The KING is the hardest piece in your army to understand so you'll really have to pay attention in this lesson.
|
|
In this lesson we're going to look at the KING. The KING is the hardest piece in your army to understand so you'll really have to pay attention in this lesson.
|
|
This is what a KING does. It moves just one square at a time in any direction. Now you might think that's the easiest piece to learn, not the hardest piece. But there's a problem. It's not quite as simple as that.
|
|
A KING CANNOT move to any square that is ATTACKED by an enemy piece. In this position the KING can only move to d4, d5 and f5. It CANNOT move to d3, e3 or f3 because of the black rook. It CANNOT move to e5 or f4 because of the black bishop. If you move any other piece to a square where it is attacked it runs the risk of getting taken. But you CANNOT move the KING to an attacked square just as you CANNOT move a rook along a diagonal or a bishop along a rank or file.
|
|
Here's another example. In this position the KING can only move to d5, d3 and e3. It CANNOT move to d4 or e5 because of the knight. It CANNOT move to f3, f4 or f5 because of the BLACK KING. REMEMBER: TWO KINGS CAN NEVER STAND NEXT TO EACH OTHER! If you make a mistake and move your KING to an attacked square your opponent CANNOT take your KING. Instead you have to go back and play a different move instead.
|
|
Now look at this position. Another important rule of chess is that you CANNOT make any move that allows your KING to be captured. So in this position White CANNOT move his ROOK because it would leave a position where the black BISHOP could capture the KING. He has to move his KING instead. This is called a PIN. The black BISHOP is PINNING the white ROOK. The white ROOK is PINNED by the black BISHOP.
|
|
|
In a game of chess the KINGS never get captured. You can never capture the enemy KING. You can never play a move which lets your KING be captured. This would be an ILLEGAL MOVE. If you play an ILLEGAL MOVE you have to take the move back and play another move instead.
|
|
|
That's the end of the lesson. What do you want to do now?  Do a quiz on this lesson Repeat the lesson Return to the menu |