IV

The Bishop.—The Bishop moves diagonally only (that is, in a similar manner to a man at draughts) but he can pass over any number of squares that may be open to him. Place the K B on its own square, and it can move on to any of the following seven squares, viz.: Kt 2, R 3, K 2, Q 3, B 4, Kt 5, or R 6. Placed on a centre square, it commands thirteen squares in all. It captures in the same direction as it moves, and in a manner similar to the K and Q. From the nature of its move the B can never leave the squares of the colour on which it originally stood. Therefore the White K B is always on a White square, and the Black K B upon a Black one.

The Knight.—Whilst the move of the Kt is one of the most beautiful upon the chess-board, it is, at the same time, the most difficult to describe, though a knowledge of its move is not by any means difficult to acquire by a little practice. It may be described as a combination of the shortest move of the R with the shortest move of the B; that is, one square in a straight direction—forward, backward, or sideways—and one square in a diagonal direction. Place the K Kt on its own square, and it can move on to the following three squares, viz.: K 2, B 3, and R 3. It will be seen that its imaginary R’s move would bring it over Kt 2, and then its imaginary B’s move places it on B 3 or R 3. Or its imaginary R’s move takes it over B sq., and then its imaginary B’s move places it on K 2. Placed on a centre square, say K’s 4, it commands eight squares—K B 2, K Kt 3, K Kt 5, B 6, Q 6, Q B 5, Q B 3, and Q 2. It will be noticed that it invariably moves on to a square differing in colour from that which it has just left; or, in other words, that it leaps from a White square to a Black one, and from a Black square to a White one. This peculiarity arises from the combination of the R and B moves. Place the Kt again on K’s 4 (a White square), and it will be seen that the imaginary R’s move brings it on to a square of a different colour (in this case a Black one), either K 3, Q 4, K 5, or B 4—and then the imaginary B’s move keeps it on the same colour. The Knight captures as it moves in the same manner as the other pieces—that is, the captured piece is removed from the board, and the capturing Kt occupies the vacated square. It has one advantage possessed by no other man, and that is the power of leaping over any intervening piece or Pawn, whether belonging to its own side or the enemy’s. For example, when the men are first set out in battle array, the only piece that can move without some of the Pawns first making an opening is the Kt, for it can at once spring on to B 3 or R 3, despite the intervening Pawns.

The Pawns.—The Pawn moves in one direction only, and that is one square straight forward (that is the shortest P’s move, except that on its first move it has the option of moving forward either one or two squares). Place the K P on its square, and it can move either to K 3 or K 4. Place on K 4, however, it can only move to K 5. Unlike the pieces, the Pawn does not capture in the same direction that it moves, but diagonally, one square only (the Bishop’s shortest move). Place a Pawn at K 4, and whilst it can move to K 5 it can only capture at B 5 or Q 5. The capture is effected, as it is by the pieces, by removing the enemy’s man and placing the Pawn on the square thus left vacant. The Pawn has the privilege of claiming promotion as soon as it reaches the eight square. This is done by its being exchanged for any piece of its own colour (excepting a King) which the player may desire. This is technically called “queening a pawn,” although it does not follow that a Queen is always called for. It is not necessary that the player should have lost a piece when he thus promotes a Pawn, and it therefore follows that he can have two or more Queens or three or more Rooks, etc., on the board at the same time.

This last statement may puzzle a good many boys, some of whom may say: “I am under the impression that there is only one set of chessmen used at a game of chess. If this is so I do not see that there can be two or more Queens, etc., of the same colour on the board at the same time. Will you kindly explain this?”

They would be perfectly right in stating that only one set of men is used in a game. The set constitutes thirty-two men (sixteen White and sixteen Black), and these thirty-two men form a complete set. To distinguish one piece from another different figures are used, but the shape of these figures is purely conventional, and flat counters could be used with the name or with some other distinguishing mark written on them. As a matter of fact, indeed, the Mohammedans do play chess with such counters, sculptured figures of any kind being prohibited by the Koran. Now, supposing a set is rendered incomplete by a man being lost, the place of the lost man can be taken by anything that will serve to denote that the piece should be on the board. I have often played a game where a thimble has done duty for a Bishop, and a small paper-weight for a Rook, and so on. So that it is quite easy to get something to do duty as a second Queen, etc.

In clubs and chess resorts, where there are many sets of men, a second Queen, if need be, is borrowed from another set. Sometimes, where only one set of men is available, a Rook (if one has been captured) is turned upside down, the promoted Pawn is placed on the top, and there you have a most excellent substitute for a Queen. Supposing, however, that no piece has been lost when the Pawn is promoted, then a piece of twisted paper can be placed on the head of the Pawn, and again we have a good substitute for a Queen.

Some boys may ask me to explain to them what is meant by “Castling” and "Taking en passant," and as it is somewhat difficult to do so without the use of diagrams, I think I cannot do better than give the required explanation.

V

Castling.—In describing the move of the K, I stated that once during the game the K had the option of an extension of his ordinary move, and promised to describe it later on. This extended move of the K—or rather combined moves of K and R—is termed “Castling.” There are two species of Castling, one on the K’s side, the other on the Q’s side, as shown on the diagrams upon the next page.

The operation of Castling can only be performed once on each side in a game, and that under the following conditions:—

  1. The King must not be in check.
  2. The King must not have moved.
  3. The Rook must not have moved.
  4. The King must not pass over or occupy any square commanded by an adverse man.
  5. All the squares between the King and the Rook must be unoccupied.

These five points being kept in view, Castling is performed as follows:—On the King’s side by the K being moved to K Kt sq and the K R over him to K B sq. On the Queen’s side by the K being moved to Q B sq and the Q R over him to Q sq. By inspecting the diagrams this will be made clear. In Castling it will be observed that the K moves two squares (to the right or left, as the case may be), and the R leaps over him to the adjoining square. In Castling it is always best to move the K first to show clearly that Castling is the move intended. The diagrams show only White’s method of Castling, but Black castles exactly in the same way. It must be borne in mind that previous checks do not prevent the K Castling, so long as he has not been moved, and is not in check at the time of Castling. The young player must also remember that though the K be on his own square, and the R on its square with no intervening piece, yet Castling cannot be performed if either the K or R has moved, and then come back to his original square.

Pawn Taking en Passant.—This method of capturing can only be exercised by a P standing on its fifth square, and the captured P on the move immediately preceding the capture, have been played from the second to the fourth square. The following diagram will assist the student.

If Black in this position move the P to K 3, then the White P at B 5 can capture it in the usual course, that is by taking it off the square it occupied at K 3 and occupying the vacated square. Should, however, the Black P go to K’s 4 then the White P at B 5 could capture it en passant, or “in passing” as the term means. This is done by lifting the B P from K 4 (to which square it has gone) and placing the W P not on the square thus left vacant but on the K 6 (Black K 3) precisely as if the Black P had only moved to K 3. In the position on the diagram, should the Black P go to K 4, then the White P at Q’s fourth could capture it in the ordinary manner. It must be borne in mind that the right of capturing en passant must be exercised on the move immediately following the one which the adverse Pawn has made its move from the second to the fourth square, otherwise the right lapses.