king
Enable an AI agent to recognise a physical chess king, establish its role and current state, and determine which handling or game actions are permissible.
Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled
6 bundles · 11 layers · 20 findings · 33 questions
King identity Establish which physical token represents the king and whose king it is.
Set-specific recognition
Distinguish the king from similar pieces in this set.
King identification evidence
Record the design cues or explicit designation supporting recognition, including ambiguity with the queen.
- What evidence identifies this token as the king in this particular set? definition
- Could the same visible features identify a queen or decorative object here? boundary
Side and token assignment
Connect the physical object to one represented king.
Represented king
Record side, game and whether the object is an original piece, spare or designated substitute.
- Which side and game is this king assigned to? definition
- Who or what established that assignment, particularly for a substitute token? provenance
King position Locate the king and reconcile observation with game state.
Observed king location
Capture the physical placement and its uncertainty.
Square assignment
Record the observed square or off-board condition together with board orientation and observation time.
- Which square contains the king's base, and how was board orientation established? measurement
- Is the token centred on a square, straddling squares, being held or off board? measurement
Position reconciliation
Associate the observation with a confirmed position revision.
Observed versus recorded square
Record discrepancies and the evidence needed to distinguish a move from adjustment, setup or disturbance.
- Does the observed king location agree with the latest confirmed game position? boundary
- What evidence is required before accepting a discrepancy as a completed king move? action
King safety and movement Evaluate ordinary king moves and king exposure using the linked board position.
Ordinary king moves
Evaluate candidate destinations and resulting occupancy.
Candidate destination
Record destination geometry, occupancy and the resulting position used for safety evaluation.
- Is the proposed destination adjacent and available under the selected ruleset? boundary
- After moving the king and removing any captured piece, is the destination attacked? action
Check and response
Record attackers and refer whole-side response analysis to the game model.
Attack evidence
Attach attacking pieces and attack paths to a specific position; include opposing-king proximity and attacks from pinned pieces.
- Which opposing pieces attack the king's square under the applicable attack rules? measurement
- Does the attack calculation account for the opposing king and pieces constrained by their own king's safety? boundary
Response and outcome boundary
Keep king escape analysis separate from all legal responses and the game's outcome decision.
- Can the side answer the threat through a king move, capture or interposition? action
- Has the game model checked all legal moves before reporting checkmate or stalemate? boundary
Castling Track historical rights and evaluate a proposed coordinated king-and-rook move.
Castling history
Establish rights using the king and associated rook histories.
Historical rights evidence
Record evidence of retained or lost rights and preserve unknown status when history is incomplete.
- What move history or trusted position record establishes rights for each associated rook? provenance
- Has the king or relevant rook previously moved, even if it later returned? boundary
Castling feasibility
Evaluate current occupancy, king safety and both pieces' destinations.
Castling action plan
Record the ruleset-specific path checks and a coordinated relocation plan tied to the current position.
- Which king and rook start squares, transit squares and destinations apply to this ruleset? definition
- Do current occupancy and attack conditions permit this castling action? boundary
- How will both final placements be verified before the game record accepts castling? action
Physical king use Assess whether the king token can be handled and keep physical interventions distinct from game actions.
King handling readiness
Assess king-specific recognition and manipulation constraints.
Finial, base and grip
Record whether damaged identifying features, an unstable base or a fragile top prevent reliable recognition or movement.
- Can this king still be distinguished from its queen and stand securely on one square? measurement
- Where can the token be gripped without relying on a fragile finial or disturbing neighbouring pieces? action
King intervention continuity
Preserve the represented king across adjustments, disturbances and token replacement.
Handling intent
Record whether manipulation is an authorised move, adjustment, restoration or replacement; avoid inferring resignation from a fallen king alone.
- What establishes the purpose and authority for touching, lifting or repositioning this king? action
- If the king is toppled or removed, what corroborating evidence establishes the game significance? boundary
Replacement continuity
Link a replacement token to the existing represented king and its confirmed state.
- Which replacement token has been accepted to represent this same king? provenance
- How will side, square and castling history be preserved through replacement? action
Evidence and external alignment What the world already says about this thing, gathered so the model can be checked against it.
Reported evidence
Findings from the breadth pass, kept separate from the structural claims.
Kinds and varieties
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these kinds and varieties hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Identifiers and schemes
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these identifiers and schemes hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Standards and regulation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these standards and regulation hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Real-world use
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these real-world use hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Typical measurements
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these typical measurements hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Failure modes and hazards
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these failure modes and hazards hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Regional variation
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these regional variation hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart
Reported by the breadth pass; each item needs checking against its source before it becomes normative.
- Which of these neighbouring kinds and how to tell them apart hold for the sense of king this model covers, and on what evidence? provenance
Classifiers Filled
- Family
- Thing Registry
- Category
- Physical world and living systems
- Entry kind
- thing
- Plane
- PHY
- Domain
- PHY.OBJ
- Other names and narrower kinds
- white king, black king, king walk
What it is Filled
A king is the chess piece represented by a physical token for each side whose checkmate ends the game; under standard chess rules it ordinarily moves to an adjacent square subject to king-safety constraints and can participate in castling with a rook when the applicable conditions hold.
In scope
- Recognition of a king within its particular chess set
- Assignment of the physical token to a side and game
- Observed placement and reconciliation with the recorded position
- King movement, exposure to attack and castling eligibility
- Physical usability and replacement of the king token
Out of scope
- Human monarchs, royal offices and political authority
- Complete chess-game state, scoring and adjudication
- Board geometry, orientation and square recognition as standalone models
- Movement models for other chess pieces
- Player identity, clocks and tournament administration
- General manufacturing, ownership and valuation of chess sets
Why it exists Filled
Enable an AI agent to recognise a physical chess king, establish its role and current state, and determine which handling or game actions are permissible.
