You cannot move your king into check. According to the standard rules of chess, a player cannot make any move that either places their king in check or leaves their king in check.
Understanding Check in Chess
Before delving further, it's important to understand what "check" means in chess. A king is in check when it is under immediate attack by an opponent's piece. This means if the opponent's piece were to make another move, it could capture your king.
Illegal King Moves
- Moving into check: If you move your king to a square where it can be captured by an opponent's piece, that's an illegal move. The move is not permitted.
- Leaving the king in check: Similarly, you cannot make a move with any of your other pieces that would leave your king in a state where it is under attack from an opponent's piece.
Consequences of an Illegal Move
If you attempted to move your king into check, the move is illegal. You would need to retract the illegal move and make a legal one.
Here's a breakdown:
- The Move is Not Allowed: The rules of chess prevent this move from happening. The move is immediately declared invalid.
- Must Make a Legal Move: You must choose an alternative move that does not put your king into check, either by moving your king out of the line of attack, blocking the attack, or capturing the attacking piece.
- Loss of the Game: If your king is in check, and you have no legal moves that would get your king out of check, then your king is checkmated and the game is lost.
Checkmate Scenarios
The reference emphasizes that if a king is in check, and there are no legal moves to escape check, then the king is checkmated and the player loses. This highlights the seriousness of being in check and the importance of defending your king.
Summary
In chess, it's against the rules to make a move that would place your king in check. If attempted, the move is invalid, and the player must choose a legal move. Protecting the king is paramount in chess, and if a king is under attack (check) with no escape, the player loses through checkmate.
