As a chess expert, I'm delighted to delve into the intricacies of the game and address the question at hand. Chess is a game of strategy and tactics, where each piece has its unique movement and capturing abilities. The king, being the most vital piece, has specific rules regarding its movement when under threat, which is known as being in "check."

In chess, when a king is in check, it must be moved out of the immediate danger on its next move. The king cannot simply attack the piece that has put it in check. Instead, there are three legal ways to get out of check:


1. Move the King: The simplest way to remove the king from check is to move it to an adjacent square where it is no longer in check. This move must be to a square that is not under attack by any other piece.


2. Block the Check: Another option is to place a piece between the king and the attacking piece, effectively blocking the line of attack. This piece is then said to be "blocking" the check. It's important to note that the piece used for blocking must not be pinned to the king, as a pinned piece cannot be moved without exposing the king to capture.


3. Capture the Attacking Piece: If possible, the king can capture the piece that is putting it in check. However, this is only legal if the piece is not protected by another piece. Capturing the attacking piece removes the immediate threat and gets the king out of check.

It is important to remember that the king is not allowed to castle when it is in check. Castling is a special move that involves the king and either the rook on its original side of the board. Since the king must move out of check immediately, and castling involves moving the king two squares, it is not a legal move when the king is under attack.

Additionally, the concept of a "pinned" piece is crucial in chess. A piece is considered pinned when it is directly attacked by an opponent's piece, and moving the piece would expose the king to capture. In such a situation, the pinned piece cannot be moved, but other legal moves must be made to remove the king from check.

In summary, the king cannot directly attack the piece that has put it in check. Instead, it must be moved to safety, the check must be blocked, or the attacking piece must be captured if it is not protected. The rules surrounding check and checkmate are central to the defensive strategies in chess and understanding them is key to playing a strong game.

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Moving the king to an adjacent square where it is not in check. The king is not allowed to castle when it is in check. The king may capture an enemy piece in a move to get out of check, as long as the piece is not protected. ... (The blocking piece is then pinned to the king by the attacking piece.)read more >>