Rules of the game: Chess.
How to play?
To move a piece, you can do it in two different ways:
- Click on the piece to move. Then click on the square where to move.
- Press the piece to move, don't release, and drag it onto the target square.
The rules of the game
Introduction
In the starting position, each player has several pieces placed on the board, constituting an army. Each piece has a specific movement pattern.
The two armies will fight, one move at a time. Each player will play one move, and let the enemy play his move.
They will capture enemy pieces, and advance into enemy territory, using combat tactics and military strategies. The goal of the game is to capture the enemy King.
The King
The king may move one square in any direction, so long as no piece is blocking his path.
The King may not move to a square:
- that is occupied by one of his own pieces,
- where it is checked by an enemy piece
- adjacent to the enemy King
The queen
The queen may move any number of squares straight or diagonally in any direction. It is the most powerful piece of the game.
The rook
The rook may move in a straight line, any number of squares horizontally or vertically.
The bishop
The bishop may move any number of squares diagonally. Each Bishop can only move on the same colour squares, as it started the game.
The knight
The knight is the only piece that can jump over a piece.
The pawn
The pawn has different move patterns, depending on its position, and the opponent's pieces position.
- The pawn, on its first move, may move either one or two squares straight forward.
- After its first move the pawn may only advance forward one square at a time.
- The pawn captures by moving diagonally one square forward in each direction.
- The pawn can never move or capture backwards! It only goes forward.
Pawn promotion
If a Pawn reaches the edge of the board, it must be exchanged for a more powerful piece. It's a big advantage!
The possibility of
« en passant »
Pawn capture arises when the opponent’s Pawn has just moved from its starting position two squares ahead and our Pawn is next to it. This kind of capture is only possible at this time and cannot be done later.
This rules exists to prevent a pawn from reaching the other side, without having to face the enemy pawns. No escape for cowards!
Castle
Castling in both directions: The King moves two squares in the direction of the Rook, the Rook jumps over the King and lands on the square next to it.
You cannot castle:
- if the King is in check
- if there is a piece between the Rook and the King
- if the King is in check after castling
- if the square through which the King passes is under attack
- if the King or the Rook has already been moved in the game
King attacked
When the king is attacked by the enemy, it must defend itself. The King can never be captured.
A King must get out of the attack immediately:
- by moving the King
- by capturing the enemy piece which is doing the attack
- or by blocking the attack with one of the pieces of his army. This is impossible if the attack was given by the enemy Knight.
Checkmate
If the King cannot escape from the check, the position is checkmate and the game is over. The player who did checkmate wins the game.
Equality
A chess game can also end with a draw. If neither side wins, the game is a draw. The different forms a drawn game are the following:
- Stalemate: When the player, who has to make the move, has no possible move, and his King is not in check.
- Three times repetition of the same position.
- Theoretical equality: When there are not sufficient pieces on the board to checkmate.
- Equality agreed by the players.
Learn to play chess, for beginers
If you don't know how to play at all, you can use our application to learn how to play chess from scratch.
- Go to the chess lobby, and start a game versus the computer. Select the difficulty level "Random".
- When you need to play a move, open this help page. You will need to look at it from time to time.
- Play against the computer until you learn all the movements of the pieces. If you play random moves, don't be ashamed because the computer will also play random moves with this level setting!
- When you will be ready, play against human opponents. Understand how they beat you, and imitate their tactics.
- Use the chat box and talk with them. They are kind and they will explain you what you want to know.
