What is check in chess?

Check is a direct attack on a king by an opposing piece. A player whose king is in check must resolve the threat on their very next move by moving the king to a safe square, blocking the attacking piece, or capturing the attacker. Inability to legally escape check results in checkmate and ends the game.

The white queen sits on the same column as the black king with open space between them. This puts the black king in check.

How is check different from checkmate?

Check is a threat. Checkmate is a conclusion. When your king is checked, you may still have at least one legal way to escape. When your king is checkmated, no escape exists and the game ends immediately. Every checkmate involves a check, but not all checks lead to checkmate.

The white rook delivers check to the black king. The black king still has room to escape. Engine-verified position, Elo 705.

How do you give check?

You give check by moving any piece so that it attacks the enemy king. A bishop, rook, or queen can deliver check by sliding along their usual lines. A knight can deliver check by jumping to a square that attacks the king. Even a pawn can give check. The one piece that cannot give check is the king itself: moving adjacent to the enemy king would place it in check, which is illegal.

Giving check just because you can is a common beginner mistake. A check that accomplishes nothing wastes a turn and can actually hurt your position. Always ask: "Does this check improve my position, gain material, or lead towards checkmate?" A pointless check often moves your piece to a worse square while letting your opponent develop by blocking.

The white bishop delivers check on the diagonal. A useful check: it's also a fork, and will capture the pawn on the next move.

How do you defend against check?

When your king is in check, you have three potential options:

1. You can move your king to any adjacent square that is not also attacked by an enemy piece.
2. You can block the check by placing one of your own pieces between the attacking piece and your king. However, blocking does not work against a knight check because the knight jumps over pieces and can never be blocked.
3. You can capture the checking piece if one of your pieces is attacking it.

Always scan for all three options before choosing one. Sometimes a block or a capture is better than retreating your king.

The white queen delivers check along a long diagonal. The black bishop steps in to block the check.

See it in action

Example 1: Queen delivers check

Check the black king.

Solution: The white queen slides up the board, giving check along the diagonal to the black king.

Example 2: Knight delivers check

Give check to the black king.

Solution: The white knight jumps in an L-shape, landing on a square that attacks the black king.

Example 3: Pawn delivers check

Give check to the black king.

Solution: The white pawn advances one square, attacking the black king diagonally.

Frequently asked questions

Can you give check with a pawn?

Yes. A pawn attacks diagonally, one square forward and to either side. If the enemy king stands on one of those diagonal squares, the pawn delivers check.

Is it illegal to move into check?

Yes. You can never make a move that places or leaves your own king in check.

Can you give check and checkmate at the same time?

Yes, every checkmate is also a check that has no escape. However, not every check is a checkmate.

Can you castle out of check?

No. You cannot castle while your king is in check. You also cannot castle through check (moving your king across a square attacked by an enemy piece) or into check. However, once you escape the check by other means, you may still castle later if neither your king nor the relevant rook has moved.