Q&A for How to Castle in Chess

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Which side is best to castle in chess?

Vitaly Neimer
International Chess Master
Vitaly Neimer is an International Chess Master and Certified Professional Chess Coach with over 15 years of training experience. He has been a part of the United States' Webster SPICE national chess champion team and is also a two-time Israeli national chess champion.

Vitaly Neimer

International Chess Master

Expert Answer

Castle on the opposite of your opponent for a game with more attacks, or castle on the same side as your opponent for a more peaceful game.

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Question

How long can you take to move?

Donagan

Top Answerer

In regular chess, there is no time limit. "Speed chess" is a variant game in which each player has a total allotted time for all of his/her moves and thus would want to move as quickly as possible.

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Can I castle a queen?

Community Answer

No, castling always involves the king and a rook.

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Question

Can the rook move after I castle?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Yes, both the king and the rook can move anytime after castling.

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Question

How numbers and letters work?

Donagan

Top Answerer

The letters identify the files. The numbers identify the ranks. Each square is identified by a specific letter/number combination. This system makes it easier for players to communicate with each other regarding past, present or future moves.

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Question

Does castling count as the king's two-place move for the game?

Donagan

Top Answerer

You may be thinking of a pawn's two-square opening move. A king never moves two squares except in castling.

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Can I castle through check?

Donagan

Top Answerer

No, when castling the king cannot move from, through or to a square in which he is in check.

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Can I castle when the rook is across from the king?

Community Answer

Yes, if there are no other pieces in between the king and the rook. Both the king and the rook have to be in their original starting position for this to happen.

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Question

Can a king capture a queen?

Donagan

Top Answerer

Ordinarily, a king cannot get close enough to the opposing queen to capture her. However, if a queen is "pinned" to a square (because she is protecting her king), the opponent's king could move into an adjacent square and then capture her if she's unprotected.

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Question

Is castling all done in one move?

Lavacraft

Community Answer

Yes, it is. Move your king to g1 or c1, and your rook to f1 or d1. In chess programs, move your king and the program will automatically move your rook.

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Question

Should I castle in the beginning of a game right as soon as I can?

Aasim

Top Answerer

Yes. However, you should not castle to a square where you could be attacked or castle when a major piece is under attack.

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Question

As white, my first move is always pawn e4. I prefer long castles, what opening should I learn to get to do long castles?

FlowerPower 💖

Community Answer

Long castling as white is less common than short castling. In the Sicilian or the Center Game, there are possibilities for white to do long castles.

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Question

If I castle on the king's side, can I move the h2 pawn to h3 for safety?

FlowerPower 💖

Community Answer

Many chess players do that to avoid back-rank checkmate. However, as you get more advanced, playing h3 just for the purpose of avoiding back-rank checkmate is a waste of a move. Be attentive for back-rank checkmate instead, and don't waste a move just trying to prevent it from happening.

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Question

Can you move a pawn 2 squares when it is its second move?

Tujoues

Community Answer

No, pawns are only allowed to move two squares on their first move. They can only be moved on square at a time after that.

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Question

Is there anything called double castling?

Community Answer

It's the same meaning for castling. Double castling = castling. But most of the players call double castling for queen side castling.

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Question

What happens when I move another piece when my king pawn is in a check?

Community Answer

If your king is in check, and you moved another piece, then it is completely an illegal move. There are 2 chances of illegals.

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Question

Can I castle a rook?

Community Answer

No. You can castle only the king in the chess board. You can chose one of the sides, king side and queen side.

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Question

Do I have to move the first piece I touch?

Community Answer

Yes. Otherwise you will play an illegal move. If you touch the king first, it's okay and you can castle. If you touch the rook, you can't castle. You have to move the rook somewhere. And also remember, after moving one of the pieces, king or rook, you can't castle again even when it is back in the same square.

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Question

How do I explain to someone that this is not cheating and that it is a legal chess move?

Community Answer

Castling involves the king and a rook. As mentioned, there are many rules to castling: The first is that you may only castle if you haven't moved your king and your rook (on the side where you want to castle). The second rule is that no piece can be between your king and the rook on the side where you want to castle.

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Question

How to castle queen side?

Community Answer

Castling queenside is just what it sounds like. You have to castle but towards the queenside. All spaces between the king and the queenside rook should be empty, meaning you should have developed your queen, knight and bishop.

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Question

How cana king can capture a queen? I feel the answer lacks details.

Community Answer

All of these cases are dependent on the fact that immediately after you make your move, the king is not in check. Therefore, you may capture the queen so long as the king is no longer in check after you make your move. I have seen this called ABC rule (Away, Block, Capture) in few books.

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As white, my first move is always pawn e5. I prefer long castles. What opening should I learn to get two long castles?

Community Answer

There are a lot of openings that you can try. Try Queen's gambit as white. It takes long castles. King's gambit gives short castles.

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Question

After the king moves, can I do castle?

Ronaldo the god

Community Answer

No, if the king moves before castling, then you can’t castle. So, castle first, then move your king.

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Question

Is it mandatory to say check when attacking the king?

Luna

Community Answer

No. In official games you are not required to say "check" though some players will in tournaments. Some players say that it breaks the silent atmosphere of the tournament hall and may consider it bad manners. In friendly games, many players will say "check" though some do not. All in all, it's not required but many players say "check".

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Question

Can I perform this move in the Real Chess Android game?

Joshua Walsworth

Community Answer

I assume so. The way it usually works is that you click your king and click the second space away from him. It will automatically castle.

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