The king moves one square in any direction: forward, backward, sideways or diagonally. It can capture an enemy piece on any of those squares, but it can never move to a square where it would be attacked. The king also has one special move with a rook, called castling.

The king is the tallest piece, usually with a small cross on top. Each player has one king. White's king starts on e1 and Black's on e8. The king is the most important piece in chess, because the whole game is about trapping the enemy king. If your king is trapped, you lose. So learning how the king moves, and how to keep it safe, is the first step to winning.

One square in any direction

The king is slow. It moves just one square at a time, but it can go in any of the eight directions. From the middle of the board, it has up to eight squares to choose from. On the edge it has five, and in a corner only three.

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A king on d4 can step to any of the eight squares around it, shown by the arrows.

The king captures the same way it moves. If an enemy piece is on a square next to the king, and that piece is not protected, the king can take it.

The golden rule: never move into check

Check means the king is under attack by an enemy piece. Chess has one rule about the king that is more important than any other: you can never make a move that leaves your own king in check. That means:

  • The king cannot step onto a square that an enemy piece attacks.
  • The king cannot capture a piece if that piece is protected, because the king would then be in check.
  • Two kings can never stand next to each other. There must always be at least one square between them.
  • If your king is in check, your next move must get it out of check.
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The black rook on e1 controls the whole e-file. The white king on d4 cannot step to e3, e4 or e5. It can still move to the other five squares.

There are three ways to get out of check: move the king to a safe square, capture the piece giving check, or block the attack by putting a piece in between. If none of these works, it is checkmate and the game is over. If a player is not in check but has no legal move at all, it is stalemate, which is a draw. Learn the difference in check, checkmate and stalemate.

Try it yourself

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Your turn: move the white king around. Try to step onto c1, c2 or c3. The board will not let you, because the black rook on c4 attacks the whole c-file.

Your turn: move the pieces on the board.

Tap a piece, then tap where it should go, or drag it.

Castling: the king's special move

Once in a game, the king may make a special move together with a rook. This is called castling. The king moves two squares towards a rook, and that rook jumps over to the square on the king's other side. Castling moves the king to a safer corner and brings the rook towards the centre in one turn.

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To castle on the short side, White's king goes from e1 to g1 and the rook from h1 to f1. On the long side, the king goes to c1 and the rook to d1.

You can only castle if the king and that rook have never moved, the squares between them are empty, and the king is not in check, does not pass through an attacked square, and does not land in check. The full rules are in how to castle in chess.

A king puzzle

Do not forget that the king can capture too. In the puzzle below, Black's rook has just given check. What is the best way to get out of check?

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Puzzle: White to move. The black rook on e2 is checking your king. It has no protection. Find the best move.

White to move. Make your move on the board.

Tap a piece, then tap where it should go, or drag it.

Keeping your king safe

In the opening and middle of the game, when there are lots of pieces on the board, keep your king out of the way, usually by castling early. In the endgame, the last part of the game when only a few pieces are left, the king becomes a fighter. Bring it towards the centre to help your pawns and attack the enemy's pawns.

Common beginner mistakes

  • Moving two squares. The king moves only one square at a time. The only exception is castling.
  • Capturing a protected piece. Before the king takes something, check that no enemy piece is guarding it.
  • Leaving the king in the centre too long. Castle early so the king is tucked safely behind pawns.
  • Keeping the king hidden in the endgame. When most pieces are gone, the king should come out and play.

Practice idea: set up only the two kings on a board with a parent or friend. Take turns moving them. Notice how they can never touch. Then add one pawn each and try to promote it. This simple game teaches king moves and the basics of the endgame.

Questions parents and kids ask

Can the king move two squares in chess?

Only when castling. In every other move, the king goes just one square in any direction.

Can the king capture pieces?

Yes. The king can capture an enemy piece on a square next to it, as long as that piece is not protected. Taking a protected piece would put the king in check, which is not allowed.

Can two kings be next to each other?

No. A king may never move to a square next to the enemy king, because that square is attacked. There must always be at least one square between the two kings.

Can the king be captured in chess?

No. The king is never actually taken off the board. When the king is attacked and has no way to escape, it is checkmate and the game ends.