News & Updates
The standard colors for chess pieces are black and white. In fact, they are named black and white during play, so it makes sense that most chess pieces remain black and white. Often in wood sets, the actual colors may vary, based on the types of woods used to craft the pieces. You may see pieces with more brown or even red colors for the “black” pieces, and anywhere from nearly white to a dark boxwood for the “white” pieces.
If you’re looking to shake up your chess game, consider investing in some low-cost, durable basic colored chess pieces! We have a great offering of colored pieces that you can purchase for your own game. All colored chess pieces come in the international standard size of 3 3/4″ king height, though our colored pieces are not weighted.
With our great selection, you can mix and match your own two half-sets and have chess games in any color your choose! We have ten different colors to choose from including red, blue, yellow, green, purple, pink, black, white and now we even feature gold and silver colored chess pieces.
Our colored chess pieces are great for:
- Early Development Chess Clubs
- School Chess Clubs
- Family Chess Sets
- Fun Chess Tournaments
- Chess Pieces For Demonstration and so much more!
You can view our great selection of colored chess pieces here. You can also find more colored chess sets with pieces and boards to match by going to our Kids Fun Chess Sets here.
Some of our customers who are new to the chess scene sometimes ask us what the difference between Fritz 12 and Rybka 4 is. That is an excellent question that we’d like to clarify. Both programs are chess software that help teach chess. Here are a few other similarities:
- Both programs are in the “starter” chess market, offering a complete package for the chess player new to chess software.
- They both offer chess-playing engines, allowing you to play against a computer from beginning to advanced levels.
- Both programs feature a huge database of past games (over 1.5 million games in each) from the 17th century and later.
So what makes these two programs different? They are both quite similar and offer a very similar set of features. It is important to note that Fritz 12 is geared more toward the new and learning chess player. The program offers better competition for players who are newer to the game and are looking to improve. Rybka 4, on the other hand, is much more geared toward advanced players looking for a challenge. While they both offer the different skill levels, Rybka 4 is much better in the advanced category.
Buy Rybka 4
Buy Fritz 12
The last piece to discuss on the chess board is the King piece. This piece is the game winner. Once you lose your King, the game is over, and your opponent wins, regardless of the score. The King chess piece is the piece you must protect the most and you cannot live without. Many experienced players, though may find themselves utilizing their king in an attempt to gain an advantage over an opponent, something weaker chess players are very leery of doing. No matter how you choose to use your King piece, he must stay alive at all costs.
How A King Chess Piece Moves
King chess pieces are somewhat limited in their movement. They cannot go riding across the chess board as quickly as most other pieces and they are easier to contain than most chess pieces from an opponent’s perspective. Here are a few rules to note:
- The king piece can move one single square in any direction.
- The king cannot move onto a square the is currently occupied by a piece from it’s own team.
- The king piece cannot move to any square that puts them into a “check” position.
- The king piece can participate in a move known as “castling”, where the piece can move up to three squares while exchanging places with a rook chess piece.
Basic Tactics
Safety first, is the motto most chess players abide by when moving and using their king piece. Experienced players can use their king piece to help set traps and capture opposing pieces, though the King is rarely the aggressive piece in this situation. Most players try to keep their king piece in one of their two corners where there are fewer directions from which an attack can come. Often, castling with a rook piece early in the game gets the King piece to the corner faster, keeping the piece safer from attacks.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are some chess sets that feature unique or interesting King piece designs:
Pegasus Ebony Wood Chess Pieces ($559.99)
Premier Chess Pieces ($18.99)
Cavalier Ebony Wood Chess Pieces ($449.99)
St. Petersburg Wood Chess Pieces ($89.99)
Zagreb Rosewood 2.5″ Chess Pieces ($44.99)
Considered the most dangerous and versatile piece on the board, the Queen chess piece is also one of the most important. Unless you are an expert chess player, losing your queen piece can easily be the final blow before falling to your opponent. Most players are willing to sacrifice just about any other piece on the board in order to save their queen. So why is the queen so important?
How A Queen Chess Piece Moves
The queen chess piece is like a combination of the Rook and Bishop chess pieces. Each player starts out with one queen piece (although any pawn that makes it to the other side of the board can be traded in for another queen, which is why some chess sets come with extra queens). The queen can move forward or diagonal in any direction. Here are a few notes:
- The queen can move in any direction on a straight or diagonal path.
- The queen cannot “jump” over any piece on the board, so it’s movements are restricted to any direction of unoccupied squares.
- The queen can be used to capture any of your opponent’s pieces on the board.
Basic Tactics
Most players try to keep their queen defended because of it’s ability to move. It is a very useful piece in any chess game and is often involved in endgame strategy. Experts try to get the queen piece toward the center of the board as soon as possible in order to help defend that space and gain an advantage over their opponent. The queen can be used in a variety of defensive strategies and works well to defend the King no matter where the King is on the board, so long as the queen is nearby. The most dangerous piece to a queen is the opponent’s knight pieces. The queen may not be able to attack a knight piece directly that is attacking the queen, so players try to be wary of their opponent’s knight pieces. Advanced players may be more likely to sacrifice their queen in an attempt to win a game, though this is quite rare.
