Pawn
You have 8
Moves one square straight forward, or two on its very first move. It can never move backwards.
The pawn is the one piece that captures differently from how it moves. That is the next lesson.
Lesson 2 of 62 min read
The pieces, and how they move
Six kinds of piece, six ways of moving. Here is each one on a board of its own.
Meet the pieces
Each board below plays itself. The dots mark every square that piece could move to from where it stands, and the board is otherwise empty so you can see its full reach. Tap any board to pause it.
Rook
You have 2
Moves any number of squares in a straight line: up, down, left or right, but never diagonally.
Bishop
You have 2
Moves any number of squares diagonally.
A bishop can only ever stand on squares of one colour. The one that starts on a light square is on light squares for the whole game.
Knight
You have 2
Moves in an L shape: two squares in a straight line, then one square at a right angle. It is the only piece that can jump over other pieces.
This is the one that takes a while to see. Tap the board to pause it and trace the L yourself.
Queen
You have 1
Moves any number of squares in any direction, straight or diagonal. She is the rook and the bishop combined, and the most powerful piece on the board.
King
You have 1
Moves one square in any direction. Slow, but the entire game is about keeping him out of trouble.