How chess pieces move
The absolute starting point: what each piece can and cannot do on the board.
Key takeaway
Every piece has its own rules: learning them by heart is the one unavoidable step.
The pawn moves one square forward, two if it hasn't moved yet, and captures diagonally. It's the only piece that never moves backward, which makes every push final: always think before you push one.
The rook moves in a straight line, horizontally or vertically, as many squares as the board allows. It's especially powerful on open files and ranks, with no pawns blocking its path.
The bishop moves diagonally, as many squares as possible. Each bishop stays on the color of its starting square for the whole game: a light-squared bishop will never touch a dark square.
The knight moves in an "L" shape: two squares in one direction, then one square perpendicular. It's the only piece that can jump over others, making it a fearsome weapon in cramped positions.
The queen combines the rook's and bishop's movement: it moves in a straight line or diagonally, as many squares as possible. It's the most powerful piece on the board.
The king moves one square in any direction. It must never move to a square attacked by an enemy piece: keeping your king safe is the constant goal throughout the game.