Keefer Crossing Chess Club

We meet every Thursday, from 3:30p.m. to 4:30p.m. in the library.

Sponsors are: Mr. Jimenez, Ms. Thrasher and Mr. Vogel

For more information email at fpabon@newcaneyisd.org

 

Rules of Chess

Chess is a two-person board game which simulates a battle between two opposing armies. The board has sixty-four squares of alternating colors. Each player has a set of sixteen pieces as shown below. One player will have a set of dark or black pieces and the other a light or white set. These symbolize opposing armies.

8 Pawns
2 Bishops
2 Knights
2 Rooks, or Castles
1 Queen
1 King
Moving and capturing: White moves first followed by black. The players continue taking turns using only their own pieces until the game ends. A turn consists of a single act of either moving or capturing. When a piece is moved, it is relocated in the center of a different square. A player can only capture an opponent's piece, not their own. When a chess piece is captured, it is removed from the board and replaced by the attacking piece. Unlike checkers, multiple captures are not allowed during the same move. Captures are also optional. The exception is when the king is in jeopardy and the only way to save him is to capture a threatening piece.

Board Setup

The playing board is the battlefield of the game. It's traditionally oriented so that each player has a white square on the corner to his or her right. The pieces are arranged on the board as shown. Note that the queen always is placed on a square of her own color.

Description of Pieces

Pawn: The pawn is considered the weakest piece on the board. It moves laterally one square at a time, with one exception. Each pawn can be advanced by two squares the first time it's moved. Pawns can only move in the forward direction. When they reach the last row, and can be moved no further, they can be promoted to any type of piece on the board except for a king. Generally they are promoted to a queen since this is the most powerful piece on the board. Hence, a player can have more than one queen.

Pawn's Movement and Capture
Pawns capture other pieces diagonally in the forward direction. They are the only pieces which do not capture in the same direction in which they move.

Bishop: The bishop has the strength of about three pawns and moves diagonally. Unlike a pawn it can move backwards or forwards. It can also move more than one square at a time as long as it moves in a straight line. In other words, a bishop can move across the entire board. A bishop cannot jump over pieces and can also never move to a different-colored square. Bishops capture by moving in their normal manner to the square occupied by an opponent's piece and replacing it.

Bishop's Movement

Knight: Like the bishop, knights have about the same strength as three pawns. Knights are moved in a rather unique manner, one square diagonally and one square laterally. They can move forwards or backwards and are the only pieces which can jump over other pieces. Knights capture by moving in their normal manner to a square occupied by an opponent's piece and replacing it.

Knight's Movement

Rook: The rook, or castle, has the strength of about five pawns. Rooks are moved forwards or sideways in a lateral manner. They can move backwards and forwards one or more squares at a time. In a given move a castle can only move in one direction along a straight line. To capture a piece, castles are moved in their normal manner to the occupied square where they replace the captured piece.

Rook's Movement

Queen: The queen is the most powerful piece on the board and is the equivalent of about nine pawns. A queen can move diagonally like a bishop or laterally like a castle. Like the bishop and the castle, a queen cannot turn corners in a single move. It captures in the same manner as either a castle or a bishop.

Queen's Movement

King: A king is only slightly more powerful than a pawn but is nevertheless the most important piece on the board. While the king can move backwards or forwards, either laterally or diagonally just like a queen, it can only do so one square at a time. A king cannot move to a square where it would be in danger of being captured. A king can capture a piece on any square where it can legally move.