Chess Coach · one useful idea
Keep your king out of attack
An empty square can still be dangerous. Look along enemy lines and check pawn diagonals and knight jumps before moving your king.
Look at attacks, not just empty squares
Your king may move one square, but it may not finish on a square attacked by the opponent. Capturing a piece with the king is allowed only when the landing square is safe.
In the first small practice position, the black rook on a2 attacks across rank 2. The white king on e1 is not in check. Try a safe step on rank 1; an empty square on rank 2 is still attacked.
An empty square can be attacked
White to move. Select the king on e1, then choose a safe neighboring square.
A practice position with fewer pieces. White moves first; ordinary king-safety rules apply.
Tab to the board. Arrow keys move focus; Enter or Space selects a square. White to move.
White to move. Select the king on e1, then choose a safe neighboring square.
When you are in check
Check means your king is attacked. Your move must end that check. Depending on the position, you may move the king, capture the checking piece or block a distant rook, bishop or queen’s line.
A knight’s check cannot be blocked. In double check, the king must move. Every candidate still has to leave the king safe.
The second practice position has only a white king to respond to the rook’s check. Move it away from the e-file. There is more than one legal answer.
King safety also limits other pieces
A piece can point at a square and still be unable to capture there if moving it would expose its own king. This is why a possible recapture must be checked as a legal move, not just an arrow on a board.
Castling follows the same care: the king cannot start in check, cross an attacked square or finish in check. A safe-looking king move is not legal just because the destination is empty.
Bring the idea back to your game
In Chess Coach, revisit “Look before stepping” or the three “Check” lessons. In a game, check your king first, then compare legal replies.
If you opened this page from Coach, return to your game when you are ready. You can keep playing and read these details later.
Practise on the web board →Choose Pass-and-play or a practice bot on that board to try a whole game. The iPhone app is not publicly available yet.