How to Play Chess: Basic Rules Explained

Chess is definitely one of the most popular games and … sports in the world. You don’t know how to play chess? You want to learn the most basic things to immediately get started playing the game? If that’s the case, this post from Geeks Nation is for you. Check it out now!

First of all, let’s learn how to set up the chess board.

How to set up the chess board

Chess is a two-player game that is played on a board measuring 8 x 8 squares. That means there are 64 squares on a chess board, and they alternate between a dark and a light color.

Also, there’s a white (or light-colored) square on both players’ closest right-hand side.

The board is always set up as shown in the above image. Please note that the Queen has to be on a square that is the same color as she is.

How to Play Chess: Basic Chess Rules

In chess, each player has one move at a time and takes turns making the move.

Players can't skip their turn; they have to move a piece if it's their turn. Every piece in chess moves in a certain way. Below are instructions on how to move chess pieces.

Basics on how to move chess pieces

Different types of pieces (pawn, rook, knight, bishop, queen, and king) move so differently. Knowing how to move chess pieces is a big part of learning how to play chess. And here is how different pieces move:

The pawn

In chess, each player has eight pawns. On the first move, the pawn can move one or two empty squares forward. After that, it can only move one empty square forward.

Pawns can't move forward if an enemy piece is in their way, and they can't take pieces that are right in front of them. Instead, pawns have to move diagonally ahead (either to the right or left) to take the opponent's piece.

It is not possible for a pawn to move diagonally without capturing a piece of the opponent. It’s also unable to take an adjacent piece.

The rook

The rook, which is shaped like a little tower and is sometimes referred to as a "castle."

This chess piece can move vertically or horizontally as many vacant squares as there are available. A rook can capture any opponent piece in its path. A diagonal movement is impossible for the rooks.

The knight

Featuring a horse figure, the knight is considered the most complicated of all pieces when it comes to how to play chess.

Knights move in "L" patterns that can be one square horizontally (left or right) then two squares vertically (forward or backward) or two squares horizontally (forward or backward) then one square vertically (left or right).

Only knights can jump over other pieces (of both colors). That means knights, unlike other types of pieces, are never blocked if there are other pieces between them and the destination square. They capture opponent pieces the same way as usual (by landing on a square with a piece of the opposite color).

The Bishop

Bishops can only move in a diagonal direction, but they can go as far as they want in that direction but can’t move through other pieces. A vertical or horizontal movement is impossible for the bishops.

That means a bishop just moves diagonally along the line of squares matching its color.

The queen

The queen is the most powerful chess piece on the board since she can move either diagonally, vertically, or horizontally by any number of squares. The queen can capture any piece of the opposite color if it’s in her way (in those directions).

The king

The king is free to move in any direction, but just one square at a time. It is not possible for the king to move into a position that is under attack by the opponent. It’s so important to note that the king is the piece that you need to protect at all costs.

What do "check" and "checkmate" mean in chess?

"Check" and "checkmate" are 2 important terms that you should know when learning how to play chess.

If your king is "in check," it means that he is being attacked by one of the pieces that your opponent controls. If your king is in check, you have to make a move on your very next turn to get the king out of check. There are 3 ways to get out of check that you might want to try.

• Capturing the checking piece.
• Moving the king to a safe spot—a square where your king won’t be in check any more.
• Blocking the check using one of your own pieces. But note that if the checking piece is either a knight or a pawn, you cannot block the check for sure.

If you can't get your king out of the check with your next move, "checkmate" happens and the game is over. Of course, you lose the game.

Bottom line

These are a few basic things regarding how to play chess that beginners may find helpful. Of course, there are still other rules for playing chess, but via this post, Geeks Nation hopes that you now know how to play this game at a basic level. And that’s all for this post. Don’t forget to share this post with your friends if you find it useful and informative.

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