Chess rules

What is check, and how do I get out of it?

Check means your king is under attack. You must deal with it at once, in one of three ways: move the king, put a piece in between, or capture the attacker. You may never make a move that leaves your own king in check.

The rule

  1. 1Your king is in check when an enemy piece attacks its square.
  2. 2You must answer straight away: move the king to a safe square, block the attack, or capture the checking piece.
  3. 3No move may put or leave your own king in check, even a move that wins material.
  4. 4If there is no way out of check, it is checkmate and the game is over.

See it on the board

The rook on e5 gives check. White has all three answers: move away with Kd1, block with Be4, or capture with Nxe5.
The rook on e5 gives check. White has all three answers: move away with Kd1, block with Be4, or capture with Nxe5.
No check yet, but the rook covers the whole d-file. Kd1 and Kd2 would walk into check, so they are not allowed; Kf1 is fine.
No check yet, but the rook covers the whole d-file. Kd1 and Kd2 would walk into check, so they are not allowed; Kf1 is fine.
The knight on e2 is pinned. If it moved, the rook on e8 would be checking the king, so Nc3 is illegal.
The knight on e2 is pinned. If it moved, the rook on e8 would be checking the king, so Nc3 is illegal.
The queen gives check and the king cannot take her, because the rook on e8 guards her. No way out: checkmate.
The queen gives check and the king cannot take her, because the rook on e8 guards her. No way out: checkmate.

Questions

Do you have to say "check"?

No. The rules do not require it, and in serious games players stay silent. Saying it is a casual courtesy, nothing more. Online, the site shows the check for you.

Can a king give check to the other king?

No. The two kings can never stand next to each other, because the king that moved there would be putting itself in check. There is always at least one square between them.

What happens if you ignore a check?

Online, the site simply will not let you. Over the board it is an illegal move: it is taken back and you must answer the check. In FIDE events the opponent also gets extra time, and a second illegal move loses the game.

What is a double check?

Two pieces giving check at once, usually when one piece moves and uncovers a second. You cannot block two lines or capture two pieces with one move, so the only answer to a double check is to move the king.

Next step

Lesson · 6 minCheckmate in oneFrom check to checkmate: find the move that ends the game.
Try it on a boardAll free lessons

Source: FIDE Laws of Chess (effective 1 January 2023), Articles 1.2, 3.9 and 7.5. Every diagram on this page is checked against the rules by code: how we check.