Chess moves: how every piece moves

Six pieces, six ways of moving, and more exceptions than most beginners expect. The rook goes in straight lines, the bishop on diagonals, the queen does both, the king does both but only one square, the knight jumps in an L and is the only piece allowed over other pieces, and the pawn moves forward but captures sideways. That is the whole list. The trouble is the small print: can a pawn go backwards (no), can the king move two squares (only when castling), can a king take a king (never, and the page on that one is the most searched question on this site). Each page below answers one of those questions on a real board, with the squares named so you can set it up yourself.

1. How does the king move in chess?

   One square at a time, in any of the eight directions, and he captures the same way he moves.

2. How does the queen move in chess?

   Any number of squares in a straight line: along a rank, along a file, or on either diagonal.

3. How does the rook move in chess?

   In straight lines only: any number of squares along a rank or along a file, forwards, backwards or sideways, but never diagonally.

4. How does the bishop move in chess?

   Diagonally, any number of squares, in any of the four diagonal directions.

5. How does the knight move in chess?

   Two squares in a straight line and then one square at right angles, an L shape, and it lands on the square at the end of the L no matter what is in the way.

6. How does the pawn move in chess?

   Forward one square.

7. How do pawns capture in chess?

   One square diagonally forward, and only forward.

8. Can a pawn move backwards in chess?

   No.

9. Can a pawn move two squares?

   Yes, on its first move only.

10. Can a pawn capture forward in chess?

    No.

11. Can a pawn move sideways in chess?

    No.

12. Can a pawn checkmate the king?

    Yes.

13. Can the knight jump over pieces?

    Yes, and it is the only piece that can.

14. Can a knight move backwards?

    Yes.

15. Why does the knight move in an L?

    Because it is the one move nobody ever rewrote.

16. Can a bishop change colour?

    No, never.

17. Can the king move two squares?

    Only when castling.

18. Can a king take a king in chess?

    No.

19. Can the king move into check?

    No.

20. Can a king capture a queen?

    Yes, if nothing is defending her.

21. Can the king capture when in check?

    Yes, provided the checking piece stands next to your king and nothing is defending it.

22. Can the queen move like a knight?

    No.

23. Can the queen jump over pieces?

    No.

24. Can a rook move diagonally?

    No.

25. Can pieces move through other pieces?

    No.

26. Which chess pieces can move backwards?

    All of them except the pawn.

27. How many queens can you have in chess?

    Nine.

28. Bishop or knight: which is better?

    Neither, on paper: both are worth about three pawns.