Chess Pieces That Can Move Diagonally

Gulshan Kumar
Gulshan Kumar
|

6 min read

|

Last updated: Mar 23, 2026

Chess pieces that can move diagonally showing bishop movement across the chessboard

Many beginners in chess become baffled by diagonal moves. There are those that always move diagonally, only special cases, and those that may move diagonally with certain constraints. When you learn these very rules at an early age, your game will come out much better.

As you start playing chess online or offline, you will understand the rules and fundamentals of chess more.

FAQs

  • The only moving piece is the bishop that moves in a diagonal way only. It can move any squares in that direction, but not at right angles, or at right angles, forward or backward.
  • The queen does both. She slides diagonally like a bishop and straight in any direction like a rook.
  • Yes, the king is able to make a square diagonal movement. That square should be unassailed and not exposed to the fire of an opponent.
  • No, pawns cannot. They move straight forward but capture only one square diagonally forward.
  • Diagonal paths connect squares of the same color. A bishop starting on a light square stays on light squares forever.

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