Raichu Piece Guide: Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu
Raichu has three piece types. The rules are simple enough to learn in five minutes, but the interactions between pieces create real tactical depth. Here is everything you need to know about each piece.
Pichu: The Foot Soldier
MOVEMENT
One step diagonally forward only. Cannot move backward.
CAPTURES
Pichu only. Cannot capture Pikachu or Raichu.
PROMOTION
Reaches the far edge of the board and promotes to Raichu.
Pichu advances diagonally and promotes to Raichu on the far rank
Pichu is the most limited piece but creates the most tension. A Pichu that reaches the far rank promotes to Raichu, the most powerful piece on the board. This promotion threat forces your opponent to respond. A passed Pichu with a clear path to promotion is a serious threat.
Because Pichu can only capture other Pichus, strong Pikachus and Raichupromoted pieces ignore them entirely. This creates a specific dynamic: Pichus fight their own battles while the larger pieces contest different areas.
Pikachu: The Mid-Range Fighter
MOVEMENT
One step forward, left, or right. No diagonal. No backward.
CAPTURES
Pichu and Pikachu. Cannot capture Raichu.
PROMOTION
Reaches the far edge and promotes to Raichu.
Pikachu moves forward and sideways but never diagonally or backward
Pikachu is the workhorse piece. It can take most things, move in three directions, and promote if it gets through. The restriction to no diagonals and no backward movement means positioning matters: a Pikachu on the wrong side of the board has limited options.
The Raichu immunity is strategically important. Two Pikachus cannot threaten a Raichu at all. Only another Raichu can remove a Raichu from the board. This means a player with a Raichu advantage holds a material edge that Pikachus cannot overcome alone.
Raichu: The Dominant Piece
MOVEMENT
Any direction, any distance. Queen-like movement.
CAPTURES
Everything: Pichu, Pikachu, and Raichu.
CAPTURE METHOD
Jumps to capture. Does not slide through pieces like a chess queen.
Raichu jumps over an enemy piece to capture it, landing on the square beyond
Raichu is the most powerful piece and the only piece that can capture another Raichu. The jump-capture rule is the key difference from a chess queen: a Raichu cannot simply slide into a piece and take it. It must jump to the target square, which must be reachable without obstruction between the Raichu and the target.
Protecting your Raichu is the most important positional principle in the game. Losing your only Raichu to an opponent who still has one creates an imbalance that is very difficult to overcome.
The Hierarchy in Practice
The three-tier hierarchy creates tactical puzzles that feel similar to chess. A Pikachu is safe from Pichus but threatened by Raichupromoted pieces. A Pichu chain advancing toward promotion forces the opponent to respond with Pichus or create a blocker. Raichu pieces create mating threats the opponent must constantly neutralize.
The simplest way to think about piece value: Raichu beats everything, Pikachu beats everything except Raichu, Pichu beats only Pichu. In material terms, one Raichu equals roughly three Pikachus in practice.