Chess ABC

Special moves

Castling

It is a special move involving the King and a Rook at the same time.

Each King, has the right to castle just once in a game. Castling consists of moving the King two squares towards the Rook and placing the Rook on the square next to it after jumping the King.

Examples

Black can castle on the Queenside 1. … 0-0-0
Black has castled on the Queenside
White can castle on the Kingside 1.0-0
White has castled on the Kingside

Requisites to Castle

In order to make this special move some requisites must be met:

  • The King mustn’t be in check
  • No Pieces can be situated on the squares between the Rook to castle and the King
  • The King can’t occupy or pass through a square threatened by the rival pieces

Moves that prevent a future Castling

  • The King must not have been moved
  • The corresponding Rook must not have been moved.

In these cases “CASTLING IS NOT POSSIBLE”

The King is in Check

The King is in Check for Re4 action.

Black can’t castle on the Queenside.

White is in Check for Cd3 action.

White can’t castle on the Kingside.

Annoying Pieces

No obstacle can be placed between the King and the Rook

The path between the King and each Rook is not free.

There are own pieces on both paths, so neither castling on the Queenside nor castling on the Kingside are possible.

The path between the King and the Rook is not free.

A rival annoying piece prevents us from castling on the Kingside

Threatened squares

If any of the squares in the path of the King is threatened by an enemy piece, castling is not possible.

In this case the King would be left in check.

1… 0-0-0 is not possible

The f1-square in the King’s path is threatened by the .

1. 0-0 is not possible

The King or the Rook have already moved.
The King has already moved
1…. 0-0-0 is not possible
The King has been moved
1. 0-0 is not possible
The Rook has been moved
1. … 0-0-0 is not possible
The Rook has been moved
1. … 0-0 is not possible