Welcome To Planet Chess!

Welcome to Planet Chess!
This course teaches you all you need to know about how the pieces move and the rules of the game,
so that you can get full enjoyment from playing chess.
Even if you already know how to play, you will probably find some of these chapters helpful. Chapter
13 provides a handy check list of what the pieces and pawns can (and can’t) do. Experienced players
and even experienced coaches will find some things that are useful and new and amusing in Chapters
11 and 12.
There are 13 chapters in all (plus a 14th):
1 Planet Chess and its Inhabitants!

2 The King
3 The Rook
4 Attack & Capture
5 Check & Checkmate
6 The Bishop
7 The Queen
8 Attack & Defence
9 The Knight
10 The Pawn
11 Exchange rates
12 Special moves - Stalemate, Pawn Promotion, Castling, En Passant capture
13 Summary - What the Chessmen Can and Cannot Do
14 Answers to questions in Chapters 1-13
When you have completed them all, you will know more about chess than most adult chess players
do! You will then be ready to go on to the other material which will be added regularly to this site
(and the tips which will be sent to you in your newsletters) to help you become better players.
Cartoon illustrations Copyright © James Flear 2011

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World Chess Federation
FIDE Chess in Schools - Premium Membership - psm.fide.com
2 The King
The king can move forwards (up), backwards (down), sideways or diagonally (forwards or backwards),
but only one square at a time.
Other things being equal, this king has a choice of 8 moves.
Each player has one king.
Here, the black king stands on e4.
The king can move forwards (up), backwards (down), sideways

or diagonally (forwards or backwards), but only one square at a
time.
Other things being equal, this king has a choice of 8 moves.
He can move to any one of the squares marked with an ‘x’.
Here they are, one white, one black, where they start the
game.
They start opposite one another.
They start on the e-file.
They start on a square of opposite colour (white king on a

“black” square and black king on a “white” square)
The king has lost the power to jump. Hundreds of years ago it
was able to make a special move (King’s Leap) but he just can’t
do it any more.
There are some other things that apply to the king (for
example, he can't move to a square occupied by one of his own
chessmen), but we cannot consider those until we have
introduced some of the other inhabitants.
But we can still carry on with some simple mazes.
Kings love money and there are some coins lying around
waiting to be picked up on the following diagrams.
How many moves are needed to go to all the squares with

coins?
The best answer is 9.
There are many routes. One good one is

c3-c4-d5-c6-b7-c8-d8-e8-f8-g8.
Here 14 is the quickest.
You can go round via f6-c7-c1-f4-h4 or f4-c1-c7-f6-h4 but that's

15!
The best is f4-h4-f6-c7-c1 which is only 14.
This time it’s 14.
d5 is the nearest square, but going that way (d5-h8-h1) takes

15 moves. Even worse is h1-h8-d5 (17).
Correct is h1-d5-h8.
Once you start a game, both kings remain on the board –

always – until the game is over.
Then they, and all the other chessmen should be returned to

their box (or wherever they live) or rearranged in the starting
position ready for another game.
King - Copyright © James Flear

2011
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)

3 The Rook
Each player starts the game with two rooks, but to see how they move, let's look at one.
The rook moves in a straight line – forwards (up), backwards (down), or sideways (left or right). It cannot
move diagonally and it cannot jump.
On an open board, when its lines of movement are not blocked,

a rook can move to any one of 14 squares – this rook could
move to any one of those squares marked with an 'x'.
The rook is not able to jump over anything that blocks its path
(so there is no 'x' on the a3 square). It is also not permitted to
move to a square occupied by one of its own men, so it cannot
move to b3.
All the 12 squares marked with an 'x' are available to it.
The rooks are placed like this at the start of a game.
Rook - Copyright © James Flear 2011

A simple rook maze.
5 moves, starting on a4.
Otherwise 6 moves is quickest.

4 Attack and Capture
Now that we have met two of the chessmen, we can look at some of the things that they can do.
The king “attacks” each of the squares it could move to

(whether it is that player's turn to move or not).
The king cannot move to a square that is ATTACKED by an

enemy man (any square that an enemy man could move to).
That means that the two kings can never stand next to each
other – there must always be a space (or a man) in-between, so
here the white king cannot move up and the black king cannot
move down (not even diagonally).
Some people say that the kings are surrounded by a force field
that keeps them apart, others say that they have very bad body
odour.
For this special game, White gets to make move after move,
while Black stands motionless.
How many moves are needed to pick up the coins, while steering
clear of the force field?
d6 then h5 = 8.
going via h5 first = 10.

Same game, same rules.
This time it is 11 – via g4-d4-c8.
If you go the other way, starting with c8, then it takes 12 moves.
The white rook can move to any of the squares marked with an
x. It may also move to the d6 square.
That is because the rook, like the king, like all chessmen, can
capture enemy men (only one per move!).
White has moved the rook from d3 to d6, capturing ('taking') the
black rook that was on d6.
Captured chessmen are removed from the board. If you insist on

lining them up by the side of the board, please do it neatly.
Children (and many adults) like to talk of “eating” the enemy

chessmen and it is a good word, clearly expressing the way the
white rook has removed the black one from the board.
One very important aspect of ‘attack’ is the ‘x-ray’.
We normally speak of a piece ‘attacking’ one or more enemy

units.
Sometimes, we refer to all the squares a piece can move to as

being attacked by it.
What is rarely mentioned is that a piece ‘x-rays’ squares that it

is not permitted to move to.
In our example here, the white rook x-rays the squares a3, d7
and d8.
Seeing these x-ray attacks is an essential part of becoming a

chessplayer, but one that is almost never taught to beginners.
The lack of this ‘automatic’ sight places great hurdles in the path
of developing players – they simply do not “see” important
possibilities.

