Chess Basics

Special Moves Review

Checkmate Examples
Stalemate
Piece Values
Special Moves’ Review
Pawns have a special En Passant
move called
en passant.
If the pawn on its
home moves two
squares, the pawn
on the 5th rank can
take it as if it only
moved 1 square.
If the pawn on c7
moves to c5 or the
pawn on e7 moves
to e5, then the pawn
on d5 can take it.
You can only use en
passant on the next
move.
So say the pawn on Pawn Movement
f2 moves to f4.
So say the pawn on Pawn Movement
f2 moves to f4.
The black pawn on Pawn Movement
f4 (its 5th rank)
captures it by
moving to f3.
The black pawn on Pawn Movement
f4 (its 5th rank)
captures it by
moving to f3.
The black pawn on Pawn Movement
f4 (its 5th rank)
captures it by
moving to f3.
The black pawn on Pawn Movement
f4 (its 5th rank)
captures it by
moving to f3.

A pawn can only

capture another
pawn this way

A pawn must be on
its 5th rank

The other pawn

must make a 2-
square move
A special move for Castling
the king and one rook
that lets the king
move to a safer
location.
The king moves two
squares to one side,
and the rook moves
to the other side of
the king.
It’s legal to castle
when:
- the king and rook
haven’t moved yet
- the king is not
under attack
- the king can’t go
past a square that’s
under attack.
When a pawn Pawn Promotion
reaches the other
end of the board, it
can become a:
- knight
- bishop
- rook
- queen
of the same color.

You can have more

pieces than you
start the game with.
The Most Special Move

Checkmate
 Checkmate
To win a regular chess game, you have to
checkmate the other king.
Check is when one of your pieces is
attacking the other king.
Checkmate is when you attack the other
king, and it can’t escape.
When your king is under attack, you can:
move the king;
take the piece that’s attacking it; or,
block the piece that’s attacking it.
If you can’t do any of these, you lose.
Checkmate Examples
1. f4 Fool’s Mate
1. f4


e5 Fool’s Mate
1. f4


e5 Fool’s Mate
2. g4
1. f4


e5 Fool’s Mate
2. g4


Qh4#

The queen is
attacking the king.

No one can capture

the black queen.

The king can’t move

to f2 because it
would still be under
attack.

No other piece can

move to f2 or g3 to
block the queen.
1. e4 Scholar’s Mate
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

d6
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

d6
3. Bc4
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

d6
3. Bc4

Nf6
1. e4


e5 Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

d6
3. Bc4

Nf6
4. Qf7#

The queen’s attacking

the king.

The king can’t take

the queen; the bishop
guards it.

The king can’t move

to d7 or e7.

No piece can block

the queen.
1. e4 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

The queen attacks the

pawn on e5, the pawn
on f7, and the pawn
on h7.

The only threat is the

attack against e5. If
White takes either of
the other pawn, he
loses his queen. So
those aren’t real
threats.
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

Nc6

The knight guards the

pawn.
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

Nc6
3. Bc4

The queen and

bishop attack f7. This
is a threat. If White
takes the pawn on f7
with the queen, he
wins.
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

Nc6
3. Bc4

g6

Black blocks the

threat against f7.
White’s bishop still
attacks it, but Black
would get the bishop
for a pawn.

Now Black has a

threat to take the
queen.
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

Nc6
3. Bc4

g6
4. Qf3

White protects the

queen by moving it.
White also renews
his threat against f7.
1. e4


e5 Stopping Scholar’s Mate
2. Qh5

Nc6
3. Bc4

g6
4. Qf3

Nf6

Black blocks the

threat. Black’s queen
protects his knight.

Black also gets

another piece out. At
the start, it’s really a
race to get the most
pieces out.
Stalemate
A stalemate is a tie. Stalemate
Stalemate is when
it’s someone’s turn
but there are no
legal moves.
In this example, it’s
Black’s turn. His
king isn’t attacked,
so he’s not in
check. But the king
can’t move to a safe
square.
No one wins a
stalemate (a draw).
Piece Values
Piece Value
 Piece Value
You can tell that a queen is more powerful
than a pawn.
You wouldn’t give away your queen just to
get a pawn.
 Piece Value
You can tell that a queen is more powerful
than a pawn.
You wouldn’t give away your queen just to
get a pawn.
What about a knight for two pawns?
 Piece Value
You can tell that a queen is more powerful
than a pawn.
You wouldn’t give away your queen just to
get a pawn.
What about a knight for two pawns?
What about a knight for three pawns?
 Piece Value
You can tell that a queen is more powerful
than a pawn.
You wouldn’t give away your queen just to
get a pawn.
What about a knight for two pawns?
What about a knight for three pawns?
What about a queen for a knight, a bishop,
and a rook?
 Piece Value

To help us make those decisions, this table

assigns a value to each piece.
Knight - 3¼ pawns
Bishop - 3¼ pawns
Rook - 5 pawns
Queen - 9¾ pawns
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a pawn but lose a knight?

Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a pawn but lose a knight?

Bad trade
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a bishop but lose a knight?

Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a bishop but lose a knight?

Even trade
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a queen but lose a two

rooks?
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a queen but lose a two

rooks?

Bad trade
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a rook and pawn but lose a

knight and bishop
Good Trade or Bad Trade?

Take a rook and pawn but lose a

knight and bishop

Bad trade
White moves first. Play a chess game
You win if you checkmate your
opponent.

After your game, write the first

and last name of each player on
a Results sheet. Circle the name
of the winner. Circle both names
if it’s a draw.

Shake hands and tell your

opponent “good game.”

Trade sides and play again.