Chess is one of the oldest games from India and was very popular in ancient households with the likes of Pachisi and Pasha. Over the years, the game has not evolved much, but it has become quite popular in terms of usage worldwide. Chess is simple and involves a small board divided into an 8/8 grid on which players have to place their pieces and make moves to capture the opponent’s tokens to win the game. The game is one of the most intellectual board games and contributes to increasing our Intelligent Quotient if played regularly.

In recent times online chess games have made it possible for the game to be enjoyed by various new players. You can play chess games online by downloading one of the several apps available in the gaming marketplace. They do not require much space on your device and will get you rivals anytime.

To get you more associated with how the game is played, let’s see the different chess pieces, their values, and how you can move them across the board.

The Pawn

The pawn is the piece with the game’s lowest value and lowest power. You are allowed to begin your game with eight pawns on your side of the board. The chessboard is 64 squares and is divided into different ranks and numbers. The pawns of the white side are on the second rank of the board, while the black side’s pawns are on the seventh rank. The pawn’s movement is minimal, and it can move only one square forward at a time. You can move up two squares on the first move with the pawn, but it is one square again for the rest of the game. The value of the pawn is one, and if you are attacking, then the only way it can capture another piece is by moving a single step diagonally. Due to its limited powers, the pawn is a good defense and is often used to trick the opponent by clouding your other moves, letting the pawns become more prominent in the game until you strike from behind.

The Knight

The Knight is one of the trickier pieces and can be used strategically in the game. You can start the game with two knights, one for the King and another for the Queen. On the board, the black side’s knights are on b8 and g8, and the white’s is on b1 and g1.

The unique ability of the Knight is that it is the only piece that can jump over other pieces in the game. The valuation of the Knight is at three points like Bishop and is considered a somewhat mediocre piece in the game. Players should note that the Knight can capture only the pieces it lands on and not the ones it jumps over. It moves one step horizontally and then two steps vertically at any situation in the game. Once mastered, this piece does come in very handy to the seasoned player.

The Rook

Like the Knight, players get two rooks on each side of the board to start the game. The positions of the rooks are in a8, h8, and a1, h1 for the black and white sides, respectively. This piece is one of the higher-valued pieces on the board, and its valuation stands at 5. The rook can move across the board in straight lines and covers long distances as long as it does not have any obstacles in the middle. The mathematical plus sign is a relatively easy way to remember the movement of rooks.

The Bishop

The third piece of the trio surrounding the royals is the Bishop, who is placed closest to the King and Queen. The location of the black bishops is in c8 and f8, and for the white bishops, it is in c1 and f1. Like the Knight, the Bishop is also evaluated at 3 points, making it a minor chess piece. The bishops can move only diagonally, and one of them moves in the white grid and the other in the black grid. The movement is similar to the multiplication sign of mathematics, and anything it strikes upon the pathway is captured.

The Queen

True to its name, the Queen is the most powerful piece on the chessboard. Each side gets a single queen to begin the game, and it is worth a whopping nine points. The black queen starts on d8 and the white Queen on d1.

The Queen has unlimited range and can move in all directions, both horizontally and diagonally. The power of the Queen comes right after the rook, and its moves are a combination of the abilities of the rooks and the bishops. Opponents are always targeting their rival’s Queen, so you should use yours with enough caution.

The King

The prime piece in chess is the King. Losing this piece means you have lost the game. The King of the blacks is placed on the e8, and the King of the white is positioned on the e1.

Though it is the main piece, the King cannot make any powerful moves on the board and is quite limited. You can say the King is slightly upgraded from the pawn in terms of movement on the board. The King can move in any direction, but the limit is up to one square. If you are attacking a king, you have to call out a check. The game ends when the King cannot move or escape a check. In that case, it is checkmate, and the player under attack instantly loses the match.

Final Words

The list explains in detail all the powers and abilities of each piece in the chess match. You can learn to use them in the most innovative ways by regular practice of the game. Online apps have made it possible to play chess anywhere, so you can polish your skills even while taking a bus ride home from work. Now that you know all the rules and ways of the game, you should use this information right away and play the game to improve your chess skills.