Favorite Chess Sets
The queen piece is often a very beautiful chess piece and in more expensive sets, it may feature a very beautiful crown and piece shape.
St. Petersburg Sheesham Chess Pieces ($109.99)
Zagreb 3″ Ebonized Chess Pieces ($59.99)
Fianchetto Ebony Chess Pieces ($279.99)
Siogne Bud Rosewood Chess Pieces ($289.99)
The Bishop chess piece is easily the most forgotten piece of all the chess pieces. From the beginners’ perspective, the piece cannot do a whole lot to help out your game, considering each piece can only cover half of the board at a time and is quite vulnerable to attacks from straight on. But the bishop does have his place in the game of chess. In most chess sets, the piece is very traditional. It is a tall, slender piece with a pointed tip that has a strange cut made into it. Usually, the design doesn’t change much, unlike the Knight piece, which has a lot of flair in it’s design.
How A Bishop Chess Piece Moves
The bishop chess piece is stuck moving in diagonals. Each player starts out with two bishop pieces, each one residing on it’s own color of square. Between both pieces, you can cover the entire board, but one piece can only cover one half of the board, only the colors of squares it started the game on.
- The bishop can move in any direction diagonally, so long as it is not obstructed by another piece.
- The bishop piece cannot move past any piece that is obstructing it’s path.
- The bishop can take any other piece on the board that is within it’s bounds of movement.
Basic Tactics
Bishops are usually considered stronger pieces toward the end of the game. Often, though, the pawns make it difficult to use the bishop piece during the early parts of the game. The bishop is considered excellent in defending a castled King, though and can be used to help pin pieces into areas of the board. Most experts would agree, though, that giving up a Bishop is better than giving up a Rook.
Favorite Chess Sets
Here are a few of our favorite chess sets with good bishop pieces:
When it comes to your chess set, the Knight chess piece is often the defining piece in the set. This piece offers the most chance for variety and uniqueness in a chess set and it is often the piece with the most detail. When it comes to the game of chess, the Knight chess piece is often the favorite piece and most unpredictable piece in the game. Many a game has been ended because of the make-or-break tactics with the Knight.
How A Knight Chess Piece Moves
The Knight chess piece moves in a very mysterious way. Unlike Rooks, Bishops or Queens, the Knight is limited in the number of squares it can move across. In fact, it’s movement is a very specific movement. The piece moves in a shape similar to the uppercase “L”. Here are the specifics:
- The Knight piece can move forward, backward, left or right two squares and must then move one square in either perpendicular direction.
- The Knight piece can only move to one of up to eight positions on the board.
- The Knight piece can move to any position not already inhabited by another piece of the same color.
- The Knight piece can skip over any other pieces to reach it’s destination position.
Basic Tactics
Most experts prefer their Knight pieces to be “close to the action”. Because of their strange movement, the can often cover weaknesses that other pieces leave. Knight pieces are also best employed near the center of the board and they are often one of the first pieces to reach the center area of the board. The Knight also has a unique ability to attack another piece without risking being attacked by the same piece (aside from other Knights, of course).
Favorite Chess Pieces Sets
Here are some of our staff favorite chess sets with beautiful and unique Knight pieces:
Columbian Series Wood Chess Pieces ($349.99)
Alexander Series Wood Chess Pieces ($659.99)
French Rosewood Chess Pieces ($39.99)
Reykjavik Ebonized Chess Pieces ($89.99)
See All Chess Pieces
Pawn Chess Piece
The pawn chess piece is often the most overlooked of all of the chess pieces. The piece itself is very simple. On most chess sets, the pawn chess piece is the smallest piece on the board. Each player begins a chess game with eight pawns, standing in front of their other eight chess pieces.
How A Pawn Chess Piece Moves
Pawns are both simple and complex in their movements. The pawn piece has the fewest options of any chess piece on the board in where it can move and it can only move forward until it reaches the other side of the board. Here are a few things to know about how a pawn chess piece moves:
- Pawn chess pieces can only directly forward one square, with two exceptions.
- Pawns can move directly forward two squares on their first move only.
- Pawns can move diagonally forward when capturing an opponent’s chess piece.
- Once a pawn chess piece reaches the other side of the chess board, the player may “trade” the pawn in for any other chess piece if they choose.
Pawn Names & Terms
Not all pawns are created equal. Each pawn is named after piece behind it. For example, the two outer pawns are called “Rook Pawns”, while the pawns in from of the King and Queen at the start of a game are called “King Pawn” and “Queen Pawn” respectively. In addition, pawns on each side of the board are named. This is to help clarify which pawn is which, when referring to a Bishop Pawn, Knight Pawn or Rook Pawn. The pawns on the Queen’s side of the board are called Queen side and the pawns on the King’s side of the board are called King side. For example, at the start of the game, the pawn on the far left side would be called the QR-pawn (Queen Rook Pawn). The pawn second from the right at the start of the game would be called the KN-pawn (King Knight Pawn).
