♟ Pawn
Moves forward one square (or two on its first move). Captures diagonally.
Piece Guide
How the pieces move
Watch each short animation. Green squares = where it can go. Perfect for kids & new players.
♜ Rook
Moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically — like a plus sign +.
♞ Knight
Moves in an L shape (2 then 1). The only piece that jumps over others!
♝ Bishop
Moves any number of squares diagonally. Stays on the same color squares.
♛ Queen
The strongest piece! Moves like a rook and bishop combined — any direction.
♚ King
Moves only one square in any direction. Protect your king — that’s the goal of the game!
Special moves
Castling · En passant · Promotion
Rules kids meet after the basic pieces
Castling
King moves two squares toward a rook; the rook jumps to the other side. Only if neither has moved and the path is clear.
En passant
If a pawn jumps two squares and lands beside your pawn, you may capture it as if it moved only one — only on the next move.
Promotion
When a pawn reaches the last rank, it becomes a Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight. Almost always a Queen!