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Expert tactic · 6 of 9

Castling

Castling moves the king and a rook at once, and sometimes that double move wins on the spot.

  1. Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with Capra
    Start the lesson
  2. Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 castling puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solved
    Go to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
black kingblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnwhite pawnblack rookwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite rookwhite king
White castles queenside. The rook lands on d1 with check and the king attacks the rook on b2. The black king has to move, and the rook is lost.

Castling moves two pieces in one turn. Each of these positions needs both of them to move.

  • black kingblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnwhite pawnblack rookwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite kingwhite rook

    Castling with check

    The rook checks on the d-file while the king attacks the rook on b2.

  • black rookblack kingblack pawnblack queenblack pawnblack pawnblack pawnwhite knightwhite bishopwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite rookwhite king

    Castling out of a pin

    The king leaves the e-file, the rook gives check, and the knight is free to take the queen.

  • black pawnblack pawnwhite bishopblack kingwhite pawnwhite pawnwhite kingwhite rookwhite knightblack queen

    Castling with mate

    The rook gives check and the king guards the escape square.

Castling tactics in numbers

Counted from the 250 castling tactics in our puzzle library, all taken from real games
  • 1 in 1200

    of our puzzles has a castling tactic in it.

  • 39%

    of them start with a king move.

  • 80%

    of them come in the middlegame.

Which piece makes the first move

  • King39%
  • Queen34%
  • Bishop8%
  • Pawn8%
  • Rook6%

What it wins

  • Rook16%
  • Queen16%
  • Bishop16%
  • Knight10%
  • Checkmate1%

Good to know

Castling tactics: common questions

What is castling in chess?

Castling is a single move of the king and a rook. The king moves two squares towards the rook, and the rook jumps over the king to the square beside it. It is the only move that moves two pieces.

When are you not allowed to castle?

You cannot castle if the king or that rook has already moved, if a piece stands between them, if the king is in check, or if the king would pass through or land on an attacked square.

Can you castle if the rook is attacked?

Yes. Only the squares the king stands on, crosses and lands on have to be safe. The rook can be under attack, and when you castle queenside the square next to the rook can be attacked too.

How can castling be a tactic?

Castling brings a rook to the centre and moves the king in the same turn. The rook can give check or pin a piece while the king attacks something, leaves a pin or guards a square, so one move makes two threats.