Often, pawns are referenced as opposition. Your opponent’s pawn directly across the board from your own pawn is called the “Counterpawn”. Each pawn on your board begins the game with it’s own counterpawn. At the start of the game, all pawns are considered “unfree”, or not able to reach the opposite side of the board because of it’s counterpawn. Once it’s counterpawn has been captured, the pawn is then considered “half-free”.
Each pawn on the board also has opposing pawns called “sentries”. Sentries are the opponent’s pawn chess pieces that sit directly across from it, but are to the left and right by one square. These pawns are the pieces your opponent could use to capture your pawn. While sentries can make it difficult for your pawn to cross the board, their obstruction of your piece is not absolute.
Each of your own pawn chess pieces has “helpers”. These are it’s neighboring pawn pieces that can be used to help the pawn chess piece cross the board. When trying to reach the other side of a board, a pawn piece is known as a “candidate”. In most cases, your candidate piece would advance first, followed by its helper pieces, trying to ensure it’s safety.
Once the sentries of a pawn piece have been captured, the pawn is now considered “free”. This means it no longer has any opposing pawns in it’s path to reaching the other side of the board.
The Pawn Ram
When two pawns meet at squares directly in front of each other, they are considered part of a “ram”. In basic terms, a ram occurs when two pawn pieces are blocking each other’s movements across the board. When helper pawns get involved, a ram can be broken, allowing the pawn chess piece to move forward. Avoiding rams is important when attacking an opponent as it eliminates your ability to use the pawn in the attack.
Pawns can be very useful tools as you play the game of chess. Gaining a more in-depth understanding of how to use pawns in chess is crucial to becoming a better chess player. Here are some great books we recommend for studying pawn play in chess:
Moving your chess pieces can be a very confusing concept. There are six different types of chess pieces on a chess board and every piece has it’s own unique way of moving across the board. Some pieces move only diagonally, while other pieces only move forward. Some pieces can only move one square at a time. Keeping track of your chess pieces and knowing how they move is key to understanding how to play chess.
Basic Chess Movements
While every piece is restricted by it’s own set of rules, there are a few rules that all pieces must abide by.
- No chess pieces can move through or past any other chess pieces in it’s path, except the Knight piece, which can jump over pieces during it’s movement.
- All chess pieces must remain on an unoccupied square during the game until captured. This means you cannot move pieces on and off the board.
- Chess pieces can only make movement in one direction, except the Knight chess piece. For example, a Rook cannot move 5 squares forward, and then 3 squares to the side in the same turn.
- Chess pieces can capture opposing chess pieces by moving onto the square they occupy, where they must remain until the next turn.
- Unlike checkers, chess pieces are not required to capture opposing pieces if the opportunity presents itself. Instead, the player can elect to not capture the opponent’s piece, which may put them at risk to have their own piece captured.
Pawn Movement
Pawns are the most restricted pieces on the chess board. The pawn can only move forward one square, with two exceptions. The pawn can move forward two squares (if desired) on it’s first move of the game, but can then only continue forward by moving one square forward per turn. When capturing other pieces, a pawn can only move forward diagonally one square. Pawns cannot capture pieces that are directly in front of them, but must wait for the blocking piece to move or be captured by another piece.
Rook Movement
The rook chess piece is allowed to move in any direction, but is restricted to moving in a straight direction. The rook can move forward, backward, left or right until it reaches the edge of the board or another piece blocks it’s path. The rook can move anywhere from 1 to 7 squares, as long as the path is not blocked by another piece. Rooks can capture any other piece on the board, as long as it is within it’s movement range.
Bishop Movement
The bishop piece behaves the same as the rook chess piece, except it’s movement is restricted to diagonal movement. The piece can move in any diagonal direction, as long as the path is not obstructed. The piece can move anywhere from 1 to 7 squares, as determined by the player.
Knight Movement
The movement of the knight chess piece is a little more complicated to describe. Often, the piece is described as being a “wild card” piece because it moves in such an odd direction. Essentially, the knight piece can move in one direction two squares and then turns to the left or right moving one more square. The movement shape looks similar to the shape of the letter “L”. During this movement, the Knight chess piece can skip over other chess pieces to reach it’s destination. The knight piece cannot move to any square already occupied by the same player’s piece, but it can capture an opponent’s piece when it lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s chess piece.
Queen Movement
The queen is often considered the least-restricted chess piece on the chess board. The queen combines the movement of both the Rook and Bishop pieces, meaning it can move in any direction, diagonally or straight. As with the Rook and Bishop, the Queen can only move forward as long as there are no other pieces in it’s path. The Queen can move 1 to 7 squares in any direction.
King Movement
The king piece is the most simple and straight-forward piece. The King can move in any direction by a single square, as long as it is not restricted by another piece. The King can capture any other piece, but it can only move to a square as long as it does not put the piece into a “Check” position, where an opponent’s piece could capture it on the next move.
These are just the most basic movements of the chess pieces. We will be exploring more in-depth movement and terminology of each piece moving forward.
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