5 Check and Checkmate
When the king is directly attacked by an enemy man (piece or pawn), he is in

CHECK.
The king is not allowed to remain under attack. He must escape. If it is not possible then the king is
“dead” – it is checkmate.
When the king is directly attacked by an enemy man (piece or

pawn), he is in CHECK.
Here the black rook attacks the white king – Check.
It is probably a good thing to encourage the kids to yell CHECK

(not too loudly), as it helps them get used to seeing that the
king is in check. At first, they will often miss the fact.
The king is not allowed to remain under attack. He must

escape. If it is not possible then the king is “dead” – it is
checkmate.
In this diagram it MUST be Black's move. Do you see why?
The black king is in check, being attacked by the white rook.
A king is not allowed to remain in check, so Black has 7

possible moves – 6 with the king (to the 2nd and 4th ranks) and
one with his rook, taking the white rook.
Black has made his move, getting out of check, by taking the
white rook that was on d3.
Now the white king is in check and has no choice but to move.
He can move up or down but not to the side – because the rook
attacks the squares on the third rank (and the king is not
allowed to move to a square that is under attack).
At the moment the black rook does not directly attack the a3
square (that attack is blocked by the king on b3).
But remember, the king is not permitted to remain in check.

If the white king tries to move to a3, we can see that it is still
attacked by the black rook and we cannot have that position
with Black to move.
It usually helps to think of pieces “x-raying” the king.
For this game the alternate move rule is suspended. Only Black
gets to make moves. White has to remain motionless.
Black also has to stop and remain motionless if he makes a

move that gives check.
How many moves will be needed for Black to capture both

white rooks? (answer)
For this game, again, the alternate move rule is suspended.

Only Black gets to make moves. White has to remain
motionless.
Black also has to stop and remain motionless if he makes a

move that gives check.
How many moves will be needed for Black to capture both

white rooks? (answer)
Drawings - Copyright © James Flear
2011
With White to move, his rook, if he chooses to move it (he
could move the king instead), has a choice of 14 squares: 7
across the 1st rank and 7 along the h-file.
3 of those moves would attack something. On d1 or h6, it

would attack the black rook, and on h8, it would attack (check)
the black king.
A king that is in check and cannot escape the check by:
1. Take
2. Block
3. Move
is in CHECKMATE.
White to move. How many moves does he have that put the
black king in check?
There are 3 – the rook on a7 could move to e7 or to a8 and the

rook on h1 could go to h8.
One of those (rook to e7) would allow Black to take it. Putting
the rook on a8 is nothing special, just check, but moving the
other rook to h8 is special.
This is not just check, this is CHECKMATE.
The Rh8 attacks the black king, the squares between them,
and x-rays the d8 square, so the black king cannot move
sideways.
Nor can he move down the board to the 7th rank, because all
those squares are attacked by the Ra7.
If a king is in check and is unable to get out of check it is

checkmate, end of game, victory for the checkmating side and
defeat for the checkmated.
If this was the actual starting position, then White (who always
moves first) should win every time.
He would take one of the rooks, putting the black king in check.
The black king would have to move and White would then take
the other rook. Then it is quite a simple task to force
checkmate (see Basic Checkmates).
We need to be careful with terminology and our description of checkmate. We must avoid saying that
checkmate arises when “the king is in check and cannot move.” Grandmaster Paul Motwani’s first ever
tournament game went 1 e2-e4 d7-d6 2 Bf1-b5+, the sweet little girl, playing White, saying “Check, and
you can’t move your king – Checkmate!”
ANSWERS
- 5th diagram:
3 moves
1...Rh6-h7
2...Rh7xg7
3...Rg7xg6+
- 6th diagram:
3 moves
1...Rg3xg6
2...Rg6-g3
3...Rg3xb3+
Note that Black can't take the b3 rook first because it is not legal - it would expose the black king to
check (from the Rg6) and that is not permitted.

6 The Bishop
Each player has two bishops.
The bishop moves diagonally. It can move backwards, but not from here, because it is at one end of the
board. It cannot move vertically (neither up nor down) or sideways.
The bishop cannot move to a square occupied by a team member, nor can it jump over any chessman.
Each player has two bishops.
Here, the black bishop stands on c8.
The bishop moves diagonally. It can move backwards, but not

from here, because it is at one end of the board. It cannot
move vertically (neither up nor down) or sideways.
The bishop cannot move to a square occupied by a team

member, nor can it jump over any chessman.
The bishop is one of the pieces most restricted in movement

when on an edge.
Other things being equal, the bishop on c8 has a choice of just
7 squares to move to. It can move to any one of the squares
marked with an ‘x’.
Under the Laws of Chess, it will never, ever (legally) find its
way onto a dark square. Of course, that does not mean that
you will never see it happen – it is not at all rare in the games
of young children. GM Chris Ward calls it the “banana” move
(displacing a light-square bishop onto a dark square, or
vice-versa).
The white dark-squared bishop on d4 is more central and, on

an open board, has a choice of 13 squares - almost twice as
many as the Bc8 above.
Here they are, two white, two black, where they start the
game.
They start on the c-file and the f-file. White’s on the first rank,
Black’s on the 8th rank.
One light-squared bishop and an "opposite coloured"

dark-squared bishop.
Bishops are able to attack (and capture) enemy units.

