How the king moves in chess
The king moves one square in any direction: forwards, backwards, sideways or diagonally. It is the most important piece, because the game is lost when it cannot escape an attack.
The rules in short
- A king takes a single step at a time.
- It can capture an enemy piece on a neighbouring square, as long as that piece is not protected.
- A king can never move onto a square that an enemy piece attacks.
- The two kings can never stand next to each other.
Keeping the king safe
In the opening and middlegame the king is a target, so most players tuck it into a corner behind a wall of pawns, using a special move called castling. In the endgame, when few pieces are left, the danger fades and the king becomes a useful fighting piece.
Why the king has no value
You will see values for the other pieces, like nine for the queen and five for a rook. The king has none, because you can never trade it off. Losing it, by checkmate, means losing the game.
Try it on a real board
This lesson is free and needs no account. You move the piece yourself on an interactive board, and it tells you straight away if the move is right.
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