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checkmate. 'Check' is when one piece threatens the opposing king, but the king can recover. 'Checkmate' is the end of the game, when the defending king cannot avoid capture. An example of check: White moves his rook to the back row, where the only other piece is the king. The rook is threatening the king because the king lies in a direct place the rook can move to (and capture the king). The king can get out of check in three ways: Capturing the attacking piece, moving a piece to stand between the attacking piece and the king (a block), or moving the king out of range of the attacking piece. In the example above, the king could move forward 1 square and escape the rook, or he could capture the rook with one of his pieces. Be warned, though, the king cannot move into a space which is in the path of an opposing piece. This is often a good strategy: to trap the king in so that he cannot move, and then attack him with another piece.

There is one last, advanced move that you don't need to know to win, but often times it is useful. This move is called 'castling.' Castling is a movement of both the rook and the king. When no pieces stand between either rook and your king on your home row, and you have not moved your king or the rook, you can castle by moving your king two squares towards the rook, and then placing the rook one square on the other side of the king. Again, you move your king two squares towards the rook, and the rook then moves to the other side of the king. This is useful in creating a sort of refuge for the king, assuming you haven't moved your pawns on that side. An important note, however: You cannot castle if you have moved either the king or the rook. If you moved one rook, you can still castle with the other rook, but if you move the king, you can never castle in that game.

Chess is a wonderful strategy game that so many people love and enjoy, and if you master it, you can gain much wisdom and insight towards other aspects of life. So go out there, and start playing!

Learn more about this author, Stryker Smith.
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