Can You Castle Through Check?

No. The king may not castle across a square attacked by an enemy piece.

No. The king must not be in check on its starting square when castling begins.

No. The king's destination square must be safe after castling.

For White, e1, f1 and g1 must not be attacked. For Black, e8, f8 and g8 must not be attacked.

For White, e1, d1 and c1 must not be attacked. For Black, e8, d8 and c8 must not be attacked.

It means the king would cross an attacked transit square, such as f1 during White's kingside castling or d1 during White's queenside castling.

Yes. The castling move must be rejected even when the destination itself appears safe.

No. Castling cannot be used as an escape from a check on the king's starting square.

Yes, provided every other castling condition is satisfied. The rook's starting square does not need to be safe.

Yes. Only the king's starting, transit and destination squares are tested for enemy attacks.

Yes, if e1, d1 and c1 are safe and all other conditions are met. The king never crosses b1.

Yes, if e8, d8 and c8 are safe. The b8 square matters for clearance but not for the king's attack test.

Yes. All squares between the king and rook must be empty, so b1, c1 and d1 must be clear for White.

Yes. Black needs b8, c8 and d8 clear between the king and the a8-rook.

White cannot castle kingside because the king must cross f1. An attack on f1 does not by itself prevent queenside castling.

White cannot castle kingside because g1 is the king's destination square.

White cannot castle queenside because the king must cross d1. Kingside castling may still be legal.

White cannot castle queenside because c1 is the king's destination square.

Yes. A pinned piece still attacks squares for king-safety and castling purposes.

Yes. If its diagonal attacks the king's starting, transit or destination square, castling on that side is illegal.

Yes. A pinned knight's normal L-shaped attacks still count against the king's castling route.

Yes. A pinned pawn still attacks its forward diagonal squares when castling legality is checked.

Yes. Their attacked ranks and files count even when moving off a pin line would expose their own king.

Chess distinguishes attacked squares from legal moves. King movement and castling use the attacked-square test.

No. Once the king has moved, castling rights are permanently lost even if it returns to its original square.

Not with that rook. Once the rook moves from its original square, the corresponding castling right is permanently lost.

No. Castling requires the original unmoved rook associated with that castling right.

No. Every square between the king and the chosen rook must be empty.

No. A replacement or promoted rook does not restore the lost castling right.

No. Standard castling requires the king on e1 for White or e8 for Black with the relevant right still available.

No. The first castle moves the king, permanently ending both castling rights for that side.

Possibly, but the king must also be unmoved and the chosen route must be empty and safe.

No. Castling is legal even if the rook can be captured afterward, provided the king is safe and all formal conditions are met.

Yes. The rook's new square may open a rank or file attack that checks the enemy king.

Yes. A legal castling move can deliver checkmate when the rook's repositioning creates an inescapable check.

Kingside castling is written O-O and queenside castling is written O-O-O, using capital letter O characters.

The king may be in check, a route square may be attacked, the path may be blocked, or castling rights may already have been lost.

Check rights and clearance first, then scan the king's start, transit and destination squares for every enemy attack.

The rule is the same, but queenside has one extra clearance square. The b-file square must be empty although it need not be safe from attack.

The king cannot start in, pass through or finish in check. The rook may start on, cross or finish on an attacked square.