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Worksheet: Rooks, Bishops, and Queens

Topic: basics | Level: 1 | Start Here branch

Sliding pieces move in straight lines or diagonals, but they stop when a piece blocks the road.

Why This Matters

  • Rooks slide in straight lines. Bishops slide in diagonals.
  • Queens combine both patterns, so they are the strongest sliding piece.
  • A sliding piece must stop before a blocker or capture the first enemy piece in its path.

Objectives

  • Move rooks on ranks and files.
  • Move bishops on diagonals.
  • Explain that queens combine both patterns, but none of these pieces may jump over blockers.

Practice Tasks

  1. Write one sentence for how a rook moves and one sentence for how a bishop moves.
  2. Why can't a rook on a1 move to a4 when a pawn is still sitting on a2?
  3. Explain why the queen is sometimes called a rook plus a bishop together.

Board Walkthrough

Follow the lesson one board at a time. The teacher answer key includes the move list.

Board 1
Board 2
Board 3
Board 4
Board 5
Board 6

Practice Positions

Solve each position on paper first. Answers live only in the separate teacher/parent key.

Practice 1

The pawn on d2 blocks the long diagonal. Slide the bishop the clear way to b2.

Practice 2

The rook cannot jump over the pawn on a2. Move it sideways to d1 instead.

Practice 3

Move the queen straight up the board to d7.

Practice 4

Now use the queen like a bishop and slide it diagonally to h5.

Mini-Game

Play with the rook, bishop, and queen. Before each move, say whether the path is straight or diagonal, and whether any blocker is in the way.

Answer Key

Rooks, Bishops, and Queens

Teacher/parent key for Worksheet: Rooks, Bishops, and Queens.

Worksheet Answers

  1. Prompt: Write one sentence for how a rook moves and one sentence for how a bishop moves.

    A rook slides in straight lines on ranks and files. A bishop slides on diagonals.

  2. Prompt: Why can't a rook on a1 move to a4 when a pawn is still sitting on a2?

    Because sliding pieces may not jump over any piece, even their own pieces.

  3. Prompt: Explain why the queen is sometimes called a rook plus a bishop together.

    The queen can do both jobs: straight rook moves and diagonal bishop moves.

Model Line

  1. Qd7+
  2. Kf8
  3. Bg5
  4. Kg8
  5. Ra5

Practice Position Solutions

Rooks, Bishops, and Queens — Practice 1

The pawn on d2 blocks the long diagonal. Slide the bishop the clear way to b2.

Solution: Bb2

The bishop can slide on diagonals, but it cannot pass through the pawn on d2.

Rooks, Bishops, and Queens — Practice 2

The rook cannot jump over the pawn on a2. Move it sideways to d1 instead.

Solution: Rd1

Rooks go straight across ranks and files, but the pawn on a2 blocks any move straight up the a-file.

Rooks, Bishops, and Queens — Practice 3

Move the queen straight up the board to d7.

Solution: Qd7+

Queens move like rooks and bishops, so a straight file move from d1 to d7 is legal.

Rooks, Bishops, and Queens — Practice 4

Now use the queen like a bishop and slide it diagonally to h5.

Solution: Qh5+

The queen's diagonal move from d1 to h5 also gives check because it points at the king on e8.