1 The Six Pieces & How They Move
Each piece possesses a unique trajectory, valuation, and tactical role on the 64-square battlefield.
The King
Priceless / Infinite ValueMoves exactly one square in any direction (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal). The King can never step into check (a square attacked by an enemy piece). If threatened, the King must escape, block, or capture the attacking piece. If no escape exists, it is Checkmate.
The Queen
9 PointsThe most potent piece on the board. Moves any number of unoccupied squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, combining the full operational powers of both the Rook and Bishop.
The Rook
5 PointsMoves any number of unoccupied squares forward, backward, left, or right along straight ranks and files. Also collaborates with the King in the vital defensive maneuver known as Castling.
The Bishop
3 PointsMoves any number of unoccupied squares diagonally. Each player starts with one light-squared and one dark-squared Bishop; a Bishop never changes the color of the squares it travels on.
The Knight
3 PointsMoves in an 'L' shape: two squares in one cardinal direction and then one square perpendicular. The Knight is the only piece capable of jumping over other pieces, making it lethal in crowded closed positions.
The Pawn
1 PointMoves forward one square at a time, but captures one square diagonally forward. On its very first move from rank 2 (white) or rank 7 (black), a pawn has the option to advance two squares forward.
2 The Three Special Rules of Chess
Three unique tactical mechanics that every competitive player in ChessHub must understand.
1. Castling (O-O & O-O-O)
The only move in chess where two pieces move in a single turn. The King moves two squares toward a Rook, and that Rook leaps directly over the King to the adjacent square.
- Neither King nor target Rook has moved prior.
- All squares between King and Rook are empty.
- The King is not currently in check.
- The King does not pass through or land on attacked squares.
2. En Passant ("In Passing")
A special pawn capture. If an opposing pawn advances two squares from its starting square and lands directly adjacent horizontally to your pawn, you may capture that pawn diagonally as if it had only advanced one square.
En passant must be executed immediately on the very next turn. If you make any other move on the board, the right to capture en passant is permanently lost.
3. Pawn Promotion
When a pawn reaches the eighth rank (farthest opposing rank), it immediately ascends into a Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight of the same color, chosen by the player.
Promotion is not restricted to previously captured pieces. A player can legally possess multiple Queens on the board at the same time. ChessHub prompts an interactive piece selection modal upon reaching rank 8.
3 Victory, Draws & Termination Conditions
How games finish on ChessHub and how ELO points are awarded or divided.
Checkmate (1 - 0 or 0 - 1)
Decisive Victory
The King is placed in check, and there are zero legal moves to escape check, block the check, or capture the threatening piece. The game ends instantly without capturing the King. Full ELO gains awarded (K=32).
Stalemate (½ - ½)
Immediate DrawThe player whose turn it is has no legal moves, but their King is not in check. The game ends immediately as a draw. Even if one side is up 30 points of material, stalemate splits the score!
Threefold Repetition (½ - ½)
Repetitive Board StateIf the exact identical board position occurs 3 times with the same player to move and the identical set of legal moves available (including castling and en passant rights), a draw is declared. ChessHub automatically verifies FEN strings in Cloud Firestore.
50-Move Rule (½ - ½)
Endgame RuleIf both players complete 50 consecutive turns without a single pawn move and without a single piece capture, the match may be concluded as a technical draw to prevent indefinite games.
Mutual Draw Agreement
Player ProtocolA player proposes a draw via the in-game dialog. If the opponent accepts, the draw is committed immediately to Firestore and both players share ELO calculations evenly. If declined, play continues without pause.
Insufficient Mating Material
FIDE Article 6.9When neither side has enough pieces to force checkmate by any sequence of legal moves (e.g., King vs King, King & Bishop vs King, King & Knight vs King). If a player times out but the opponent has insufficient material, it is scored as a draw.
4 Competitive Time Controls in ChessHub
Online multiplayer and local Pass & Play dual clocks support three official competitive formats.
Bullet (1 Min)
Fast-paced, lightning chess. 60 seconds total on your clock for the entire match. Requires instant pattern recognition, rapid mouse/touch reflexes, and sharp premoves.
Blitz (3 Min & 5 Min)
The ideal equilibrium between deep tactical precision and intense time pressure. Play with 3 or 5 minutes per side. The favorite format of club champions and streaming grandmasters.
Rapid (10 Min)
Classical strategic depth. 10 minutes per player gives you ample room to calculate multiple lines, formulate deep positional sacrifices, and execute flawless pawn endgames.
Experience the In-App Dual Clock
Playing on a physical board with a friend? Use ChessHub's Over-The-Board Pass & Play dual clock on a single mobile screen, complete with authentic acoustic clicks and per-device audio mute toggles.