How the pieces move, safe captures, protecting pieces, check and the three special rules. This is the foundation of level 1: make it solid before moving on to tactics.
- Yellow square: the piece to move (the "glowing piece" in the question).
- Stars: squares you could move to; only one is right.
- Letters A, B, C on squares: the options to choose from.
- Arrow: the last move, or a move the question gives you.
- Red square: a piece under attack.
- Blue square: a piece or square to watch.
How the pieces move
Naming squares, how the rook, bishop, queen, king, knight and pawn move, and stepping out of an attack.
The star is on a8: file a, rank 8. Move the white rook from a1 up to the star!
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Answer: ♖a8
Why: The white rook reached a8.
Move the white bishop from c1 to the star on g5.
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Answer: ♗g5
Why: The white bishop reached g5.
Protecting your pieces
Spot the piece under attack, then move it, guard it, or capture the attacker.
A white piece is under attack. Only one star can guard it. Pick it!
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Answer: ♗c8
Why: The white knight now has a guard.
A black piece is attacking a white piece. Only one star captures it safely. Pick it!
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Answer: ♗xg1
Why: You captured the black knight.
Capture the free piece
Find the enemy piece nobody is guarding and take it without being taken back.
Some black pieces stand alone, some are guarded. Only one star is a safe capture. Pick it!
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Answer: ♖xe7
Why: The black pawn was all alone, so taking it was perfectly safe.
Some black pieces stand alone, some are guarded. Only one star is a safe capture. Pick it!
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Answer: ♖xh6
Why: The black knight was all alone, so taking it was perfectly safe.
Which capture wins more
When several captures are possible, take the most valuable piece without losing more in return.
All three black pieces stand alone. Only one star is the piece worth the most. Pick it!
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Answer: axb4
Why: The black queen is worth the most points.
Some black pieces stand alone, some are guarded. Only one star wins the most without losing out. Pick it!
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Answer: ♘xc7
Why: Taking the black bishop wins the most.
Check and getting out of check
Give check without losing the piece, and the three ways out of check: move, block or capture.
Only one star checks the black king without being captured. Pick it!
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Answer: ♖f8+
Why: The white rook put the black king in check.
The white king is in check! Only one star saves the king. Pick it!
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Answer: ♘e5
Why: The white king got out of check.
Castling, promotion and en passant
The three special rules children forget most, each practised in a position with one right move.
The king and the rook on h1 haven't moved, and the squares between them are empty. Castle!
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Answer: O-O
Why: Castled on the king's side! The king hides in the corner and the rook comes to the center.
The rook on h1 moved once and came back, so castling on that side is no longer allowed. Castle!
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Answer: O-O-O
Why: Castled on the queen's side! The king hides in the corner and the rook comes to the center.
Keep practising in the Karotto app
Each theme above is a lesson in the app's chess course, with a voice that reads every question, hints when your child is stuck, and a replay of the opponent's answer after a wrong move.