Answers.Body: <p>So long as capturing the checking piece would not <em>also</em> cause the King to be in check, yes!</p>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>In the position below, the White Queen is giving check. After <code>...Kxf7</code>, the Black King is <em>no longer</em> in check, so it is indeed a legal move.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp1Qpp/5n2/4p3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNB1KBNR b KQkq - 0 0"]
  
  1...Kxf7
  </code></pre>
  
  <hr>
  
  <p>However, it is illegal to make any move that places your own King in check. If you did, the opponent would be able to capture your King immediately. Since you can never actually <em>capture</em> a King in a game of Chess, making a move that would allow it is illegal.</p>
  
  <p>So, if White's Queen is "protected" by another piece (such as a Bishop, below), the Black's King <em>cannot</em> capture it, as doing so would leave his King still in check. In fact, in the position below (the "scholar's mate"), Black is <strong>checkmated</strong> because he has no moves that would not result in his still being in check.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1Qpp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNB1K1NR b KQkq - 0 0"]
  
  1...Kxf7 2.Bxf7
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Remember that in the position above, <code>1...Kxf7 2.Bxf7</code> are given as <em>examples</em>: neither move is actually legal, as Black is <em>already checkmated in the starting position!</em></p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2014-07-29T14:10:05.527Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2014-07-31T13:45:27.560Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2014-07-31T13:45:27.560Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Henry Keiter
Body: <p>If the king is in check, and the piece that is holding it in check is directly adjacent from the king, can the king take it?</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2014-07-29T14:41:32.137Z
Comments.Text: If the piece is not protected, then the king can take it.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Dag Oskar Madsen
Tags: <strategy>
Title: If the king is in check, and the piece that is holding it in check is directly adjacent from the king can the king take it?
ThreadText: # If the king is in check, and the piece that is holding it in check is directly adjacent from the king can the king take it?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2014-07-29)
  
  If the king is in check, and the piece that is holding it in check is directly adjacent from the king, can the king take it?
  
  **Tags:** strategy
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: If the piece is not protected, then the king can take it.  
  
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  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2014-07-29. Score: 6 | Accepted answer
  
  So long as capturing the checking piece would not also cause the King to be in check, yes!
  
  In the position below, the White Queen is giving check. After ...Kxf7, the Black King is no longer in check, so it is indeed a legal move.
  [FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp1Qpp/5n2/4p3/4P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNB1KBNR b KQkq - 0 0"]
  
  1...Kxf7
  
  
  However, it is illegal to make any move that places your own King in check. If you did, the opponent would be able to capture your King immediately. Since you can never actually capture a King in a game of Chess, making a move that would allow it is illegal.
  So, if White's Queen is "protected" by another piece (such as a Bishop, below), the Black's King cannot capture it, as doing so would leave his King still in check. In fact, in the position below (the "scholar's mate"), Black is checkmated because he has no moves that would not result in his still being in check.
  [FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1Qpp/2n2n2/4p3/2B1P3/8/PPPP1PPP/RNB1K1NR b KQkq - 0 0"]
  
  1...Kxf7 2.Bxf7
  
  Remember that in the position above, 1...Kxf7 2.Bxf7 are given as examples: neither move is actually legal, as Black is already checkmated in the starting position!
  
  
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