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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:
April 11, 2011
Tags: Chess 101
Are you new to chess? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Follow our blog to stay up-to-date in our series of the basics of chess and chess play. We’ll guide you through everything you need to know about chess from the board & pieces all the way to secret tactics and quick checkmates.
The Board
Every standard chess board features 64 squares, 32 in one color (usually white or light) and 32 in another (usually black or dark). In chess, each square is assigned a letter and number value (such as E5). The board is also divided into horizontal rows (called “rank”) and vertical columns (called “files”). Each “rank” is assigned a number 1-8, starting with 1 at the bottom. Each “file” is assigned a letter A-H, starting with A on the left side of the board. A correct game of chess begins with a dark square in the lower left corner and a light square in the lower right corner.
Buying a Chess Board
There are thousands upon thousands of different chess boards available and it can be hard to choose the correct one to buy. Boards come in every material from plastic, vinyl, wood, marble or other materials. Here at Wholesale Chess, we carry a few dozen different boards that all work in a variety of settings.
Ready to buy your first board? Make sure you get the right board! For beginners, we recommend a good vinyl or basic wood board. A Basic Vinyl Chess Board can be an excellent purchase. They are very inexpensive, come in a variety of colors, and are very durable. If you have small children, they are also great because they can handle the rigors and abuse from children. Not only are they durable, but because of their low price, they are easy to replace.
View Vinyl and Roll-Up Chess Boards
Do you need a great board that travels well? We recommend a vinyl or mouse pad chess board. These boards are specifically designed for tournament play. They roll up and are very easy to carry and transport. They also handle a lot of use very well and are inexpensive to replace. These boards are also quite standard among tournament play. The mouse pad board is different from the vinyl both in texture and finish. The mouse pad board is made from a material similar to what you’d see in a traditional computer mouse pad. The board is thicker, softer and doesn’t wrinkle or warp like the vinyl boards can.
View Vinyl and Roll-Up Chess Boards
Can’t get enough of chess at home? Get yourself a proper studying board! Many chess enthusiasts will read chess boards or watch videos with a chess board out to help them visualize concepts better. A larger tournament board can make it difficult to study because of it’s size. We recommend an analysis chess board for studying. The board is just 12″ square, making it one of the smallest boards on the market. Our analysis board is made of the basic vinyl material, is quite portable, and stores easily.
View Analysis Chess Board
High-End Chess Boards
Are you ready to buy a high-end chess board? At the upper end, chess boards come in a variety of materials and can range in price from $40 to over $1,000. First, select the type of board you would like. Wood boards are the most common to purchase, but boards can also be available in metal, marble or other stone. High-end chess boards can also come as folding sets with storage, large flat chess boards with storage compartments underneath, or simply large, flat chess boards. Most importantly, purchase a board you really like and one that looks good in your home or office setting.
Folding Chess Boards are excellent high-end boards because they save space and store well. If you’re not looking for a board to display, but still want quality, this is the way to go. Folding chess boards come in a variety of sizes, though usually between 10″ and 20″. Many sets come with chess pieces already, but some sets do require you find and purchase chess pieces on your own. Some folding chess boards also feature compartments inside for holding and storing pieces or other supplies, which some simply fold into themselves.
View Folding Chess Boards
Storage Chess Boards (sometimes called Cabinet Chess Boards) are excellent for display. They are beautiful boards that feature a compartment inside for storing pieces and supplies. The boards are all quite beautiful and will look great on a corner table or as the center piece on a coffee table. Because these boards are frequently used as displays, it’s best to be careful on wood and finish selections. Make sure you find a finish you love and will look good.
View Storage Chess Boards
Many of the most beautiful chess boards available are simple, flat boards without storage or folding. Many of these boards are hand-crafted and feature exquisite detail. There are dozens of these boards available in a wide variety of price ranges. As with storage chess boards, be careful which color and finish you choose. It’s all about personal taste and budget.
View Flat Wood Chess Boards
The Thursday Deal of the Day is sure to please traditional chess players who like that feel of nice wood chess pieces against a wood chess board. Nothing quite like it–is there!
We are offering our American Staunton Wood Pieces in ebonized hardwood. The king stands 3 3/4 inches tall with a 1 5/8 inch base. The knight has the traditional raised head–ears laid back, teeth bared and nostrils flared–ready to do battle! This set—today only—is $42.49, half the regular MSRP. If you have been waiting for a nice wood set, now is the time.
You can also choose a compete wood set, The Kramnik Chess Gift Box. This boxed set features weighted Golden Sheesham Chess Pieces with Drawstring Bag (featuring a 3.5″ King), a folding wood Walnut & Maple Chess Board, a DGT Easy Plus Clock and a special CD featuring 120 games by the World Champion Kramnik, all in an attractive gift box. The MSRP is $154.99. Our regular everyday low price is $99.99. But today only you can get this fine set for just $63.99—an amazing value.
This Thursday only, get a beautiful set of American Staunton Wood Chess Pieces with a 3 ¾ inch king in Sheesham. It’s not only a striking chess set, but is a bargain for the price. You can save $21 of the retail price of $59.99 Thursday Deal: Only $38.99!
You can also get the great chess book “Fearsome Four Pawns Attack” by Jerry Konikowski is one of the most prolific chess authors in the world and holds the FIDE title of Master. The retail price of this chess book is $24.95. Today only you can it for the unheard of price of just $8.99
Go to the home page and click on the link to get either—or both—of today’s chess deals.
Today’s Chess Deal of the Day is our 5″ Magnetic Travel Wood Chess Set
with Fitted Insert. It ideal for travel, or to keep in a desk at work. Today only you can save 60%. You can also take advantage of our expedited shipping specials…we pay half! If you order today, you can still get it by Christmas.
Not much time left to get that chess set, chess board, or chess supplies you need for Christmas. But we can help. For the next two days we will pay half your expedited shipping costs. If Santa snoozes–you loose!
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