How rooks and bishops move
Straight lines for the rook, diagonals for the bishop.
The idea
The rook moves in straight lines, and the bishop along diagonals.
- The rook moves along its rank or file, as far as the way is clear.
- A piece in its way stops it, but it may take an enemy piece.
- A bishop moves the same way along diagonals, so it keeps to one colour.
In a game: Look along open lines: a rook or a bishop far away can still attack.
The lesson
The rook moves in straight lines: forwards, backwards or sideways, as far as it likes along a rank or a file. It cannot jump over other pieces. The marked squares are every square this rook can move to.
Find the move
A rook captures by moving onto an enemy piece. Take the pawn on d5.
A hint
Pick the rook on d4, then the pawn on d5.
Show the answer
1. Rxd5
The rook moved as it always does and landed on the pawn, which comes off the board. Every piece except the pawn captures the way it moves.
A question
Can the rook on a4 move to g4 in one move?
Show the answer
No, the pawn on d4 is in the way.
Right. A rook cannot jump over a piece. It could take the pawn on d4, but it could not go past it.
The bishop moves diagonally, as far as it likes, and cannot jump over pieces either. A bishop always stays on squares of one colour. This one is on a dark square, so it only ever visits dark squares. Each side has a dark-squared bishop and a light-squared one.
Find the move
Take the pawn on f6 with the bishop.
A hint
The pawn is on the bishop’s diagonal.
Show the answer
1. Bxf6
The bishop travelled along the diagonal d4, e5, f6 and took the pawn.
A question
This bishop stands on c1, a dark square. Could it ever move to the light square f1?
Show the answer
No, a bishop never changes colour.
Right. A bishop on a dark square stays on dark squares for the whole game.