After its initial move, a pawn can only advance one square forward at a time. On its first move, a pawn can advance one or two squares forward (but not diagonally). The pawn is the weakest chess piece, but it is also essential for controlling the center of the board and capturing opponent’s pieces. Rooks are especially powerful when they control open positions (lines with no pawns or pieces blocking their path). The rook moves horizontally or vertically across any number of vacant squares. RookĮach player has two rooks, which are considered major pieces. Knights are considered minor pieces and are often used as the first line of defense in the opening moves of a game. The knight moves in an L-shape, either two squares horizontally and one square vertically, or one square horizontally and two squares vertically. The knight is the only chess piece that can “jump” over other pieces on the board. Bishops are considered minor pieces, with a point value slightly lower than rooks and knights. The bishop moves diagonally across any number of vacant squares. BishopĮach player has two bishops: a light-squared bishop and a dark-squared bishop. At the beginning of the game, each player has one queen, with the white queen starting on a white square and the black queen on a dark square. which is why she is generally seen as the most valuable chess piece, of course aside from the king The queen can capture any enemy piece that it encounters on its path. The queen is the most powerful chess piece, the only piece capable of moving any number of vacant squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. The objective of the game is to place the opponent’s king in checkmate, a position where the king is in check and there are no legal moves to escape the threat. The king can move one square in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally). If a player’s king is threatened with capture (in check), they must make a move to eliminate the threat. The king is the most important piece in a game of chess. These pieces have different names in different languages, but their roles and relative values remain consistent. The names of the chess pieces are inspired by the royal court and foot soldiers of medieval times. Each player has eight pieces on their first rank (the row closest to them) and eight pawns on their second rank. The chess board is made up of 64 squares, with alternating light squares and dark squares. The Typical Chess Set and BoardĪ standard chess set consists of 32 unique chess pieces: 16 white pieces and 16 black pieces. This guide will provide a detailed explanation of the different types of chess pieces, their moves, and special rules.īy the end, you will be equipped to teach your child about this captivating game.

The objective is simple: to checkmate your opponent’s king. So, grab your chess set, and let’s get started!Ĭhess is a strategic board game enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the ins and outs of the game, from chess piece names to their moves and everything in between. Whether it’s a rainy day indoors or a quiet evening together, chess is a fantastic way to bond with your children while teaching them valuable life skills. It’s so fulfilling to see my little ones develop their strategic thinking and decision-making skills, and it never ceases to amaze me how quickly they learn to challenge me on the chess board. As a mum who loves playing chess with my kids, I can’t wait to share my passion for this age-old game with you.

Chess piece names and moves