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Chess Pieces Symbols & Their Meanings

6 chess pieces symbols explained — meaning, origin, spiritual significance, and how each one is used today.

Bishop (Chess)

Bishop (Chess) — the diagonal runner with the slit miter — bound forever to its starting color.

King (Chess)

The King (Chess): the crowned piece the whole game defends — it moves one square in any direction, and its captu…

Knight (Chess)

The Knight (Chess): the horse — the only piece that jumps, moving in an L that no pawn structure can block.

Pawn (Chess)

Pawn (Chess) — the foot soldier — moves forward, captures diagonally, and can be promoted to any piece on reachi…

Queen (Chess)

Queen (Chess) — the most powerful piece — any distance in any direction; she only gained this power around 1475,…

Rook (Chess)

Rook (Chess) — the castle tower — straight lines across the board, and the partner in castling, the only double move.