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1o) Move of the King : The King can move one square in any direction, forward, backward, to the sides or diagonally, but only one square at a given time (we want to say: by move). Hence, if it is not on the sides of the chessboard and furthermore is not «blocked» (CCT I - Introduction §C-1)-ii)) by other pieces in some directions, the King has 8 choices at his disposal:
DIAG 1 :
This number of choices decreases when the King is on a «side» of the chessboard (5 choices) and particularly if he is situated on a «corner» of this one (3 choices). Also, we can affirm that the King is sensitive enough to «side and corner effects». 2o) Conditions limiting the King's mobility : The King is «impeded» (or «blocked») in his shifting because he can head toward a square only under the three following conditions. This square: i) Either is «Free»: there is not any piece on it, or is «occupied» by an unprotected opponent's piece, even if this one attacks him: then the King is able to capture this latter. (In particular it is well known that, in an exchange, a King is able to take the unprotected opponent's Queen!). ii) Is not controlled by an enemy piece. iii) In particular is not controlled by the enemy King. In other words, there is always at least one square between both Kings. This conditions can be summarized this way: in addition of the general rules of moving the King is subjected to this particular one: A King cannot put himself on a square checked by the other side.
1o) The Queen : The Queen can move freely, in straight line; this means along ranks, files or diagonals. She can move as far as she wants, in any direction, until she encounters another piece. The Queen is so powerful that she is weakly sensitive to «side and corner effects».
DIAG 2 :
This being said, it is on central squares : e4, e5, d4, d5 that she reaches his greatest influence, since she may then, theoretically speaking, access to one of 27 different squares (7 on her rank, 7 on her file, 7 on the long diagonal where she is and 6 on the other diagonal where she is). But puts down one of the corner of the chessboard she is still able to reach, always theoretically, one of 21 different squares. Nevertheless, according to the basic rules of moving, the Queen is «impeded» (or «blocked») in moving by chess pieces of her side and besides equally by opponent's pieces, supposing that she wants to go beyond one of these ones. 2o) The Rook : The Rook is next in power to the Queen. She moves in straight line, like the Queen, but not diagonally. Therefore, she moves straight along ranks and files only. She can move as far as she wants, in any direction, until she encounters another piece. Consequently, in all position on the chessboard she is able, theoretically speaking, to reach one of 14 different squares (7 on his rank and 7 on his file). The Rook has the particularity to be the only chess piece on which there is not any «side or corner effect». The Rook, like the Queen, is «impeded» (or «blocked») in moving by chess pieces of her side and besides equally by the opponent pieces, supposing she wants to go beyond one of this ones.
DIAG 3 :
1o) The Bishop : The Bishop moves straight along diagonals. He can move as far as he wants, in any diagonal direction, until he encounters another piece. This is on the central squares : e4, e5, d4, d5 that he reaches his greatest influence , since he may then, theoretically speaking, access to one of 13 different squares. (7 on the long diagonal where he is and 6 on the other diagonal where he is). But puts down onto one of the corners of the chessboard he is still able to reach, always theoretically, one of 7 different squares. We may affirm, consequently, that the Bishop is moderately sensitive to «side and corner effects». The Bishop, like the Rook and the Queen, is «disturbed» in his moving by chess pieces of his side and besides equally by opponent pieces, supposing that he wants to go beyond one of this ones.
DIAG 4 :
Remark : On account of the diagonally moving of a Bishop, this one does not change of square color, during his displacements. Hence : Each side has two Bishops : one moving around only onto white squares and the other moving around only onto black squares.
DIAG 5 :
2o) The Knight : The Knight is the only chess piece which can «jump» over other pieces. His move is a jump of two squares realized this way : he jumps over a square, along a rank or a file (like if he was a Rook!), and then he jumps over another square, this time along a diagonal (like if suddenly he was a Bishop!), in such a way that the «start square» and the «arrival square» are not contiguous; the resulting move is the typical Knight's displacement:
DIAG 6 :
This singular piece can access, in the better case, only one of 8 different squares, sometimes strictly one of 4 or 6 different squares («side effect») and, at the worst, only one of 2 or 3 different squares («corner effect») :
DIAG 7 :
Consequently it appears that the Knight is particularly sensitive to «side and corner effect». Remark : Exactly at the opposite of the Bishop, in each one of his moves: The Knight deserts a square of a color for reaching a square of the opposite one; he deserts a white square for reaching a black one and vice versa. In return the Knight, like we said above, is not «impeded», like other figures, in his moving; the only condition imposed to him is that the
«new square»
is not occupied by a piece of the same camp.
Let us observe that: the Knight is, like the King (but not in the same manner), a short range chess piece. We mean that this piece cannot, instantaneously, move far from the
«start square»
; whereas, at the contrary, the Queen, the Rook and the Bishop are
all three long range chess pieces
(because, theoretically speaking, they can go as far they want
from the «start square», in the wished direction).
Another interesting fact is the following: the Knight presents the quite outstanding particularity: Located on a square S («start square») a Knight covers, inside a radius of two squares around S, exactly the squares («New squares») that not any other piece (Queen, Rook, Bishop or King), if it is put in the start square S, instead of the Knight, is able to reach in only one move. Nevertheless the Knight's moving is more speedy that it appears and in two moves it is able to access to a quite important number of squares, like you can see (these squares are materialized by blue bullets ) in the next diagram:
DIAG 8 :
This study is very interesting because it reveals that a Knight needs 2 moves to reach squares adjoining diagonally to the "start square" (in other words linked to it by a vertex ) and 3 moves to reach squares adjoining horizontally or vertically to the start square (in other words linked to it by a side ). Then, we aren't surprised to constat that a Knight needs 4 moves to cover all the chessbord (i.e. to be able to reach any of the 64 squares of the chessboard), if he is originally near the center. But eventually 5 or 6 moves if he is far from the center (in fact close to the ends of the chessboard). Do take notice, in this respect, that the Knight needs 5 moves for going from a1 to h1 ( blue itinerary ) and 6 moves for going from a1 to h8 ( red itinerary )
DIAG 9 :
For this question and more exciting subjects about chess game we recommend the WEB site : www.chessvariants.com where we got some useful information. 1o) General principle : Castling is a special type of chess move. It is a combined displacement of the King and one Rook of the same camp; when castling we simoultaneously move our King and one of our Rooks. Both pieces move to squares, along the 1th rank for White and the 8th rank for Black. This move breaks down in two elementary displacements: The goal of castling is to put the King in security and simultaneously to permit to the Rook to go actively in the game. 2o) Conditions to castle : The right to castling is conditioned by the following rules : But, notice that it does not matter if:
«start square»
to his
«new square»
included.
3o) Castling on the King side (short castling) : There are, in fact, two types of castling because the King can castle with a Rook of his side or the other. But the most common is to castle on the King side. The next three diagrams illustrate «castling on the King side», for White and Black:
DIAG 10 : First step: Moving of the King:
DIAG 11 : Second step: Moving of the Rook:
DIAG 12 : Result: «castling on the King side»:
4o) Castling on the Queen side (long castling) : In the same way it's possible, under exactly the same conditions, to castle on the Queen side. This manner of castling is a little more tricky, but nevertheless is often interesting and worth thinking about. The next three diagrams illustrate «castling on the Queen side», for White and Black :
DIAG 13 : First step: Moving of the King:
DIAG 14 : Second step: Moving of the Rook:
DIAG 15 : Result: «castling on the Queen side»:
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