Here the Bb5 attacks (CHECKS) the black king.
Black here has two ways of getting out of check (taking the
Bb5 is not possible) – he can BLOCK with Bc8-d7 or MOVE his
king - to d8, e7 or f7, but not f8 (occupied by his own man) or
d7 (the Bb5 is attacking all the squares on the a4-e8 diagonal).
Bishops, like rooks, have the power to x-ray squares that they
cannot move to.
What is attacking what?
If it is White’s move, can White take anything?
If it is Black’s move, can Black take anything?
Which squares are being x-rayed?
(answers)
If it is White to move, can he take anything?
Now?
Ever?
If it is Black to move, can he take anything?
Now?
Ever?
(answers)
If it is White to move, can he take anything?
Now?
Ever?
If it is Black to move, can he take anything?
Now?
Ever?
(answers)
A simple maze.
How many moves to pick up all the coins?
(answer)
Another maze.
(answer)
Is this check?
Is this checkmate?
(answers)
Is this check?
Is this checkmate?
(answers)
Bishop - Copyright © James Flear

2011
ANSWERS
- 5th diagram:
The Bishops on d4 and g1 are attacking one another.
White, to move, could play 1 Bd4xg1
Black, to move, could play 1...Bg1xd4
Which squares are being x-rayed? (c5, b6, a7)
- 6th diagram:
No!
No!
No!
No!
One bishop is on a light square, the other on a dark square and ever more shall be so!
- 7th diagram:
No!
Yes!
No!
Yes!
Since both are 'light-square' bishops, it is possible that either one, if careless, could move to a square
where it could be captured by the other.
- 8th diagram:
Possible ways:
a6-f1-h3-d7-f5-g6-h7
g6-h7-f5-d7-h3-f1-a6
any others?
-9th diagram:
This time it’s 8 with a single solution:
h4-f6-c3-a5-c7-d6-f4-h2
- 10th diagram:
Yes!
Yes!
- 11th diagram:
Yes!
Yes!

7 The Queen
Each player has one queen.
The queen can move forwards (up), backwards (down), sideways or diagonally (forwards or backwards).
Since the rule change of the 1400s, she can travel long distances quickly, being restricted only by her
inability to jump over things.
Each player has one queen.
Here, the black queen stands on e5.
The queen can move forwards (up), backwards (down),

sideways or diagonally (forwards or backwards). Since the rule
change of the 1400s, she can travel long distances quickly,
being restricted only by her inability to jump over things.
Other things being equal, this queen has a choice of 27 moves

(7 up-down, 7 to the side, 13 along the two diagonals).
She can move to any one of the squares marked with an ‘x’.
Can you see why I often show how the queen moves by
standing a bishop on top of a rook?
Here they are, one white, one black, where they start the
game.
They start on the d-file. They start on their ‘back’ ranks.
They are "fashion conscious" and start on a square that

matches the colour of their clothing (white queen on a “white”
square and black queen on a “black” square).
Queens are able to attack (and capture) enemy units.
Here the Qb1 attacks some things.
If it White’s turn to move, which of the other pieces on the

board could the white queen choose to take? (answer)
Chessmen attack enemy units even when it is not their turn to

move. An attack is always there, but the possibility of taking
something only exists when it is your turn to move.
Which things are attacking which others here? (answer)
The queen is one of three pieces (rook and bishop are the other
two) that can perform x-rays.
Which squares are x-rayed by the white pieces?
(answer)
Which squares are x-rayed by the black pieces? (answer)

What is attacking what? (answer)
If it is White’s move, can White take anything? (answer)
What, and with what? (answer)
If it is Black’s move, can Black take anything? (answer)
What, and with what? (answer)
What is attacking what here? (answer)
Can you figure out whose turn it is to move? (answer)
Is the king in check? (answer)
If it is, how can it get out of check? (T & M, no B) (answer)
White to move:
How many moves put the black king in check? (answer)
Which one would you choose? (answer)
Black to move:
How many moves put the white king in check? (answer)
Which one would you choose? (answer)
Objective – mate NOT taking material.

A simple maze.
How many moves to pick up all the coins?
Are you sure that’s the quickest?
(answer)
ANSWERS
- 3rd diagram:
Question 1: Rh1 or Bh7.
Question 2:
Ra2 attacks Ba3
Rh1 attacks Qb1
Bh7 attacks Qb1
Qb8 attacks Bb6
Question 3: a4-a5-a6-a7-a8 by the rook and b7-b8 by the queen
Question 4: a1 by the rook and b5-b4-b3-b2-b1 by the queen
- 4th diagram:
Question 1:
Qe5 attacks Rb8, Qe7 and Bg7
Bf4 attacks Rh2
Qe7 attacks Qe5
Bg7 attacks Qe5
Question 2: Yes.
Question 3:
Rb8 with Qe5,
Qe7 with Qe5,

Bg7 with Qe5,
Rh2 with Bf4
Question 4: Yes
Question 5:
Qe5 with Qe7,
Qe5 with Bg7
- 5th diagram:
Question 1:
Rf5 attacks Qb5
Qb5 attacks Rf5
Qb5 attacks Ke8
Question 2:
Yes!
White's king is in check, so it must be White to move.
Question 3: Yes!
Question 4:
Taking - Rf5xb5
Moving - four possibilities (d8, e7, f7, f8) but not d7.
Blocking - No!
- 6th diagram:
Question 1: Five.
Question 2:
All 5 checks are good enough to force checkmate (eventually) but only one does so quickly:
1 Qc6xf6+ Kh8-g8
2 Kh1-g1!
(it is one move quicker than
2 Rh2-g2+ Bh7-g6
3 Rg2xg6+ Kg8-h7
4 Qf6-g7 mate)
Now the black bishop must move (the king can't) and White will play
3 Rh2-h8 mate!
Second best is 1 Rh2xh7+.
Question 3: Four.
Question 4: 1...Qf6-f1 mate!
- 7th diagram:
(8)
h5-a5-c7-g3-e3-e6-f6-b2

