Chess

Chess is a two-player strategy game played between:

• White and Black

The goal is to checkmate the opponent’s King — placing it under attack with no legal escape.

• The chessboard consists of 64 squares arranged in an 8 × 8 grid.
• The board is positioned so that each player has a light-colored square on the right-hand corner.
• Each player places their pieces on the two rows closest to them.

Pieces per Player:

• 1 King
• 1 Queen
• 2 Rooks
• 2 Bishops
• 2 Knights
• 8 Pawns/Tokens

Win the game by checkmating your opponent’s King.

Checkmate occurs when:

• The King is under attack
• And cannot move to a safe square
• And cannot be protected by another piece

• White moves first.
• Players take turns alternately, moving one piece per turn.

• PawnMoves forward one square (two squares on its first move).Captures diagonally.
• RookMoves any number of squares horizontally or vertically.
• BishopMoves any number of squares diagonally.
• KnightMoves in an “L” shape (two squares in one direction, then one sideways).Can jump over other pieces.
• QueenMoves any number of squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
• KingMoves one square in any direction.

• A piece captures an opponent’s piece by moving onto its square.
• The captured piece is removed from the board.
• Only one piece may occupy a square at any time.

• Check: The King is under attack.
• When in check, the player must:Move the King, orBlock the attack, orCapture the attacking piece
• Checkmate ends the game immediately.

• CastlingA special move involving the King and a Rook, allowed under specific conditions.
• Pawn PromotionWhen a pawn reaches the far end of the board, it may be promoted to another piece (usually a Queen).

(Advanced rules may be agreed upon before play.)

The game may end in a draw by:

• Mutual agreement
• No legal moves without check (stalemate)
• Insufficient material to checkmate

• A player wins by checkmating the opponent’s King.
• Players may also resign if defeat is inevitable.