How to Play Chess
Chess is a two-player strategy game played on an 8×8 board. One player commands the white pieces, the other the black pieces, and the goal is to checkmate the opposing king — trapping it so it cannot escape capture. This guide walks you through every rule you need to start playing today.
The board and setup
The board is a grid of 64 squares in alternating light and dark colours. Set it up so each player has a light square in the near-right corner ("light on right"). Each side starts with 16 pieces:
- 8 pawns on the second rank (the row nearest you).
- 2 rooks in the corners, 2 knights beside them, 2 bishops next.
- The queen goes on the central square of her own colour (white queen on a light square, black queen on a dark square), and the king takes the last central square.
White always moves first, then players alternate turns. You must move on your turn — passing is not allowed.
How the pieces move
Each piece moves in its own way. Briefly: the king moves one square in any direction; the queen any distance straight or diagonally; the rook straight; the bishop diagonally; the knight in an L-shape (and it jumps over pieces); and the pawn forward, capturing diagonally. For diagrams and the full detail of each piece, read how the chess pieces move.
Capturing and check
You capture an enemy piece by moving onto its square; the captured piece leaves the board. When a king is attacked it is in check and the player must immediately remove the threat — by moving the king, blocking the attack, or capturing the attacker. You may never make a move that leaves your own king in check.
Special moves
Three moves break the normal patterns: castling (the king and a rook move together for safety), en passant (a special pawn capture), and promotion (a pawn reaching the far end becomes a stronger piece). These trip up most beginners — learn them on the special moves page.
How the game ends
The game is won by checkmate: the enemy king is in check and has no legal way out. Games can also end in a draw — by stalemate, repetition, the 50-move rule, or insufficient material. Understand each outcome on the check, checkmate & stalemate page, and see the complete rulebook in the rules of chess.
Ready to play?
The fastest way to improve is to play and to solve tactics. Jump into a game against the computer or a real opponent, then sharpen your eye with puzzles.