The king, check, and castling
The king moves one square at a time in any direction. He is slow and weak, and he is also the entire game: if your king cannot escape attack, you lose.
When an enemy piece attacks your king, that is check, and you must deal with it immediately — no other move is legal. You have exactly three options: move the king to safety, block the attacking line with another piece, or capture the attacker.
Castling is the one move where two pieces move at once. The king slides two squares toward a rook and that rook jumps to the square the king crossed. It is allowed only if neither piece has moved yet, the squares between them are empty, and the king is not in check, does not land in check, and does not cross a square under attack. Castling early is one of the strongest habits a beginner can build: it tucks the king behind a wall of pawns and brings a rook into the game.
- The king moves one square in any direction.
- Check must be answered at once: move, block, or capture.
- A king can never move into check, or stand next to the enemy king.
- Castling needs an unmoved king and rook, empty squares between them, and no check involved.
- Castle early — most beginner disasters happen to a king left in the centre.
Practise on a real board
4 short exercises. Nothing to install and no account needed — make the move on the board and the lesson checks it for you.
More about this
What are the rules for castling?
Neither the king nor the chosen rook may have moved before, the squares between them must be empty, and the king must not be in check, pass through an attacked square, or land in check. The rook itself may be attacked, and a rook that has been attacked can still castle.
Can you castle out of check?
No. If your king is in check you must answer the check another way. You may still castle later in the game once the check has been dealt with, provided the king has not moved.
What happens if you cannot get out of check?
That is checkmate and the game ends immediately — you lose. If you are not in check but have no legal move at all, it is stalemate, which is a draw.
Can two kings stand next to each other?
No. Kings must always keep at least one square between them, because moving next to the enemy king would put your own king in check.
Lessons are the start. The coaching is the point.
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