When You Cannot Castle

Part of the Fundamentals section of Coddy's Chess journey. Lesson 33 of 46.

Castling has four gates: the path must be empty, king and rook must never have moved (that one closes forever), you may not castle out of check, and the king may not cross an attacked square.

Try it yourselfBeginner

Position 1 of 8

WatchGate one: an empty path.

All 8 positions

All lessons in Fundamentals

1The Board

Meet the Board Files and Ranks Naming Squares Setting Up Recap: The Board

4The King and the Pawn

The King The Pawn Pawn Captures The First Double Step Recap: King and Pawn

7Special Moves

CastlingWhen You Cannot CastlePromotion En Passant Recap: Special Moves

2The Sliding Pieces

The Rook The Bishop The Queen Blocked Paths Recap: Sliding Pieces

5Captures and Check

How Captures Work What Pieces Are Worth Check Three Ways Out Moves You Cannot Play Recap: Check

8Writing Moves Down

Reading Moves Takes, Check and Mate Which Knight?Reading a Game Recap: Written Moves

3The Knight

The Knight's Jump Jumping Over Pieces Knights on the Rim Recap: The Knight

6Checkmate and Draws

Checkmate The Back Rank Mate With Two Rooks Stalemate Other Draws Recap: Checkmate

9Your First Game

Control the Centre Get Your Pieces Out Castle Early The Scholar's Mate Project: The Opening