In the initial position the board is covered with 49 tiles. During play this number is bound to be reduced.
All play is on the tiles.
Players move, and must move, in turn. The king's role is played by the Queen. The diagram on the left shows its options for movement and capture in a non-check situation. If in check, it is restricted to adjacent squares , as shown in the diagram on the right. The Queen is the only piece with the power of capture in the usual sense.