What check means
A piece is attacking the enemy king. That is called check. It is not the end of the game, but the player in check has to deal with it right now: you are not allowed to ignore it and play something else.
Lesson 4 of 61 min read
Check and checkmate
The king is never actually captured. He is cornered, and that is how the game is won.
The three ways out
If you are in check, one of these has to work, or the game is over. Same position each time, with only Black's help changing.
Move the king
The simplest answer. Walk the king to a square nothing is attacking. Here it steps sideways to f8 and the rook is looking down an empty file.
Block the check
When the check comes from a distance, along a line, you can put something in the way. The knight drops into e7 and the rook can no longer see the king.
This only works against a rook, bishop or queen. There is no blocking a knight.
Capture the attacker
Take the piece giving check and the check goes with it. The bishop comes down the diagonal and removes the rook.
Checkmate, and the game is over
The king is in check and none of the three answers is available: it cannot move anywhere safe, nothing can get in the way, and the attacker cannot be taken. That is checkmate, and the game ends on the spot.
Every square the black king could run to is covered by the queen, and it cannot take her because the white king is standing right behind her.
