Editing Chess strategy (section)

===Specific pieces===

==== Pawns ====
{{Main|Pawn (chess)|l1=Pawn|Pawn structure}}
{| class="toccolours" style="float: right; margin: 0 0 1em 1em; border:none; font-size: 95%; clear: right; padding:0"
|+ An example of visualizing pawn structures
|-
|{{Chess diagram small
|
|
|rd|__|bd|__|rd|__|kd|__
|pd|pd|__|nd|__|pd|bd|pd
|__|__|pd|rl|__|nd|pd|__
|__|__|__|__|pd|__|__|__
|__|__|pl|__|pl|__|__|__
|__|__|nl|__|bl|nl|__|pl
|pl|pl|__|__|__|pl|pl|__
|__|__|kl|__|__|bl|__|rl
| After 12...Re8 in Tarrasch–Euwe, 1922<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1006866 |title = Tarrasch vs Euwe on chessgames.com}} (Java needed)</ref> ...
}}
| {{Chess diagram small
|
|
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__
|pd|pd|__|__|__|pd|__|pd
|__|__|pd|__|__|__|pd|__
|__|__|__|__|pd|__|__|__
|__|__|pl|__|pl|__|__|__
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|pl
|pl|pl|__|__|__|pl|pl|__
|__|__|__|__|__|__|__|__
| ... and its pawn skeleton ("The Rauzer formation")
}}
|}
In the endgame, [[passed pawn]]s, unhindered by enemy pawns from [[Promotion (chess)|promotion]], are strong, especially if advanced or protected by another pawn. A passed pawn on the sixth {{chessgloss|rank}} is roughly as strong as a knight or bishop and often decides the game. (Also see [[isolated pawn]], [[doubled pawns]], [[backward pawn]], [[connected pawns]].)

==== Knights ====
{{Main|Knight (chess)|l1=Knight}}
Since knights can easily be chased away by pawn moves, it is often advantageous for knights to be placed in ''{{chessgloss|holes}}'' in the enemy position as [[Outpost (chess)|outposts]]—squares where they cannot be attacked by pawns. Such a knight on the fifth rank is a strong asset. The ideal position for a knight is the opponent's third rank, when it is supported by one or two pawns.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thechessdrum.net/chessacademy/CA_TheKnight.html|title=The Knight|website=www.thechessdrum.net|access-date=3 April 2018}}</ref> A knight at the edge or corner of the board controls fewer squares than one on the board's interior, thus the saying "A knight on the rim is dim!"

A king and one knight are not sufficient material to [[checkmate]] an opposing [[lone king]] (see [[Two knights endgame]]). A king and two knights can checkmate a lone king but cannot force it.

==== Bishops ====
{{Main|Bishop (chess)|l1=Bishop}}
In general, bishops and knights are of roughly equal value. When bishops are blocked in by pawns, as seen in closed positions, knights are typically superior for their ability to hop over pawn chains. In open positions where bishops have good {{chessgloss|scope}}, knights are often inferior—{{chessgloss|outpost}} knights are a common exception.

Bishops have superior mobility to knights, but that mobility is restricted to (and thus focused on) colors of a single square. As a result, lacking a bishop weakens one's ability to exert control over and parry threats from the deprived color complex, though there may be compensation in the form of tactical or positional assets, or from possible countermeasures, such as placing one's pawns on the color of the lost bishop. Bishops complement each other well, and a retained {{chessgloss|bishop pair}} is often a strength, especially in open positions.

''[[Fianchetto]]ed'' bishops can keep a king under them well defended, though if the bishop is traded off, the fianchetto pawn structure is especially vulnerable to infiltration on the squares no longer controlled by the bishop.

Despite their openness, in endgames, bishops are usually considered equal to knights. Endgames in which the two sides have [[Opposite-colored bishops endgame|bishops on opposite colors]] are frequently drawish, even when one side has one or two more pawns than the other.

A king and a bishop are not sufficient material to checkmate an opposing lone king, but two bishops and a king can checkmate an opposing lone king easily. A [[Bishop and knight mate|king, bishop, and knight]] can also force mate; this is considered the most difficult forcible checkmate against a lone king.

==== Rooks ====
{{Main|Rook (chess)|l1=Rook}}
Rooks have more scope of movement on [[half-open file]]s (ones with no pawns of one's own color). Rooks on the seventh rank can be very powerful as they attack pawns that can only be defended by other pieces, and they can restrict the enemy king to its back rank. A pair of rooks on the player's seventh rank are often a sign of a winning position.

In [[Chess middlegame|middlegames]] and [[Chess endgame|endgames]] with a passed pawn, [[Tarrasch rule|Tarrasch's rule]] states that rooks, both friend and foe of the pawn, are usually strongest {{em|behind}} the pawn rather than in front of it.

A king and a rook are sufficient material to checkmate an opposing lone king, although it's a little harder than checkmating with king and queen; thus the rook's distinction as a major piece above the knight and bishop.

==== Queen ====
{{Main|Queen (chess)|l1=Queen}}

Queens are the most powerful pieces. They have great mobility and can make many threats at once. They can act as a rook and as a bishop at the same time. For these reasons, [[checkmate]] attacks involving a queen are easier to achieve than those without one. Although powerful, the queen is also easily harassed. Thus, it is generally wise to wait to {{chessgloss|develop}} the queen until after the knights and bishops have been developed to prevent the queen from being attacked by minor pieces and losing [[tempo (chess)|tempo]]. When a [[Pawn promotion|pawn is promoted]], most of the time it is promoted to a queen.

==== King ====
{{Main|King (chess)|l1=King}}
During the middlegame, the king is often best protected in a corner behind its pawns. Such a position for either of the players is often achieved by [[castling]] by that player. If the rooks and queen leave the first rank (commonly called that player's ''back rank''), however, an enemy rook or queen can checkmate the king by invading the first rank, commonly called a [[back-rank checkmate]]. Moving one of the pawns in front of the king (making a [[luft]]) can allow it an escape square, but may weaken the king's overall safety otherwise. One must therefore wisely balance between these trade-offs.

Castling is often thought to help protect the king and often "connects" the player's two rooks together so the two rooks may protect each other. This can reduce a threat of a back-rank [[Skewer (chess)|skewer]] in which the king can be skewered with capture of a rook behind it.

The king can become a strong piece in the endgame. With reduced material, a quick checkmate becomes less of a concern, and moving the king towards the center of the board gives it more opportunities to make threats and actively influence play.