8 Attack and Defence
When we looked at Check (& Checkmate), we saw that a king has three possible
ways out: Take – Block – Move. When one of the other chessmen is under attack, there is a fourth
possibility as well, that of protecting (defending) it: Take – Block – Move – Protect.
Black to move.
White’s queen attacks both black pieces.
T?
Yes.
Bh6xg7 is a very good defence.
White to move.
The bishop is under attack.
T? Yes. a4xb5.
B? Not possible.
M? Possible.
P? Possible (Ra1-c1).
T is clearly preferable.
It must be Black to move – his king is in check.
T? No.
B? Yes (Rb8-b7).
M? No.
P? Can’t apply – it’s check.
Therefore Rb8-b7 is the only move.
Again it must be Black’s move – the king is in check from the

Ba2.
T? No.
B? Yes (Qg7-f7).
M. No.
P? n/a.
Therefore Qg7-f7 is the only legal move.
In reply – checks? 2, one of them mate. (answer)
Black to move.
The rook is under fire from the Bb4.
T? No.
B? No.
M? Yes (many).
P? No.
Therefore choose a rook move. (answer)

Obviously Black to move.
T? No.
B? No.
M? Yes (Kh8-g8).
P? n/a.
Therefore Kh8-g8 is the only move.
Black to move.
The Nf7 is attacked by the Rf1.
T? No.
B? Yes (Bh6-f4).
M? Yes (4 possible N moves – d8, d6, e5, g5).
P? Yes (Kh8-g8).
Some experience is required to see the back rank mate threat

(Rf1 x-rays f8) and therefore choose to protect the knight.
Watch out for the dangerous REFLEX – “she’s attacked it,

where shall I move it?”
White to move.
The Be4 attacks the Nf3.
T? No.
B? No (impossible).
M? No.
P? Yes (Kg1-g2).
Therefore probably Kg1-g2, but it isn’t obligatory, so there

could be something better.
Black to move.
The Re1 attacks the Qe8.
T? Yes (Qe8xe1).
B? Yes (Rf7-e7 or Rf6-e6).
M? Yes (many).
P? Yes (Rf7-f8).
So, it’s a value judgement; one where Checks & Captures are
more important than the Reflex. Of course, here either check
wins, but only the one queen move does.
White to move.
The king is in check from the Bd5, so we know P is ruled out.
T? Yes (c4xb5).
B? Yes (Bf1-g2).
M? Yes (Kh1-g1).
Again a wide choice, but ones higher up the list are the most
likely, so c4xd5 (if you can’t find anything better).
ANSWERS
- 4th diagram:
Ba2xf7+ and Qa7xf7 mate!
- 5th diagram:
There is nothing special, just important to avoid the squares e3, e2 and e1!

9 The Knight
Each player has two knights.
The knight moves in quite different fashion to the other chessmen we have seen. Each of the eight
squares that this knight can move to is marked with an "x".
The move of the knight is often described as being "L" shaped.
Each player has two knights.
Here, the white knight stands on e4.
The knight moves in quite different fashion to the other

chessmen we have seen. Each of the eight squares that this
knight can move to is marked with an "x".
The move of the knight is often described as being "L" shaped.

But that, not surprisingly, causes confusion, especially with
younger kids, because only one of the 8 moves is a true "L"
(Ne4-f2).
I much prefer the description:
The knight can leap to the nearest square of the opposite

colour to the one it is standing on, except for those it is
standing next to.
Of course, it can’t move to a square occupied by a team

member, but it can leap over obstacles, be they team
members or enemy units.
Knight Leap - Copyright © James

Flear 2011
Here they are, two white, two black, where they start the
game.
They start on the b-file and the g-file (on their "back" rank).
Each player has one knight start on a light square and one on a
dark square, but, since they hop from one coloured square to
another, they soon become indistinguishable.
The white knight can still move to any one of the eight marked
squares.
It just hops over the enemy knights as though they did not
exist.
The knight is one of the three chessmen that never x-ray any
squares.
When hopping over obstacles, the knight does not care what
they are.
Nor does it care whose side they are on, although that may
prove to be important after it lands.
Here, it is unlikely to want to hop to f2, g3 or g5.
It is important to remember that the knight captures in

the same way that the king, rook, bishop and queen do
– “eating” an enemy something that was previously
occupying the square that the knight has just landed
on.
The knight does not capture anything that it leaps over.
Black to move.
Can his knight take anything? (answer)
What? (answer)
Can the black knight move somewhere to check the king?

(answer)
In terms of reduced mobility, the knight suffers even more than

the bishop when it finds itself on the edge of the board or in a
corner.
A central knight can reach 8 squares.
On the edge – at most 4.
Only 3 if it is on the edge close to a corner.

In a corner, it has only 2 squares within reach.
A simple maze.
You should start with d5 and then you can go clockwise:
f6 – g4 – e3
or the other way:
e3 – g4 – f6
If there was another coin on c2, then it would have to be

d5-f6-g4-e3-c2
A longer maze.
h3-g5-f7-d6-c4-a5-b3-d4.
Too easy?
Maybe for you, but it is excellent practice for seeing and

making knight moves. Children are often surprised by the
arrival of a knight.
White to move.
Nf8-g6 checkmate.
We know that Black’s last move was dreadful – it must have

been Kg8-h8; Kg8xf8 would have been much better, avoiding
the mate.
How do we know that was Black’s last move?
How do we know he had that choice?
(answer)
ANSWERS
- 5th diagram:
Question 1: Yes!
Question 2: Nc6 or Qf3 (you would choose the queen, wouldn't you?)
Question 3: Yes - Nd4-f5+ (I didn't say it would be a good move).
- last diagram:
we know because the king can only have reached the h8 square from g8, where it was in check from the
knight on f6; therefore it could have moved to f7 or taken the knight on f8 instead of going to its
execution.

