EIGHT SQUARE™ - Chess Worth

King: Although the king is not worth any points it must remain on the board. Protecting it is a
high priority. A good way to protect the king is to do a special move, either a queenside or
kingside castle. If your king is in a position on the board and another piece is attacking it,
which is called check that is OK. However, you have to move out of check, and if you can’t,
you are in checkmate which means you are in check and can’t move. Then, say “Good
game” and your opponent wins.

Queen: The queen is the most powerful piece on the board. Many players like to trade their
queens. This makes move calculations much less difficult and keeps their opponent from
obtaining a quick checkmate. The queen is worth nine points. The queen can move
diagonally as a bishop does. It can also move like a king, and horizontally or vertically like a
rook but cannot jump over pieces as a knight can.

Rook: The rook is worth five points. The rook is the second most powerful piece on the
board. Rooks are considered major pieces. The rooks move only vertically and horizontally.
The rooks are best used at the end of the game on open ranks, files or when connected.
Having connected rooks means there are no other pieces between them on ranks or files.
Connected rooks provide a strong blockade to protect the King.

Knight: The knight is worth three points like the bishop. Knights’ value can vary at the
opening, middle, and end of a game. The knights are more valuable in the opening of the
game because it is the only piece besides a pawn that can move out on the first move, so it
is commonly used in openings. For example, in the Two Knights Defense you move out your
pawn in front of your king and then move out the two knights. The knight is the only piece on
the board that can jump over other pieces and connected knights can form a hefty
obstacle. Knights that are close to the center of the board are also more valuable. If the
king is in check by a knight, the only moves are to take the knight or move your king. You
cannot block a knight check with another piece. So you have to move your king, take the
knight, or befall a smothering checkmate. Because both the king and knight start with the
letter K, the knight is represented with the letter N.

Bishop: The bishop is worth 3 points like the knight. Trading a bishop for a knight is a fair
trade. Yet, some players are better with knights than with bishops and vice versa. Players
may obtain an advantage by being willing to trade the piece that they are less strong with.
The bishop can only go diagonally. Unlike any other piece on the board it must stay on its
original color square. This atypical piece is more valuable attacking when both bishops are
used in conjunction on the board. Bishops increase in value as the game nears an end.

Pawn: There are eight pawns for each player in a chess game. A pawn is the least valuable;
it is worth a single point. It is also the smallest on the board. Despite its low value, pawn
positioning may cost a player the game if an opening defense is not established. But there is
hope for all pawns. If a pawn manages to reach to the end of the board, also known as the
eighth square, it is promoted to a queen. A promoted pawn doesn’t have to become a
queen. There are special circumstances where an under-promotion to a knight, rook, or
bishop might be desirable. Moving pawns takes commitment, because pawns don’t move
backwards.
© 2008 James Jones. All rights reserved. 1