As a chess expert with a deep understanding of the game's rules and strategies, I am well-equipped to provide a comprehensive answer to your question about castling while in check.

In chess, castling is a special move that allows a player to move their king and rook simultaneously, providing a way to quickly secure the king and connect the rooks. However, there are specific conditions that must be met for castling to be allowed. Let's delve into these conditions and address the scenario where a player might be in check.

Firstly, the basic conditions for castling are as follows:
1. Neither the king nor the rook involved in castling has moved previously in the game.
2. All the squares the king passes through during castling must be unoccupied.
3. The king must not be currently in check, nor can it move through a square that is under attack (in check).

Now, to your specific question: Can you castle if you are in check? The answer is no, you cannot. According to the official rules of chess, as stated by FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), the World Chess Federation, a player cannot castle out of check. The king must first be removed from check before any other moves can be made, including castling.

The statement you provided, "when all conditions that allow castling are met... then castling is allowed, and it is of no importance whether the rook is attacked or goes via an attacked square," is partially correct but incomplete in this context. While it is true that the rook's safety is not a concern for the legality of castling, the king's safety is paramount. The king must not be in check at the start or at any point during the castling move.

It is important to note that castling is not an option to escape from check. If a player's king is under attack, they must first address the check by moving the king to a safe square, blocking the check with another piece, or capturing the attacking piece. Only after the king is no longer in check can the player consider other moves, including castling, provided all other conditions for castling are still met.

In summary, castling is a strategic move with specific conditions that must be adhered to. It is not a means to escape from check but rather a way to improve the position of the king and rooks when it is safe and legal to do so. Players must always ensure that they are not in check before attempting to castle and that all other conditions for castling are satisfied.

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I.e., when all conditions that allow castling are met (rook and king have not moved, squares between rook and king are empty, king does not castle from, through, or to check), then castling is allowed, and it is of no importance whether the rook is attacked or goes via an attacked square.Apr 8, 2002read more >>