10 The Pawn
You might think knights are odd, but pawns are really weird. They move
and capture in different ways. They can’t go backwards (or sideways) or diagonally, except that they
can ONLY capture diagonally. And that’s just for starters. We’ve got the Special Moves still to come.
A pawn on its starting square (you will see in a moment that

White’s all start on the 2nd rank) has a choice of moving
forwards one or two squares.
Once a pawn has left its starting square, it can move only one
square forwards at a time (“up” for White, “down” for Black –
his start life on the 7th rank).
The pawn on с2 has a choice. The pawn on e4 does not.
Nor does the pawn on g2 – it can’t move at all (it is blocked).

Pawns can’t jump and they don’t take the way they move.
Remember, also, they cannot go backwards.

Although pawns MOVE forwards in a straight line (“up” for
White, “down” for Black), they TAKE diagonally – one square
diagonally forwards (never backwards).
This pawn could take one of the coins on c5 and e5 or move to

the vacant square d5.
When a pawn captures something, it occupies the same square

the something stood on (c5 or e5 here). It does not jump over it
– chess is not like draughts!
If it is White to move:
Two possible moves:
d3-d4 and e4xf5.
If it is Black to move:
Three possible moves:
d6-d5, f5-f4 and f5xe4.

Each player starts with eight pawns.
This is how they line up at the start of a game.
White’s across the 2nd rank, Black’s across the 7th rank.
Every pawn, as long as it is still on its starting square, has a

choice of advancing one or two squares (assuming it is not
blocked). That right applies throughout the game.
White to move.
Can the pawn on b2 take anything? (answer)
What about the pawn on f4, can it capture something?

(answer)
Does either pawn have any other move(s)? (answer)
Black to move:
Can the pawn on a3 take anything? (answer)
What about the pawn on f5? (answer)
Does either pawn have any other move(s)? (answer)
How many moves does it take the pawn on a2 to reach the far
end of the board? (answer)
How many moves does it take the pawn on h3 to reach the far
[Only White makes moves here – Black stands motionless]
How many moves does the white pawn need to reach the far
Is there a choice? (answer)
How many different ways? (answer)
[Only White makes moves here – Black stands motionless]

How many moves does the white pawn need to reach the far
end of the board?
Is there a choice?
How many different ways?
Remember, a pawn cannot move backwards, so it seems it will

be stuck forever (at least until it gets eaten) when it reaches
the far end.
Instead, something magic happens.
That’s in the Special Moves section.
Copyright © James Flear 2011
This is a fun game to play.
White, to move, wins if she can capture all the black pawns.
Black wins if she can get a pawn to the far end (the 1st rank).
There are two versions for Black:
Easier: just getting a pawn to the far end wins.
Harder: If White can take the pawn as soon as it arrives, Black

has to be able immediately to take the queen.
ANSWERS
- 5th diagram:
Question 1: Yes! It can take the pawn on a3 (b2xa3)
Question 2:
No! (there is nothing on either e5 or g5, the squares on which it could capture if there was something
there to be captured)
Question 3: Yes!
The pawn on b2 (not having moved yet) has a choice of two other moves (b2-b3 or b2-b4). The pawn on
f4 is blocked (by the pawn on f) and can't move at all.
Question 4: Yes! It can take the pawn on b2 (...a3xb2)
Question 5:
Yes!
It can take the Bg4 (f5xg4 - It doesn't matter that it is blocked from moving forwards)
Question 6: Yes! The a3 pawn could advance to a2 (...a3-a2).
- 6th diagram:
Question 1: 5 or 6 depending whether it chooses the double step on its first move.
Question 2: 5
- 7th diagram:
Question 1: 5 is the quickest
Question 2: Yes!
Question 3:
3 different ways -
1. c2-c4-c5-c6-c7-c8
2. c2-c4xd5-d6-d7-d8
3. c2-c4xd5xe6-e7-e8

11 Exchange Rates
You are bound to see, sooner rather than later, a chart giving the
“values” of the pieces. How much they are “worth”, often expressed in units of “pawns” (or, worse still
‘points’), as though a “pawn” was a genuine currency unit.
P=1 N=3 B=3 R=5 Q=9
This gives rise to many problems. Your parents (and maybe you) know that we live in a world that has
floating exchange rates, not ones fixed to the gold standard.
Yet, ceteris paribus (World Champion Lasker’s favourite phrase for “other things being equal” - of course
they never are), these values can be useful. What to do? After 25 years of searching, I still have no
really good answer. But there are some clear pointers:
those numbers CHANGE constantly, like currency exchange rates, but more extreme.
chess has GUIDELINES NOT RULES (the only fixed rules are the Laws of Chess).
One firm rule – do not make rules
So avoid things like Q=9 P=1 therefore “can’t” or “mustn’t” play Queen takes pawn if it loses
‘points’.
White to move.
So, what’s good? What’s best?
Rb3xb4 is +9
Bf7xg8 is +2 (5-3, since the bishop can be taken)
Qh2xh7 is -8 (9-1).
Which would you choose?
Throw the abacus away. (answer)
White to move.
A simpler choice – only two captures.
Qd7xh3 is +5.
Qd7xb7 is -8 (9-1).
Which would you choose?
Throw the abacus away. (answer)

A famous game.
Black “can’t” play Queen takes pawn.
1...Qg5xg2 was played!
If 2 Qf3xg2 Ne4-c3 mate.
The game ended 2 Rh1-f1 Ne4-c3+ (“can’t” do that either,

because White “just takes it for nothing”) 3 Qf3xc3 Qg2-e2
mate.
Chess is dynamic NOT static.
Black is a piece down, a full “-3” on the pocket calculator.
Of course, with the Bc5 covering the g1 square, a check on the

h-file would be murderous, but he can’t (1...Qg7-h6+ 2
Bd2xh6).
The game ended 1...Qg7-g6 0-1.
White resigned because of:
2 f5xg6 h7xg6+ 3 Bd2-h6 Rh8xh6 mate.
Or the weird defence (surely not seen by the players):
2 Rf1-f2 Bc5xf2 2 Qd1-g1 Bc5xg1 3 f5xg6 Bg1-c5 and Black is

winning but some work will be required.
PLAYING GAMES (Piece Values) - Place the pieces, in turn, on a central square (e5 will do) of an empty
board and count how many squares they can move to.
K–8
R - 14
B - 13
Q - 27
N-8
illustration Copyright © James Flear 2011

