Where Does the King Go in Chess? Essential Moves

Even as a first-time Chess player, it should be clear that knowing how to use your King is essential. After all, the aim of the game is to capture the opponent’s King without allowing them to dethrone yours.

So, where does the King go, and how does it move? Here’s all you need to know.

Identifying the King in Chess

The King is one of only two pieces (along with the Queen) in which there is only a single piece for each player. The King is depicted as a hat with a cross to symbolize the Christian nature of the monarchy. However, its depiction does change in themed variants - for example, the King is a pumpkin in Halloween Chess.

King and Queen Placement in Chess

When playing Chess online, the computer sets up the board for you. So, you don’t really have to worry. However, when setting up a physical board, the King and Queen placement is crucial, not least because it is where potential confusion may surface.

The other pieces are easy to place. The White Pawns go across row 2 (row 7 for Black). More important pieces are found on row 1 for White and row 8 for Black with Rooks found in positions A and H, Knights located in B and G, and Bishops in C and F. The singular pieces of the King and Queen go in the middle.

Kings start the game in position E. So, the White King starts in E1 whilst the Black King is in E8. Naturally, then, the Queens are placed into D. This means that the White King starts on a Black square and the Black King starts on a White square.

The Importance of Proper Setup

When setting up the Chess board, it’s imperative that you put the King and Queen in their right spaces. Otherwise, you could completely change the dynamic of the game for both players.

For example, if your opponent has their King in D1 or D8, your attacks need to come from the opposite flank. Meanwhile, if your King is in the wrong place, the way you defend your King is affected. Likewise, the development of your Queen will look vastly different if you have placed the two pieces incorrectly. As such, it’s always important to check the positions of the Kings and Queens before starting.

When building your attack, understanding your Kingside and Queenside will carry huge significance. Besides, if you start some games with pieces in the wrong positions, developing a strategy through experience becomes far harder.

Understanding the King’s Movement

Knowing where the King goes is one thing, but true success comes from using it and protecting it. The King is the most important piece on the board but is also the second most restricted (after Pawns) in terms of movement. To use the King, you should know that it;

• Moves one space at a time.
• Can move in any direction.
• Is allowed to take enemy pieces.
• Can move into column B or G via Castling.
• Must not put itself in Check.

If the King is put in Check by your opponent, your next move must escape this either by moving the King itself or blocking/capturing the enemy with another piece.

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