Chess Pieces
What Are They?
Chess pieces are the objects used to play chess: each have their own name, their own range of movement, and values.
- Pawns: can move 2 spaces forward when first moving forward. After that initial leap, they can only move one space if unblocked. If a pawn reaches the end of the board, it can promote to any piece. There are 16 pawns – 8 white pawns, and 8 black pawns.
- Bishops: Move in diagonals across the board on their starting color (hence the name dark-squared and light-squared bishops: after all, the chessboard is checkered for a reason) is unblocked. There are 4 bishops – 2 white bishops, and 2 black bishops.
- Knight: Move in a “L” shape. These creatures can jump over other pieces. There are 4 knights – 2 white knights, and 2 black knights.
- Rook: Move in horizontal files across the board if unblocked. There are 4 rooks – 2 white rooks, and 2 Black rooks.
- Queen: Can move in horizontal and diagonals if unblocked. The most powerful piece on the board. There are 2 queens – 1 White queen, and 1 Black queen.
- King: Can move in horizontal and diagonals, but only one square at a time. Cannot move than one square next to the opposing king, because kings cannot capture kings. When this piece is checkmated, the game ends, and the player who checkmated the other player wins. One White King, and one Black King.
