Three special rules

Step 1 of 8

Look first

Castling is a special move involving the king and a rook: both move in the same turn. The king goes two squares towards the rook, and the rook jumps over it.

White wants to castle kingside, with the rook on h1. Tap the square the king moves to.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space marks a square or removes the mark.

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abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a square from a list

Square a8, black rookb8, emptyc8, black bishopd8, black queene8, black kingf8, emptyg8, black knighth8, black rooka7, black pawnb7, black pawnc7, black pawnd7, black pawne7, emptyf7, black pawng7, black pawnh7, black pawna6, emptyb6, emptyc6, black knightd6, emptye6, emptyf6, emptyg6, emptyh6, emptya5, emptyb5, emptyc5, black bishopd5, emptye5, black pawnf5, emptyg5, emptyh5, emptya4, emptyb4, emptyc4, white bishopd4, emptye4, white pawnf4, emptyg4, emptyh4, emptya3, emptyb3, emptyc3, emptyd3, emptye3, emptyf3, white knightg3, emptyh3, emptya2, white pawnb2, white pawnc2, white pawnd2, white pawne2, emptyf2, white pawng2, white pawnh2, white pawna1, white rookb1, white knightc1, white bishopd1, white queene1, white kingf1, emptyg1, emptyh1, white rook Mark or unmark

Position as a list

White

• King e1
• Queen d1
• Rook a1
• Rook h1
• Bishop c1
• Bishop c4
• Knight b1
• Knight f3
• Pawn a2
• Pawn b2
• Pawn c2
• Pawn d2
• Pawn e4
• Pawn f2
• Pawn g2
• Pawn h2

Black

• King e8
• Queen d8
• Rook a8
• Rook h8
• Bishop c5
• Bishop c8
• Knight c6
• Knight g8
• Pawn a7
• Pawn b7
• Pawn c7
• Pawn d7
• Pawn e5
• Pawn f7
• Pawn g7
• Pawn h7

Step 2 of 8

Decide

You can only castle if the king and rook have never moved and the squares between them are empty. The king must not be in check, pass through an attacked square or end up in check.

May White castle kingside now, with the rook on h1?

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Position as a list

White

• King e1
• Rook a1
• Rook h1

Black

• King e8
• Bishop c4

Castle kingside?

Yes, it is allowed No, the king is in check No, the king would have to pass through an attacked square

Step 3 of 8

Try it

You cannot castle kingside here. Castle queenside, with the rook on a1.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move Ra2 – rook from a1 to a2Ra3 – rook from a1 to a3Ra4 – rook from a1 to a4Ra5 – rook from a1 to a5Ra6 – rook from a1 to a6Ra7 – rook from a1 to a7Ra8+ – rook from a1 to a8Rb1 – rook from a1 to b1Rc1 – rook from a1 to c1Rd1 – rook from a1 to d1Kd2 – king from e1 to d2Kf2 – king from e1 to f2Kd1 – king from e1 to d1Rh2 – rook from h1 to h2Rh3 – rook from h1 to h3Rh4 – rook from h1 to h4Rh5 – rook from h1 to h5Rh6 – rook from h1 to h6Rh7 – rook from h1 to h7Rh8+ – rook from h1 to h8Rg1 – rook from h1 to g1Rf1 – rook from h1 to f1O-O-O – castles queenside Play move

Position as a list

White

• King e1
• Rook a1
• Rook h1

Black

• King e8
• Bishop c4

Step 4 of 8

Try it with promotion

When a pawn reaches the last rank, it becomes another piece: a queen, rook, bishop or knight.

Your pawn on e7 is almost there. Move it to the last rank and promote it to a queen.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move e8=N – pawn from e7 to e8, promotes to a knighte8=B – pawn from e7 to e8, promotes to a bishope8=R – pawn from e7 to e8, promotes to a rooke8=Q – pawn from e7 to e8, promotes to a queenKf2 – king from g1 to f2Kg2 – king from g1 to g2Kh2 – king from g1 to h2Kh1 – king from g1 to h1Kf1 – king from g1 to f1 Play move

Position as a list

White

• King g1
• Pawn e7

Black

• King a2

Step 5 of 8

Try it with en passant

When a pawn advances two squares at once, it may land right next to an opponent’s pawn. That pawn can still capture it on the next move, as if it had only moved one square.

This is called en passant, French for “in passing”.

Black has just moved the pawn from d7 to d5. Capture it en passant.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

87654321

abcdefgh

Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move e6 – pawn from e5 to e6exd6 – pawn from e5 captures en passant on d6Kf2 – king from g1 to f2Kg2 – king from g1 to g2Kh2 – king from g1 to h2Kh1 – king from g1 to h1Kf1 – king from g1 to f1 Play move

Position as a list

White

• King g1
• Pawn e5

Black

• King g8
• Pawn d5

Step 6 of 8

How the three rules work

Castling: the king moves two squares towards the rook, and the rook lands next to the king on the other side.

If your king was in check earlier but did not move, you may still castle later.

Promotion: when a pawn reaches the last rank, it immediately becomes a queen, rook, bishop or knight. Usually you choose a queen. You can do this even if you still have your queen.

En passant: if an opponent’s pawn advances two squares and lands right next to your pawn, your pawn may capture it diagonally. Your pawn moves onto the square the other pawn passed over. You can only do this on the very next move.

Step 7 of 8

New position, same idea

For Black, rank 1 is the last rank. A pawn is promoted there too.

You are playing Black. Turn your pawn on b2 into a queen that White cannot capture straight away.

Arrow keys move the focus across the squares. Enter or Space selects a piece and moves it to a highlighted square. Escape cancels the selection.

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Which piece should the pawn become?

Queen Rook Bishop Knight

Cancel

Choose a move from a list

Move Kh8 – king from g8 to h8Kh7 – king from g8 to h7Kg7 – king from g8 to g7Kf7 – king from g8 to f7Kf8 – king from g8 to f8b1=N – pawn from b2 to b1, promotes to a knightb1=B – pawn from b2 to b1, promotes to a bishopb1=R+ – pawn from b2 to b1, promotes to a rookb1=Q+ – pawn from b2 to b1, promotes to a queenbxa1=N – pawn from b2 captures on a1, promotes to a knightbxa1=B – pawn from b2 captures on a1, promotes to a bishopbxa1=R+ – pawn from b2 captures on a1, promotes to a rookbxa1=Q+ – pawn from b2 captures on a1, promotes to a queen Play move

Position as a list

White

• King g1
• Rook a1

Black

• King g8
• Pawn b2

Step 8 of 8

What you take away

Now you know about castling, promotion and en passant. In the next lesson, you will check which pieces are attacked before making your move.