Rules for Chess
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Object of the Game
The game is won by the player who has checkmated his opponent's king. This immediately ends the game.
The game is won by the player whose opponent declares he resigns. This immediately ends the game.
The game is drawn when the king of the player who has the move is not in check, and this player cannot make any legal move. The player's king is then said to be "stalemated". This immediately ends the game.
Checkers Game Basics
The game of chess is played between two opponents on a chessboard, that is composed of 64 equal squares, alternately light (the "white" squares) and dark (the "black" squares).
The eight vertical rows of squares are called "files".
The eight horizontal rows of squares are called "ranks".
The lines of squares of the same color, touching corner to corner, are called "diagonals".
At the beginning of the game, one player has 16 light-colored pieces (the "white" pieces), the other has 16 dark-colored pieces (the "black" pieces. These pieces are moved and positioned (in accordance to the rules of each piece) to get the opponents King into Checkmate.
Piece Movement
All piece moments describes below are based on the condition that the movement does not put your King in check. Except in the case of Knights, a move will also be incomplete if your destination square is blocked by a piece of either color.
- King - Except when castling, the king moves to any adjoining square that is not attacked by an opponent's piece.
- Queen - The queen moves to any square on the file, rank, or diagonals on which it stands.
- Bishop - The rook moves to any square on the file or rank on which it stands.
- Knight - The knight's move is composed of two different steps; first, it makes one step of one single square along its rank or file, and then, still moving away from the square of departure, one step of one single square on a diagonal. It does not matter if the square of the first step is occupied.
- Pawn - Except when making a capture, it advances from its original square either one or two vacant squares along the file on which it is placed, and on subsequent moves it advances one vacant square along the file. When capturing, it advances one square along either of the diagonals on which it stands.
To move a Chess Piece:
- Move your mouse to the desired piece, and click down.
- While holding your mouse button, drag the piece to the desired destination.
- Drop your piece by releasing your mouse button over the desired destination square. The checker will snap into place over the cell.
Note If an illegal move is attempted, your piece will automatically be sent back to its original square.
Special Conditions
Castling - Castling is a move of the king and either rook, counting as a single move of the king and executed as follows: the king is transferred from its original square two squares toward either rook on the same rank; then that rook is transferred over the king to the square the king has just crossed.
Castling is permanently illegal if one of the following situations occur:
- If the king has already been moved
- With a rook that has already been moved
Castling is prevented for the time being if:
- The king's original square, or the square which the king must pass over, or that which it is to occupy, is attacked by an opponent's piece
- If there is any piece between the king and the rook with which castling is to be effected (i.e. castling may still be legal even if the rook is attacked or, when castling queenside, passes over an attacked square)
En passant - En passant, or taking in passing, allows the Pawn to capture an enemy Pawn by moving into an empty square. In en passant , if you are White and your Pawn is on the 5th rank (for example, d5), or you are Black and your Pawn is on the 4th rank (for example, d4), and your opponent uses a two-square move to place a Pawn right beside your Pawn, you can capture your opponent's Pawn by moving into the square it passed over, as if it had moved only one square.
For example, the White King's Pawn is located on e5. If the Black Queen's Pawn moves from d7 to d6, it could be captured by the White King's Pawn with a diagonal move. In an attempt to avoid possible capture, the Black Queen's Pawn moves from d7 to d5 through the two-square option. Using en passant , the White King's Pawn can capture the Black Queen's Pawn by moving to d6.
It's important to remember that you must capture a given Pawn en passant immediately after its two-space move, or lose the opportunity.
Leaving the Game
If you leave the game for any reason either by closing the window, or by any other means without offering a draw, it will be counted as an instant loss for you, and you will lose any money that was placed on the game.
Resigning The Game
When you resign, the game ends and your opponent wins. Unlike offering a draw, there are no chances for your opponent to either accept or decline your resignation.
To resign from a game, click on the Resign button.
Note If you choose to resign from a game, you will lose any money that was placed on the game. Resigning the game is an instant loss for you.
Offer a Draw
If for any reason you need to leave the game, you have the option of offering a draw with your opponent. Both players must agree to offer a draw in order for your draw offer to be valid.
To offer a draw click on the Draw button.
Note There are no guarantees that your opponent will accept your plea for a draw, if it is rejected you have the option of resigning the game, which will be counted as an instant loss to you. You will lose all money placed on the game.