King (chess)

The King (Unicode: ♔ ♚ ) is the most important figure in chess, since the objective of the game mat to place the opponent's king - which ends the game immediately. Checkmate means to threaten the opponent's king with one (or more ) character ( s) without the threat can be countered by pulling the king on a distinguished drohtes field, hitting the attacking figure, or between, drawing a figure. As a special gesture that you have lost or given up, you can overturn or flip the own king on the chessboard.

Possible moves

The king can move one square in any direction, respectively. He can reach all fields of the chessboard. Due to its low range but he needs to quite a lot of trains. Between the two kings at least one field must, as a king can not enter a field threatened.

In the opening

In the initial phase of a game, the opening, it usually comes in on bringing the king through a rapid castling behind a side pawn chain in safety.

In the middle game

In the middle game, the assurance of the king heard from enemy attacks to strategic objectives.

In the final

In the endgame, the king can exert a large effect. Quite in contrast to all other stages of the game the king often comes to an active and game-deciding role: Due to the small number of remaining in the final figures, the assurance of the king plays less and less a role. It is even often necessary to place the king centrally. Especially in a pawn ending the position of the king is crucial. It often comes to the opposition of both kings: Not rarely gets one of the two kings in a tight spot and the opponent must release certain fields, so that it can penetrate playing crucial.

See also

• Chess bid