Chess Moves

When you learn how to set the chessboard up, it’s time to learn the chess piece names and how they play or move.

The History of Chess Moves – How Did It All Begin?

The history of chess can be traced back around 1500 years; started in the North of India and then spread throughout the Asian continent.

Chess made its way via the expanding Islamic Arabian empire to Europe.

Chess Moves Explained:

The kings are allowed to move one square in any direction they choose, as long as the square is not attacked by the other sides piece.

Queens can move horizontally, diagonally, or vertically any amount of squares but they are not allowed to jump over pieces.

Rooks move vertically or horizontally any number of squares but also they cannot jump over pieces (much like the queen) but the Rooks move when the king castles.

Knights go about in an “L” shape, two squares in a vertical or horizontal direction, then move one square horizontally and/or vertically. Also they are the only figures that can jump over other pieces using chess moves.

Bishops move diagonally any amount of squares but they aren’t allowed to jump over figures.

Pawns are able to move vertically forward one square, with an option to move two squares if they haven’t moved already. The pawns diagonally capture one square in a forward direction.

Pawns are not allowed to move backwards on captures or moves.

Pawns can make a special move named “En Passant”

The chessboard has 64 squares total: half of them being white, the other half black.

Each player has 6 different types of pieces:

8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, a queen and most importantly- the king!

At the very beginning of the game, there are 32 pieces located on the chessboard.