose to promote to a queen above all the other pieces.

King

Value and Location

From all the pieces, the king is the most important piece in chess! It doesn’t have any point because if it’s captured, the whole game is over.

The white king can be found on e1, while the black king can be found on e8.

Movement

A king can only move 1 step in any direction, that’s horizontally and diagonally. This is as long as there is no potential danger in that direction or pieces obstructing the squares.

Capturing

A king can capture a piece in any direction, as long as it’s in one square proximity and also not protected by any other enemy piece.

The king can capture the rook on f5 because it’s within one square proximity and it’s not protected by any other enemy piece.

Once the white king has captured the rook on f5, it will now be located on that square.

Castling

This is a very special move that occurs in order for the king to get into a safer position. Castling is so special that the chess player is allowed to move two pieces on the same turn.

There are two types of castling, namely queenside castling, which occurs on the queenside and kingside castling, which occurs on the kingside.

For a king to be able to castle, it requires a rook. Here is a list of rules that need to be followed in order to castle:

•  A king which is eligible for castling must have not moved from its initial square at any point prior
• The rook which is eligible for castling must have not moved from its initial square at any point in time
• The king must not be under a check when trying to castle
• The king must not go through a check when castling
• The king must not end up on an attacked square once castling is complete

Here the king is eligible to castle both kingside and queenside as the black pieces meet all requirements in order to castle.

If Black decides to castle kingside, then the king will end up on g8, while the h-rook will end up on f8.

If Black decides to castle queenside, then the king will end up on c8, while the a-rook will end up on d8.

Check

A check occurs when a king is directly under attack from an enemy piece and has the option to either:

1. Run from the check
2. Capture the attacking piece
3. Block the check with one of your pieces.

In the position above, the white king on e2 is under a check from the black queen on e6.

White has the option to evade the check by playing the king to d1,d2,d3,f1,f2 or f3.

The other option would be to block the check by playing 1…Qe3 or capture the attacking piece by playing 1…Qxe3.

Checkmate

Checkmate ends a chess game and occurs when the king is under attack from enemy pieces and it has no escaping squares, no pieces to shield it and no way to capture the attacking piece.

The black king is under a checkmate as it has no squares to move to, no pieces to capture the enemy piece and no way to defend the attack.

In the same way, as there are pieces more important and more powerful in chess, there are players who are above all the rest. Meet Magnus Carlsen, the GOAT!

Queen

Value and Location

The queen is worth nine points, making it the most powerful piece on the chessboard.  It is recognized as a major piece, as well as the rook, as they have more points than other pieces on a chess game.

Each side starts with a single queen. The white queen is located on the d1-square, while the black queen is located on d8.

Movement

A queen can move in any direction, that’s horizontally and diagonally. This is as long as there are no pieces obstructing its path.

Capturing

A queen can capture an enemy piece in the same direction as it moves diagonally and horizontally.

The black queen on d5 can capture the white rook on a8, and also the white knight on h1.

Bishop

Value and Location

A bishop is worth three points. Each side starts with two bishops, labelled the light-squared and dark-squared bishops.

White’s bishops are located on the squares c1 and f1, while the black bishops are located on c8 and f8.

Movement

Bishops can move as many squares as possible diagonally, as long as there are no pieces obstructing their path.

A bishop that starts on the light squares, the f1 bishop for White and the c8 bishop for Black, are called light-squared bishops, and can only travel on light squares.

A bishop that starts on the dark squares, the c1 bishop for White and the f8 bishop for Black, are called dark-squared bishops, and can only travel on dark squares.

Capturing

A bishop can capture an enemy piece in the same direction as it moves on the diagonal.

The black dark-squared bishop has two options in the position above. It can either capture the rook on a1 or the knight on b8.

The knights and the bishops have their own fight in the game of chess. You can learn here all about Minor Pieces and Their Influence on the Board.

Knight

Value and Location

A knight is worth three points. Each side starts with two knights. Just like the bishops, the knights are known as minor pieces in chess as they have fewer points compared to the other pieces on the back rank.

White’s knights are located on the b1 and g1 squares, while the black knights are located on b8 and g8.

Movement

Knights move in an “L” shape, which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally or two squares horizontally and one square vertically.

They are the only pieces that can jump other pieces in a chess game on their way to their destination.

Capturing

A knight can capture an enemy piece in the same direction as it moves, that’s in an “L” shape, which are two squares vertically and one square horizontally or two squares horizontally and one square vertically.

In the position above, the knight is able to capture the black rook on d6 or the black pawn on f2.

Rook

Value and Location

A rook is worth five points. Each side starts with two rooks. Just like the queen, the rooks are known as major pieces in chess, as they have more points compared to the other pieces on the back rank (bishops and knights).

White’s rooks are located on the a1 and h1 squares, while the black rooks are located on a8 and h8.

Movement

Rooks move in any direction as long as it’s a straight line. This is as long as there is no piece obstructing its path.

They are also capable of performing a special move called castling, with the king.

Capturing

A rook can capture an enemy piece in the same direction as it moves, that’s in a straight line.

In the position above, the black rook on f6 is able to capture the white bishop on f3 or the white knight on a6.

When all the chess pieces are fighting, all kind of relationships can arise and a lot of fun things can happen. Chess Tactics Galore shows you this.

Conclusion

Each chess piece has its own special way of movement. The stronger you get, the more you understand their mobility.

As a beginner, it’s best to do exercises, so that you understand the chess pieces much better.