Why Light Square on the Right?
Every correctly set up chessboard has a light-coloured square in the bottom-right corner. This isn't just convention, it's an official FIDE rule that affects piece placement and the entire game.
The rule
FIDE Laws of Chess (Article 2.1) state that the chessboard must be placed so that each player has a light-coloured square in the bottom-right corner. The mnemonic: "light on right". This ensures the h1 square (White's right corner) is light-coloured.
Why it matters
The board orientation determines: where the queen goes (on her own colour, d1 for White is a dark square), how notation works (a1 is always a dark square), and the consistency of bishop colours across all games. If the board is wrong, the entire coordinate system is reversed.
See how to set up a chessboard for complete setup instructions.
In movies
Incorrectly set up chessboards are one of the most common errors in film and television. Chess enthusiasts enjoy spotting the "dark on right" mistake in movies, it appears in surprisingly many productions, even those featuring chess as a plot point.