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Pawn | ||
Each player starts with 8 Pawns. Pawns have the most confusing movement rules of the standard pieces. On their first move, they can move 1 or 2 spaces forward. After that, they can only move 1 space forward unless they are capturing a piece. Pawns attack by moving 1 space diagonally forward. As an example, in the image to the right, the Black Pawn can safely capture the White Rook, but cannot capture the White Pawn in front of it. They cannot move backwards, sideways, or attack the piece directly in front of them. If a Pawn is able to reach the far side of the board, they are ready for Promotion. There are also other special rules for Pawns. |
Rook | ||
Each player starts with 2 Rooks. Rooks can move across the board in any of the four cardinal directions. They cannot pass over other pieces, as they attack by sliding into the target piece. If a Rook has not yet moved, they are eligible for Castling. |
Knight | ||
Each player starts with 2 Knights. Knights are the only standard pieces that can jump over other pieces. To move, a knight will move 2 spaces in a cardinal direction, then move 1 space to the side. This forms an L shape. Any pieces in the first two spaces can be freely ignored; the knight "jumps" over them. Knights capture pieces by "landing" on them. |
Bishop | ||
Each player starts with 2 Bishops. Bishops can move across the board diagonally. They cannot pass over other pieces, as they attack by sliding into the target piece. Bishops are particularly notable for the fact that they remain on the same color spaces throughout the entire game. Because of the chessboard's pattern, each player will start with a Bishop that can move on white spaces and a Bishop that can move on black spaces. |
Queen | ||
Each player starts with 1 Queen. Queens are the most dangerous pieces in Chess. This is because they can move in a straight line in any direction, as if they were a combination of a Rook and a Bishop. Their huge range makes them capable of surprise attacks from across the board. |
King | ||
Each player starts with 1 King. The King is the most valuable piece on the board - Checkmate occurs when a player's King can no longer be protected. Kings are not terribly agile - they can move in any direction, but only one space at a time, and they cannot move into any space that's currently threatened. If a King has not been moved yet, it's eligible for Castling. |