Because in Chessformer , the board always has another move.
Slide the rook up from (7,7)? No, the rook is at (7,7) after move 5. Actually, after move 5, the rook is at (7,7) because it slid to the right edge. It pushed the pawn onto the star. Now the rook is on the star’s square but hasn’t captured it because the star is under the pawn. chessformer level 21
Slide the king up to (3,4). Now the king is aligned with the star’s column. Because in Chessformer , the board always has another move
Slide the king right two squares until it stops against a stone block. This creates a gap. Actually, after move 5, the rook is at
In truth, the correct solution (verified by speedruns) uses the rook to “kick” the pawn off the star, then the king slides into the empty star square. The beauty is that the king never directly attacks; it simply occupies space after the rook clears the way. Level 21 is not the hardest level in Chessformer (Level 34 holds that title for many), but it is the gatekeeper . It is the first level that demands players abandon the idea of using pieces “correctly” by chess rules. In standard chess, rooks are for attacking, kings are for hiding. In Chessformer , the rook is a bulldozer, and the king is a precision tool.