Interesting? A queen really is a R+B, but she is stronger than that, why? (answer)
The B is almost as mobile as the R, so why is the R considered to be stronger? (answer)
The N covers fewer squares than the B, so why consider them to be of similar value? (answer)
Basically, it's down to what might be called "second-level" mobility:
The N can reach parts that other Bs cannot (they being limited to squares of only one colour).
The queen, represents R+B, but it is a very special bishop that can operate on both light and dark
squares.
ANSWERS
- 1st diagram:
I would choose to lose 8 points with
1 Qh2xh7+!
It is easy to see the end: 1...Kh8xh7 2 Rb3-h3+ and mate next move (3...Qb4-h4 4 Rh3xh4).
- 2nd diagram:
Qd7xb7+ because after ...Ka8xb7 (forced) it is stalemate. Qd7xh3 allows Black a choice of mates in one:
...Rg8-g1 or Qf2-g1.
- PLAYING GAMES (PIECE VALUES)
Question 1:
Because the bishop is tied to squares of just one colour, so the queen is clearly more maneuverable.
Question 2:
The rook can get to every one of the 64 squares, the bishop only half of them.
Question 3:
Pretty much the same reason again - the bishop can rapidly reach half the squares, the knight is much
slower, but it can get to any square in the end (do you know the fable of the tortoise and the hare? Well,
this tortoise can also hop!).

12 Special Moves - Stalemate, Pawn Promotion, Castling,

En Passant capture
Stalemate is one of the strangest things in chess. It nearly always confuses beginners, but it has a
confusing history.
A definition: The player whose turn it is to move has no legal move to play but his/her king is not in
check. The result of the game is a draw by stalemate.
Stalemate is one of the strangest things in chess. It nearly

always confuses beginners, but it has a confusing history.
A definition: The player whose turn it is to move has no legal

move to play but his/her king is not in check. The result of the
game is a draw by stalemate.
An advanced interpretation of it is that it is a “super-zugzwang”

– any move would result in the king being captured.
Here are a couple of examples.
Currently it counts as a draw, but it has, in the past been:
Win for White

Half a win for White
Win for Black
Win for player administering stalemate
Loss for player administering stalemate
Not allowed
!!!
One more example
White to move.
Viswanathan Anand-Vladimir Kramnik, World Championship

2007.
Three of White’s four moves lose, so Anand played
65 Kg4-h5
Now nine of Black’s ten moves lose for him, so Kramnik replied
65...Ke4xf5
Stalemate.
Pawn Promotion
When a pawn reaches its far end of the board, it must be

immediately “promoted” to a piece (as part of the same move).
Most beginners think that a pawn MUST be promoted to a

queen, and that was, indeed, the rule for hundreds of years.
The unfortunate use of the word “queening” tends to prolong
the misconception.
At other times, the pawn had to be promoted according to the

file it stood on (Q if on e-file).
Nowadays, there is a full range of choice: N, B, R or Q.

In the first diagram, it is Black to move. He plays e2-e1.
As part of the same move, he replaces the pawn with his

choice of the four possible pieces.
Here he has chosen a rook and it is now White’s move.
Pawn promotion means that it is possible, although incredibly

rare, for a player to have on the board, as a result of 8 pawn
promotions:
10 knights
10 bishops (9 of the same colour square is possible!)
10 rooks
9 queens
Or some combination thereof

Historical oddity. World Champion William Steinitz endorsed a
British Chess Association rule that you could leave the pawn as
a pawn. There is method in the madness, as you can see from
this position.
1 b7xa8Q (or R or B or N)
loses to 1...g4xh3
There is no answer to the threat of 2...h3-h2 checkmate.
However, 1 b7xa8P!! draws.
If Black takes on h3, it’s stalemate.
If Black does not take on h3, then 2 Bh3xg2 is an easy draw.
Castling
This is a move of the king and either rook of the same colour
along the player’s first rank, counting as a single move of the
king and executed as follows: the king is transferred from its
original square two squares towards the rook on its original
square, then that rook is transferred to the square the king has
just crossed.
There are two batches of 3 pre-requisites:
The king must never have moved during the game

The rook must never have moved
The squares between them must be empty
In addition:
The king may not castle if he is in check

The king may not castle if he would be in check upon
completion of the move
The king may not pass across an attacked square (not
allowed to “castle through check”).
NB:
These last three points apply ONLY to the king, not to the rook.
When castling queenside, it does not matter for White whether

the b1 (b8 for Black) square is attacked – the king neither
arrives there, nor passes across it.
The four diagrams show the position before and after:
First pair:
White K-side castling

Black Q-side castling
Second pair:
White Q-side castling

Black K-side castling

En Passant capture
The definition from the FIDE Laws:
A pawn attacking a square crossed by an opponent’s pawn

which has advanced two squares in one move from its original
square may capture this opponent’s pawn as though the latter
had been moved only one square. This capture is only legal on
the move following this advance and is called an ‘en passant’
capture.
These two diagrams show the before and after of:
1…e7-e5
2 d5xe6 (‘en passant’ is French for ‘in passing’)
The en passant capture was not universally adopted until 1880.

