CHESSDORRAPuzzles

Check and king safety

How to identify check and test the legality of a reply.

King safety after a move

Check your own king after the move you are considering. A pawn can leave a file and expose its king to a rook check even if the king was safe before the move.

Pinned pieces

A pinned piece still attacks squares according to its movement rules. Count those attacks when testing a king move or castling.

Reading the line of check

Locate the checking piece first. If the check travels along a line, test whether it can be blocked. Then check captures and king moves.

Sources