The Knight in chess is the board’s agile jumper. Their long-sighted movements make them excellent at controlling and threatening vast areas of the chessboard from afar. With two Bishops, one for each color of squares, they can control both dark and light squares. The Bishop in chess is a long-range operator, gliding diagonally across the chessboard. The Rook’s straight-line movement and ability to reach any square given an open path make it a powerful piece.Īlso, it participates in the special ‘castling’ move. The Rook in chess is a cornerstone of strength and strategy. The Queen’s strength and range make her highly valuable, but it’s essential to utilize her wisely to prevent early capture and ensure control. We will see exactly how she moves through the board below. The Queen is the powerhouse of the chessboard, commanding the most flexibility. The King also participates in the special move ‘castling’, allowing for strategic defensive play. In chess, the King is the heart of the game.ĭespite moving only one square in any direction, its survival is paramount – a checkmate against it signals the end of the game. So, fasten your seatbelts it’s time to dive deep into the world of chess pieces! Names of Chess PiecesĪlright, let’s kick things off with the roll call of our star players on the chessboard. We’ll also uncover the rich history behind these pieces and discover the fascinating evolution they’ve undergone. In this article, we’ll take a tour through the 32 warriors of your chess army, understand their roles, and learn how best to deploy them on your battlefield. If you want to get a game going, there is a chessboard already set up for you at Chess.Greetings, future grandmasters! As a beginner, understanding your chess pieces – their names, their moves, and their values – is your first step towards mastering this age-old game.Įach piece, from the humble pawn to the mighty queen, has its own set of rules and strategic importance. Still have doubts? Check out this video by IM Danny Rensch.

One way is to hide a white pawn in one hand behind your back and have your opponent choose. You can decide who plays White and who plays Black through any method of chance. In chess, the player with the white pieces always moves first. Step 7: Place your king on the last square.Īt this point there will be only one vacant square, so your king should naturally take his place. It should go on the same color square as her army: white queen on the light square and black queen on the dark square. It does matter which square your queen goes on. Step 6: Your queen goes on her own color. The bishops stand in between the stinky knights and the royal king and queen. Imagine that you are putting some smelly horses on the board and you want them far away from the king and queen. Step 4: Place your knights next to your rooks. It’s easy to remember to set your rooks in the corners, just like the towers in a real castle. Putting all of your pawns on first helps to clear the pile of pieces next to the board so that the rest of your pieces will go on more quickly. Step 2: Set up the pawns on the second ranks (or rows).

An easy way to remember this is “white on the right.” It’s important to orient the board in the right direction so that each side will be set up correctly. Step 1: Lay out t he board with the light square in the bottom-right corner. Place your king in the last square available.Lay out the light square in the bottom-right corner.If you have a chess set and want to start a game, the first thing you need to do is get the board set up correctly.

Chess piece name