Popelka-Hlavac, Czechoslovakia 1988.
A practical example.
Black has just played …e7-e5.
White responded with d5xe6+.
That discovered check from the Bf4 is just one of the odd
things that can happen with en passant captures.
Plaskett-Parker, British Championship, Eastbourne 1991.
White has just played f2-f4.
Before that move, the g4 pawn was pinned by the Ra4.
Now the pawn is both pinned and not pinned!!:
…g4-g3 is legal, but the en passant capture (g4xf3+) is not,

because that would put the black king in check.

13 Summary: What the Chessmen Can and Cannot Do
White makes the first move of the game – always.
Players MUST move alternately (taking turns) and cannot “pass” a turn.
The number after each piece name below is the maximum number of squares that unit may be able to
move to.
Forwards = “up” for White and “down” for Black
Backwards = “down” for White and “up” for Black
The far end of the board is the 8th rank (from White’s viewpoint), the 1st rank (from Black’s viewpoint)
CAN CANNOT
King 8
Move forwardsJump over anything
Move sideways (left-right)Move to a square occupied by a friendly unit
Move backwardsMove to a square attacked by an enemy unit
Move slanty-wise “diagonally” (forwards orMove to a square next to the other king
backwards)
Stay on a square attacked by an enemy unit
capture (take) enemy units
capture (take) the enemy king
capture (take) the same way it moves
capture (take) “en passant”
move across two squares when castling
be captured (taken) “en passant”
Queen 27
Move forwardsJump over anything
Move sideways (left-right)Move to a square occupied by a friendly unit
Move backwardscapture (take) the enemy king
Move slanty-wise “diagonally” (forwards orcapture (take) “en passant”

backwards)
Move to a square next to the other king
Move to a square attacked by an enemy unit

Rook 14
Move forwardsMove slanty-wise “diagonally” (forwards or
backwards)
Move sideways (left-right)
Jump over anything (though it seems to when
Move backwardscastling)
Move to a square next to the other kingMove to a square occupied by a friendly unit
Move to a square attacked by an enemy unitcapture (take) the enemy king
Stay on a square attacked by an enemy unitcapture (take) “en passant”
capture (take) enemy unitsbe captured (taken) “en passant”
Bishop 13
Move forwards (only along the diagonal)Move forwards (except along a diagonal)
Move backwards (only along the diagonal)Move sideways (left-right)
Move slanty-wise “diagonally” (forwards orMove backwards (except along a diagonal)

backwards)
Jump over anything
Move to a square next to the other king
Move to a square occupied by a friendly unit
Move to a square attacked by an enemy unit
Knight 8
Jump over anything in its way when movingMove forwards
Move to a square next to the other kingMove sideways (left-right)
Move to a square attacked by an enemy unitMove backwards
Stay on a square attacked by an enemy unitMove slanty-wise “diagonally” (forwards or

backwards)
Pawn 1-2-3-4
Move forwardsMove sideways (left-right)
Move to a square next to the other kingMove backwards

Move to a square attacked by an enemy unit Move slanty-wise “diagonally”
Stay on a square attacked by an enemy unitJump over anything (note especially that it does
NOT capture the same way as in draughts)
unique ability to change into a Q, R, B or N, which
it must do when it reaches the “far” endcapture (take) the enemy king
capture (take) “en passant”capture (take) the same way it moves
In case you are confused by

the “1-2-3-4” for the pawn:
If it has already moved, then it

can advance only 1 square,
but
it may be able to
capture something,
adding a square = 2
it may have a choice of
captures, adding two
squares = 3
If it is unmoved, then it
can advance 2 squares
and
it may be able
to capture Copyright © James Flear 2011
something,
adding a
square = 3
it may have a
choice of
captures,
adding two
squares = 4

