• overview


• chess board


• set-up


• king


• queen


• rook


• knight


• bishop


• pawn


• promotion


• capturing


• castling


• check


• checkmate


• stalemate


• win/lose/draw


• notation

The King

It's the most consequential piece on the chess board. It is the only piece that cannot be captured, but rather must be trapped in a manner known as checkmate.

The king is the only piece that cannot move into the path of an opposing piece. (See check.) A King can travel in any direction from its position through the sides or the corners of the hexes, but is limited to traveling one hex per move. (See illustration.) The object of the game is to checkmate your opponent's king while protecting your own king from checkmate. Each player begins the game with one king.