Distinguishing features Filled
- The set's design, documentation or explicit assignment identifies this token as the king; height or a cross-shaped finial alone is insufficient.
- Under standard chess rules, its ordinary movement is to an adjacent square, subject to king-safety constraints, unlike the queen's long-range movement.
- It is the piece whose checkmate ends the game; capturing it is not a legal game action.
- It participates with a rook in castling when the applicable conditions hold. [FIDE Laws of Chess, Articles 1 and 3](https://handbook.fide.com/chapter/e012023)
What robots and AI may and may not do Filled
Must not
- Treat capturing the king as a legal action under standard chess rules.
- Approve a king move or castling without sufficient evidence that the applicable conditions hold.
- Alter a token's position or recorded movement history without authorisation.
- Provide assistance prohibited by the rules of an ongoing game.
Only with a human decision
- Disputed token identity, placement or movement history affecting play requires human resolution.
- Official adjudication of a disputed game requires the responsible human adjudicator.
May
- Identify a king token using the chess set's design, documentation and game context.
- Explain king movement, check, checkmate and castling under the applicable rules.
- Record observed placement and movement history while flagging uncertainty.
- Handle the token or perform game actions when authorised and permitted by the applicable rules.
Moral aspects Filled
- Unauthorised manipulation or assistance can undermine fair play.
- Uncertain token identification or game state should be disclosed to affected players.
- Small pieces and detached decorations can pose risks to young children.
Who is affected
- Players depend on accurate identification and fair handling of pieces.
- Arbiters depend on reliable observations and game records.
- Owners and custodians are responsible for the physical chess set.
- Children may be exposed to small pieces or detached parts.
Owners Filled
Steward
The chess set's owner or authorised custodian, subject to the applicable rules during play.
Master systems
- Game records document the king's position and relevant movement history.
- Set inventories or documentation identify the physical token where available.
Links to other meta-models Filled
parent
- Q55386374 - registry parent class
What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled
Identity and identifiers required Filled
- Vercy registry: vr.tr.king-q138
- Wikidata: Q138 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q138)
Direct properties required Filled
- King recognition evidence: set documentation | distinctive design | explicit token assignment | unresolved
- Assigned side: white side | black side | unassigned | unknown
- Game and ruleset: linked game and explicit ruleset/version
- Observed placement: identified square | between squares | held | off board | unknown
- Confirmed game square: a1-h8 for a standard board | unresolved | not assigned to a game
- Check assessment: in check | not in check | unknown, linked to a position revision
- Castling rights: retained | lost | unknown, separately for each associated rook
- King movement history: never moved | moved | unknown, with supporting game history
- Physical readiness: recognisable and stable | ambiguous identity | unstable | damaged | missing
Recognition required Filled
- A king is often among the tallest pieces in a chess set and may have a cross-shaped finial.
- The set's design, documentation or explicit assignment establishes the token's identity because decorative features vary.
- The token's appearance and game context help establish its assigned side and recorded position.
Capabilities and actions required Filled
- Identify the king and associate it with the correct side and game.
- Reconcile its observed location with the confirmed game position.
- Evaluate candidate king moves using the complete resulting position.
- Evaluate and execute authorised castling as a coordinated king-and-rook action.
- Flag check, uncertain castling rights or inconsistent placement for resolution.
- Replace an unusable token while preserving the represented king's game history.
Hazards and failure modes required Filled
- Confusing the king with another piece can produce illegal moves or an incorrect game result.
- Incorrectly tracking attacks on the king or its movement history can permit illegal moves or castling.
- Small pieces or detached decorative parts can present a choking hazard to young children.
Standards and interfaces required Filled
- The Laws of Chess, issued by the International Chess Federation, govern the king's movement, check, checkmate and castling.
- The Standards of Chess Equipment, issued by the International Chess Federation, specify king dimensions and distinguishable piece design for relevant competition equipment.
Context of use required Filled
- The chess king is used in over-the-board games, instruction and position analysis as the piece whose checkmate determines defeat.
- Its location and attack status constrain legal moves, and its movement history affects whether castling remains available.
Sources Filled
- king (Q12097) - Canonical identifier and class: male monarch of a kingdom; distinguished from queen, emperor, and other royal ranks.
- King - Specialist definition of king as sovereign of a kingdom and the historical range from sacral and absolute to constitutional forms.
- Succession to the Crown Act 2013 - Modern statutory regulation of who becomes king in a constitutional monarchy, including gender-neutral succession and marriage consent.
- Laws of Chess - The chess king as a distinct physical game object with unique movement, check, and checkmate rules, often confused with the monarch sense.
- Wikidata item Q138: king - identity and sense of the item
- Wikipedia: King (chess) - general description of the item
Open questions
- Does an existing Vercy world model already own the chess-king concept, requiring this registry entry to link to it?
- Should the initial model support only standard chess, or also Chess960 and other explicitly named variants?
- What evidence threshold should establish king identity in unfamiliar, abstract or accessibility-oriented chess sets?
- Which connected system supplies authoritative position history, attack analysis and castling rights when observations are incomplete?
- Which play context and handling rules govern robotic movement, adjustments, replacement tokens and interpretation of a toppled king?
Machine files
Provenance
thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed
Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q138/spec.json