The Pawn is the smallest chess piece with big potential. It moves forward one square, or two on its first move, and captures diagonally. The best part? When it reaches the other side, it can transform into any piece (except the king).

The Knight is a special chess piece that moves in an “L” shape—two squares in one direction and one to the side, or one square in one direction and two to the side. It’s also the only piece that can jump over other pieces, making it tricky and fun to use.

The Queen is the most powerful piece in chess. She can move in any direction—up, down, sideways, or diagonally—and as many squares as you want, as long as the path is clear.
Because of her strength, the queen is great for attacking, defending, and controlling the board.

The King is the most important piece in chess. The goal of the game is to protect your king while trying to trap your opponent’s king in checkmate.
The king can move one square in any direction—up, down, sideways, or diagonally—but only if the square isn’t under attack.

The Bishop moves diagonally across the board. It can travel as many squares as it wants, as long as the path is clear. Each bishop stays on the color it started on—either light or dark squares—throughout the game.

The Rook is a powerful chess piece that moves in straight lines—up, down, and side to side—as far as the board allows, as long as the path is clear.
Rooks are especially strong when they work together or with the king, often helping to control open spaces and deliver checkmate.