HOW TO PLAY CHESS: A COMPLETE BEGINNER'S GUIDE
Learn chess from square one: how the board is set up, how every piece moves, the special rules, and the simple principles that win games. Then play a free match online.
The board and how to set it up
Chess is played on an 8x8 board of 64 alternating light and dark squares. Place the board so each player has a light square in their bottom-right corner. Each side starts with 16 pieces: eight pawns on the second rank, then rooks in the corners, knights beside them, bishops next, and the king and queen in the middle. The queen always starts on her own colour: white queen on a light square, black queen on a dark square.
How each piece moves
Pawn
Pawns move one square forward, or two squares on their very first move. They capture diagonally, one square forward-left or forward-right. Pawns are the only pieces that capture differently from how they move.
Rook
Rooks move any number of squares horizontally or vertically. They are powerful on open files and in the endgame.
Knight
Knights move in an L shape: two squares in one direction, then one square at a right angle. Knights are the only pieces that can jump over others.
Bishop
Bishops move any number of squares diagonally. Each bishop stays on its starting colour for the whole game, so the pair covers both colours together.
Queen
The queen combines the rook and bishop: any number of squares in any straight line. She is the most powerful piece, so avoid bringing her out too early where she can be chased around.
King
The king moves one square in any direction. He can never move onto a square attacked by an enemy piece. Protect him early, and use him actively in the endgame.
The three special rules
- Castling: once per game, if neither the king nor the chosen rook has moved and the squares between them are empty and safe, the king moves two squares toward the rook and the rook hops to the other side. It tucks your king away and develops a rook in one move.
- En passant: if an enemy pawn advances two squares and lands beside your pawn, you may capture it as if it had moved only one square, but only on the very next move.
- Promotion: a pawn that reaches the far end of the board is promoted, usually to a queen, though you may choose a rook, bishop or knight.
Check, checkmate and stalemate
Check means the king is attacked and must be defended immediately: move the king, block the attack, or capture the attacker. Checkmate means the king is attacked and there is no legal way out; the game is over. Stalemate happens when a player has no legal move but is not in check: the game is a draw, which is why you must stay careful even when far ahead.
Five principles that win beginner games
- Control the centre. The four central squares are the most valuable real estate on the board. Fight for them with pawns and pieces.
- Develop before you attack. Get knights and bishops off the back rank before moving the same piece twice.
- Castle early. A safe king lets the rest of your army play freely.
- Do not hang pieces. Before every move, ask what your opponent's reply attacks. Most beginner games are decided by free pieces.
- Think in trades. Pawns are worth 1, knights and bishops about 3, rooks 5 and the queen 9. Trade up, not down.
Ready to play?
The fastest way to improve is to play real opponents. You can play chess online free right here: challenge a friend or take on other players, at your own pace, from your phone or desktop. If you enjoy the deeper story of the game, read our history of chess, or jump straight to playing chess online with friends.