NOTE TO TRANSLATORS: Please translate everything what is Black. Don’t translate
what is red. Just keep it as it is.
ANSWERS
5. Check & Checkmate
- 5th diagram:
3 moves
1...Rh6-h7
2...Rh7xg7
3...Rg7xg6+
- 6th diagram:
3 moves
1...Rg3xg6
2...Rg6-g3
3...Rg3xb3+
Note that Black can't take the b3 rook first because it is not legal - it would
expose the black king to check (from the Rg6) and that is not permitted.
6. The Bishop
- 5th diagram:
The Bishops on d4 and g1 are attacking one another.
White, to move, could play 1 Bd4xg1
Black, to move, could play 1...Bg1xd4
[NB. move the other answer?]
- 6th diagram:
No!
No!
No!
No!
One bishop is on a light square, the other on a dark square and ever more
shall be so!
- 7th diagram:
No!
Yes!
No!
Yes!
Since both are 'light-square' bishops, it is possible that either one, if careless,
could move to a square where it could be captured by the other.
- 8th diagram:
[NB. move the answer?]
-9th diagram:
- 10th diagram:
Yes!
Yes!
- 11th diagram:
Yes!
Yes!
7. The Queen
- 3rd diagram:
Question 1: Rh1 or Bh7.
Question 2:
Ra2 attacks Ba3
Rh1 attacks Qb1
Bh7 attacks Qb1
Qb8 attacks Bb6
[NB. move the other answers?]
- 4th diagram:
Question 1:
Qe5 attacks Rb8, Qe7 and Bg7
Bf4 attacks Rh2
Qe7 attacks Qe5
Bg7 attacks Qe5
Question 2:
Yes.
Question 3:
Rb8 with Qe5,
Qe7 with Qe5,
Bg7 with Qe5,
Rh2 with Bf4
Question 4:
Yes
Question 5:
Qe5 with Qe7,
Qe5 with Bg7
- 5th diagram:
Question 1:
Rf5 attacks Qb5
Qb5 attacks Rf5
Qb5 attacks Ke8
Question 2:
Yes!
White's king is in check, so it must be White to move.
Question 3:
Yes!
Question 4:
Taking - Rf5xb5
Moving - four possibilities (d8, e7, f7, f8) but not d7.
Blocking - No!
- 6th diagram:
Question 1:
Question 2:
All 5 checks are good enough to force checkmate (eventually) but only one
does so quickly:
1 Qc6xf6+ Kh8-g8
2 Kh1-g1!
(it is one move quicker than
2 Rh2-g2+ Bh7-g6
3 Rg2xg6+ Kg8-h7
4 Qf6-g7 mate)
Now the black bishop must move (the king can't) and White will play
3 Rh2-h8 mate!
Second best is 1 Rh2xh7+.
- 7th diagram:
Question 1:
[NB. move the answer?] (answer is 5!)
Question 2:
1...Qf6-f1 mate!
- 8th diagram:
8. Attack & Defence
- 4th diagram:
Ba2xf7+ and Qa7xf7 mate!
- 5th diagram:
There is nothing special, just important to avoid the squares e3, e2 and e1!
9. The Knight
- 5th diagram:
Question 1: Yes!
Question 2: Nc6 or Qf3 (you would choose the queen, wouldn't you?)
Question 3: Yes - Nd4-f5+ (I didn't say it would be a good move).
- last diagram:
we know because the king can only have reached the h8 square from g8,
where it was in check from the knight on f6; therefore it could have moved to
f7 or taken the knight on f8 instead of going to its execution.
10. The Pawn
- 5th diagram:
Question 1: Yes! It can take the pawn on a3 (b2xa3)
Question 2:
No! (there is nothing on either e5 or g5, the squares on which it could capture
if there was something there to be captured)
Question 3: Yes!
The pawn on b2 (not having moved yet) has a choice of two other moves
(b2-b3 or b2-b4). The pawn on f4 is blocked (by the pawn on f) and can't
move at all.
Question 4: Yes! It can take the pawn on b2 (...a3xb2)
Question 5:
Yes!
It can take the Bg4 (f5xg4 - It doesn't matter that it is blocked from moving
forwards)
Question 6: Yes! The a3 pawn could advance to a2 (...a3-a2).
- 6th DIAGRAM:
Question 1: 5 or 6 depending whether it chooses the double step on its first
move.
Question 2: 5
- 7th DIAGRAM:
Question 1: 5 is the quickest
Question 2: Yes!
Question 3:
3 different ways -
1. c2-c4-c5-c6-c7-c8
2. c2-c4xd5-d6-d7-d8
3. c2-c4xd5xe6-e7-e8
11. Exchange Rates
- 1st DIAGRAM:
I would choose to lose 8 points with

1 Qh2xh7+!
It is easy to see the end: 1...Kh8xh7 2 Rb3-h3+ and mate next move
(3...Qb4-h4 4 Rh3xh4).
- 2nd DIAGRAM:
Qd7xb7+ because after ...Ka8xb7 (forced) it is stalemate. Qd7xh3 allows

Black a choice of mates in one: ...Rg8-g1 or Qf2-g1.
- PLAYING GAMES (PIECE VALUES)

NB. These questions are answered in the text.
Question 1:
Because the bishop is tied to squares of just one colour, so the queen is
clearly more maneuverable.
Question 2:
The rook can get to every one of the 64 squares, the bishop only half of
them.
Question 3:
Pretty much the same reason again - the bishop can rapidly reach half the
squares, the knight is much slower, but it can get to any square in the end
(do you know the fable of the tortoise and the hare? Well, this tortoise can
also hop!).

Welcome To Planet Chess!

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Welcome To Planet Chess!

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Welcome to Planet Chess!

There are 13 chapters in all (plus a 14th):

1 Planet Chess and its Inhabitants!

Cartoon illustrations Copyright © James Flear 2011

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Other things being equal, this king has a choice of 8 moves.

Each player has one king.

Here, the black king stands on e4.

The king can move forwards (up), backwards (down), sideways

Other things being equal, this king has a choice of 8 moves.

He can move to any one of the squares marked with an ‘x’.

They start opposite one another.

They start on the e-file.

They start on a square of opposite colour (white king on a

But we can still carry on with some simple mazes.

How many moves are needed to go to all the squares with

The best answer is 9.

There are many routes. One good one is

You can go round via f6-c7-c1-f4-h4 or f4-c1-c7-f6-h4 but that's

The best is f4-h4-f6-c7-c1 which is only 14.

This time it’s 14.

d5 is the nearest square, but going that way (d5-h8-h1) takes

Once you start a game, both kings remain on the board –

Then they, and all the other chessmen should be returned to

King - Copyright © James Flear

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On an open board, when its lines of movement are not blocked,

All the 12 squares marked with an 'x' are available to it.

The rooks are placed like this at the start of a game.

Rook - Copyright © James Flear 2011

A simple rook maze.

5 moves, starting on a4.

Otherwise 6 moves is quickest.

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4 Attack and Capture

The king “attacks” each of the squares it could move to

The king cannot move to a square that is ATTACKED by an

going via h5 first = 10.

Same game, same rules.

This time it is 11 – via g4-d4-c8.

Captured chessmen are removed from the board. If you insist on

Children (and many adults) like to talk of “eating” the enemy

One very important aspect of ‘attack’ is the ‘x-ray’.

We normally speak of a piece ‘attacking’ one or more enemy

Sometimes, we refer to all the squares a piece can move to as

What is rarely mentioned is that a piece ‘x-rays’ squares that it

Seeing these x-ray attacks is an essential part of becoming a

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5 Check and Checkmate

When the king is directly attacked by an enemy man (piece or pawn), he is in

When the king is directly attacked by an enemy man (piece or

Here the black rook attacks the white king – Check.

It is probably a good thing to encourage the kids to yell CHECK

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