King
One square in any direction, to a square that is not attacked. It also takes part in castling.
Chess piece names and moves
Tap a piece to see its name, notation letter, value and the squares it can reach.
The six chess pieces
can move here can capture here (only if an enemy piece stands there)
Queen
Any number of squares along a file, a rank or a diagonal, but not over other pieces.
Rook
Any number of squares along a file or a rank, but not over other pieces. It also takes part in castling.
Bishop
Any number of squares along a diagonal, but not over other pieces. A bishop always stays on the colour of square it started on.
Knight
To a nearby square that is not on its own rank, file or diagonal: two squares one way and one square at right angles. It is the only piece that can jump over others.
Pawn
Forward one square if it is empty. From its starting square it may go forward two squares if both are empty. It captures one square diagonally forward.
Quick answer. The six pieces are king (K), queen (Q), rook (R), bishop (B), knight (N) and pawn (no letter). Only the knight jumps; bishops, rooks and queens slide along open lines.
Chess piece names, letters and values
| Piece | Symbol | Notation letter | Start squares (White) | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| King | ♔ | K | e1 | none |
| Queen | ♕ | Q | d1 | 9 |
| Rook | ♖ | R | a1, h1 | 5 |
| Bishop | ♗ | B | c1, f1 | 3 |
| Knight | ♘ | N | b1, g1 | 3 |
| Pawn | ♙ | none (pawn) | a2, b2, c2, d2, e2, f2, g2, h2 | 1 |
Key takeaway. The knight is written N because K already means king. Pawns have no letter at all.
Special moves
Castling
A move of the king and one rook of the same colour on the first rank, counted as a single king move. The king moves two squares towards the rook and the rook goes to the other side of the king. It is not allowed if the king or that rook has already moved, if any piece stands between them, or if the king's square, the square it crosses or the square it lands on is attacked.
En passant
When a pawn advances two squares from its starting square and lands next to an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square. The capture is only legal on the very next move.
Promotion
A pawn that reaches the rank furthest from where it started must be exchanged, as part of the same move, for a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour.
How to read a piece move
- Find the piece. Each card above shows one piece alone on the board.
- Follow the dots. Every dot is a square the piece can reach from where it stands, on an empty board.
- Remember the blockers. Bishops, rooks and queens can't move over other pieces. Only the knight jumps.
Common mix-ups
| Mix-up | Correct |
|---|---|
| Calling the knight K | Knight is N. K is the king. |
| Letting a bishop jump | Only knights jump. Bishops, rooks and queens can't pass over pieces. |
| Moving a pawn backwards | Pawns only go forward, and capture one square diagonally forward. |
| Castling after moving the rook | Castling is lost if the king or that rook has already moved. |
Frequently asked questions
What are the names of the chess pieces?
King, queen, rook, bishop, knight and pawn. Each side starts with one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns.
What letters are used for chess pieces in notation?
K for king, Q for queen, R for rook, B for bishop and N for knight. The knight uses N so it isn't confused with the king. Pawns have no letter (FIDE Laws of Chess, Appendix C).
How does the knight move?
To a nearby square that isn't on its own rank, file or diagonal: two squares in one direction and one at right angles. It can jump over other pieces.
Can chess pieces jump over each other?
Only the knight. Bishops, rooks and queens may not move over pieces standing in their way.
How does the king move?
One square to an adjoining square. It can't move to a square that an enemy piece attacks. It is also involved in castling.
How does a pawn capture?
Diagonally forward by one square. It moves straight ahead, one square, or two from its starting square when both squares are empty.
What is en passant?
If a pawn advances two squares and lands beside an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it as if it had moved one square. It is only allowed on the very next move.
What happens when a pawn reaches the last rank?
It is exchanged for a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour as part of the same move. This is called promotion.
More free chess tools
- Chess board setupPlace every piece, step by step.
- Chess piece valuesPoint values and a material counter.
- Chess clockComing soon
- Chess set size calculatorComing soon
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Last checked: . We read these sources when writing this page:
- FIDE Handbook E.01, Laws of Chess (effective 2023)
- Wikipedia: Rules of chess (initial setup, castling, en passant)
FIDE Article 2 gives the starting position as a diagram; the piece-by-piece placement in words comes from the Wikipedia rules page, which matches the diagram.
US Chess rules and Britannica could not be read (HTTP 403) on the check date, so they are not cited.