How does each chess piece move?
B · Beginner · The board and the pieces · 2 of 10The rook moves along ranks and files, the bishop along diagonals and the queen along all three, each as far as the way is clear. The knight jumps to the nearest square not on the same rank, file or diagonal. The king moves one square in any direction. A piece captures by landing on an opponent's piece.
How it works
- Rook: any square along the file or rank it stands on.
- Bishop: any square along a diagonal it stands on. It stays on squares of one colour all game.
- Queen: any square along the file, the rank or a diagonal.
- No jumping: the rook, bishop and queen "may not move over any intervening pieces".
- Knight: to one of the nearest squares not on the same rank, file or diagonal. It is the only piece that can pass over others.
- King: one square in any direction, or by castling.
- Own pieces block: a piece cannot move to a square occupied by a piece of its own colour.
- Capturing: moving to a square occupied by an opponent's piece removes that piece from the board as part of the same move.
- The king's safety: no move may leave or put a player's own king under attack.
The glossary has the rook, the bishop, the queen, the knight, the king and the capture.
Tricky cases
Can a knight jump over pieces?
Yes. The knight goes straight to its square, whatever stands in between. No other piece can do that.
Is capturing compulsory, as in draughts?
No. A capture is a move like any other, and a player may choose a different legal move.
Can a bishop ever move to a square of the other colour?
No. It moves only along diagonals, and a diagonal is a line of squares of the same colour.
Can a player capture the opponent's king?
No. "Capturing the opponent's king is not allowed." The game ends at checkmate, one move before a capture would happen.
Why the rule exists
Each piece has a different reach, and that difference is the game. Long-range pieces need open lines, the knight does best in a crowd, and the king is slow because the whole contest is about catching it. The differences give every position its own puzzle.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rook, bishop, queen | Any distance in a straight line, never through a piece | FIDE Laws 3.2 to 3.5 |
| Knight | Passes over other pieces | FIDE Laws 3.6 |
| King | One square, or castling | FIDE Laws 3.8 |
| Pawn | Moves forward and captures diagonally | FIDE Laws 3.7 |
From the rule book
FIDE, Laws of Chess (approved 7 August 2022, applied from 1 January 2023), Articles 1.4 and 3.1 to 3.9. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: FIDE Laws of Chess taking effect from 1 January 2023 (FIDE Handbook E.01).