How to Identify Chess Pieces

People from China, India and Persia played versions of the game we now call chess. Moors brought the game with them to Spain in the eighth century. As the game spread, Europeans gave the pieces names that suggest the shapes of the chess pieces we know today. Most chess tournaments adhere to the Staunton design, a standard design developed by English chess master Howard Staunton over a hundred years ago.

Instructions

1. Look for the tallest piece on the board. This is usually the King. He can be recognized by his height and by the combination of a cross and crown on his head.

2. Watch for the second-tallest piece on the board. This is usually the Queen. She can usually be recognized by her height which is exceeded only by the King, and by the many-pointed crown called a coronet on her head.

3. Find the shortest pieces on the board. These are the Pawns, representing the lowly foot soldier, expendable, but occasionally useful. Besides their height, the best way to recognize pawns is to note that there are eight of them per side.

4. Search for a piece shaped like a horse's head, or in some sets by an armor-clad warrior sitting on a horse. The Knight represents the noble warrior, the professional mounted soldier.

5. Identify the Bishop, a piece in the shape of a pointed hat, or in some sets of a person wearing a pointed hat. The Bishop represents the influence of the Church in medieval society.

6. Recognize the Rook by looking for a piece whose top reminds you of a castle's parapet. The Rook is the only piece in chess that doesn't represent a person. Instead, the Rook represents the safety and power of the castle.

Tips & Warnings

• You may occasionally see non-standard chess sets. Such sets have pieces built around themes, such as the "Lord of the Rings" chess set or the "Star Trek" chess set.

• If you play with a themed set most of the principles given above apply. The King should be the tallest piece on the board and the Pawns, the shortest.