The King is THE most important piece on the chess board. Lose it and the game is over, no matter how many pieces you are up.
In my previous blog I mentioned there are many ways to go about protecting your King while trying to capture the enemy’s King. Some players go on the offensive with a brutal attack that leaves their King wide open and takes the risk that if he/she fails in that attack that they will have a hard time recovering. Some players go on the defensive, turtle up, and wait for their opponent to come to them. Fair warning, this could take a while. You could take up writing while you wait, but it has mixed rewards, especially if your opponent is Kathy Bates.
The King moves one space in any direction except for when that move would allow him to be captured next move. This is called, “puting yourself in check.” That’s a no-no. The King can capture a piece while moving that way, but only if the golden rule that he cannot be taken next move still applies.
My personal advice is to never take risks unless you know you can pull it off. Unless you know who you’re playing against and what they are capable of, solid offensive and defensive gameplay will serve you well. Keep your King protected, unless he happens to smell like burgers.
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