The objective
White moves first on an eight-by-eight board. Checkmate the opposing king: attack it so there is no legal escape. You never capture the king or make a move that leaves your own king attacked.
How the pieces move
Rooks move along ranks or files; bishops along diagonals; queens combine both. These pieces cannot jump. Knights jump two squares along one axis and one along the other. Kings move one square. Pawns move one square forward, or two from their starting square if clear; they capture one square diagonally forward.
Special moves
Castling moves the unmoved king two squares toward an unmoved rook, with the rook moved across it. The path must be clear, and the king cannot castle out of, through or into check. En passant lets a pawn capture an adjacent pawn immediately after that pawn advances two squares past its capture square. On reaching the far rank, promote to queen, rook, bishop or knight.
Draws and Tailorgame’s choices
Stalemate means the player to move has no legal move but is not in check. Insufficient mating material also draws. Tailorgame automatically draws at threefold repetition or fifty moves by each side without a pawn move or capture; FIDE normally makes those two thresholds claim-based. This version has no clock despite the stable speed-chess URL. Solo offers three computer levels, either color and takebacks during active play. Private online games allow resignation and draw agreement.
Controls and a first plan
Select a piece and a highlighted destination by pointer or Enter/Space; arrows move square focus and Escape clears selection. Choose your promotion piece explicitly. Develop minor pieces, protect the king and check your opponent’s immediate threats before taking material. Solo points are practice results; online outcomes stay in the room.
A little inspiration.
Now make it your own.
