How to Play
Chess
Introduction
People have been enjoying chess for over 1,500 years and it’s only becoming
more popular. Many people want to start playing but are intimidated by the
seemingly insurmountable task of learning the pieces and gameplay. This
guide will explain each of the pieces, how they move, setting up the board,
and a basic strategy that new players can follow.
1.
Know the Pieces
Figure 1
There are six unique pieces that are involved in chess: Pawn, Rook, Knight,
Bishop, Queen, and King. Figure 1 shows examples of what each of these
pieces can look like. However, the exact shape of the pieces will vary from
set to set. Each of these pieces moves in a different way and each can be
useful in a variety of different situations.
Piece Description
Pawn – Pawns are the weakest pieces on the chessboard, but they are the
most plentiful. At the beginning of the game, each player has eight pawns.
These pieces can only ever move forward. The first time a pawn is moved, it
can move one or two squares straight forward. After this initial move,
pawns may only move one space forward at a time. Pawns may not take an
opposing piece by moving straight ahead. Instead, they can only capture by
moving one space diagonally forward. Pawns are only permitted to move
this way if it is to take a piece.
Knight – When moving a knight, it must move in an “L” shape. This is done by
moving two squares in one direction, then moving one square in another
direction. Knights are unique in that they are the only piece that may move
through other pieces.
Rook – Rooks may move as many spaces as desired, but only in straight lines.
Although they can move across the entire board, taking a piece forces a
Rook to end its move.
Bishops – Like rooks, Bishops can move the entire length of the board if
necessary. However, bishops may only move diagonally. In other words, if a
bishop starts on one color of square, it can never leave that color.
Queen – As the most powerful piece, queens may move any number of spaces
in any one direction. The Queen’s movement options include the combination
of any possible moves for a Bishop and any possible moves for a Rook.
King – Even though the queen is the most powerful piece, the king is the
most important piece. The King’s movement is limited to one square in any
direction. If the King is lost, the game is over.
Figure 2
2.
Learn How to Set Up the Board
To prepare the board for a new game of
chess, position the board with the
black A1 square to the white player’s
left. Then, place the pieces on the
board as shown in Figure 3. The eight
Pawns are placed along the entire 2nd
row for the white player and 7th row
for the black player. Rooks go on the
ends of the row closest to you. On the
inside of each Rook, put a Knight.
Bishops are placed on rows C and F,
inside of the Knights. The King goes on
E and the Queen on D.
Figure 3
3.
Understand the Objective
Players take turns moving one piece at a time with the white player making
the first move. Unlike Checkers, in Chess only one piece needs to be
captured for the game to be over: The King. Any time the King is in danger of
being taken on the next turn, “Check” is called. This term means that the
player who’s King is at risk must move in such a way that the king is
protected again. This can be done by moving the King to safety, moving a
piece between the King and the attacking piece, or taking the opponent’s
attacking piece. To take an opposing piece, move one of your pieces to
occupy a square that is presently occupied by an opponent’s. If a player’s
King is put into a position where it is in danger and no move can be made to
protect it, Checkmate is called. When a player is put in Checkmate, the game
is over.
4.
Know the Special Rules
Chess has several rules that aren’t apparent, even through an understanding
of the other elements of the game. These moves include Castling, En
Passant, and promoting pawns.
 Castle - This must be the first move for your King and whichever of
the two Rooks you decide to use. There must also be no pieces in
between the King and the Rook and this move must not put your King in
Check. Castling means moving the King two spaces towards the Rook,
then move the Rook directly
to the opposite side of the
King.
 En Passant - This is a French
move that keeps a pawn from
using its first move of two
squares to escape an
otherwise inevitable capture.
An example of this is shown in
Figure 4.
 Promotion - When a Pawn
successfully makes it across
the board to the furthest row
from you, it gets promoted.
Promotion allows you to
exchange your pawn for a Knight,
Bishop, Rook, or Queen.
5.
Figure 4
Have a Strong Opening
The conventional strategy is to move either the E or D pawns first, as these
moves give you more options for the next few turns. Unless it’s absolutely
necessary, avoid moving the same piece more than once in the beginning of
the game. Focus on getting multiple pieces involved as early as possible.
Spend the early game trying to control the center of the board. The better
you do this, the easier it will be to transition into the later parts of the
game.
6.
Learn to Evaluate the Board
As the game progresses from the openings, evaluating the board becomes
increasingly relevant. When thinking about a move, it’s important to
take into consideration a few things:
 Plan ahead – Make sure to think about what you want to accomplish
in the next few turns. Target you opponent’s piece or plan to take
control of a specific area of the board. Having short and long term
goals while playing will increase the effectiveness of your moves.
 Know how to trade – Knowing how to value your pieces
Piece
Value
compared to your opponent’s pieces is tricky. As a
Pawn
1
general guideline to follow, each piece has a point
Knight
3
value associated with it called the Reinfeld Value.
Bishop
3
These values are shown in Figure 5. Keep in mind that
Rook
5
the Reinfeld Value is not a strict rule to follow; it
Queen
9
King
∞
merely offers a point of reference.
 Consider your opponent’s moves – Try to think about
Figure 5
what your opponent might be planning. Even if his/her
move doesn’t endanger any of your pieces this turn, they may be
attempting to set up an attack next turn. If your opponent moves in
a way that endangers one of his/her own pieces, consider the
possibility that it’s a trap.
Figure 6
7.
Use Your Pieces Effectively
In order to maintain an effective board state, you’ll need to try to keep
your pieces in positions where they have the most power. Due to each piece
moving differently, each piece is more useful when positioned in different
ways. It is also important to involve all of your pieces in your game plan.
 Pawns – Pawns are the most powerful in a straight line across a
row. Avoid breaking this formation unless there is a significant
advantage for doing so, as individual Pawns are much less powerful
once separated from the group.
 Knights – Despite the fact that a Knight’s range is limited, it is
often one of the hardest pieces to defend against due to the number
of possible moves it has. Try to avoid putting your Knight on the
edge of the board, as this position lowers the number of potential
moves for your piece. Remember this rhyme: “If the Knight’s on the
rim, things are getting grim.”
 Bishop – Bishops are the most threatening while on one of the
center diagonals. From here, they control the most space. Be
cautious of your opponent blocking your Bishop’s diagonal with
Pawns, as this will severely limit your piece’s impact.
 Rook – By positioning a Rook along a row or column that doesn’t
contain any pawns, you’ll maximize its effectiveness. Even though
Rooks can be difficult to get involved in the early game, they’re
some of the most potent Checkmating pieces.
 Queen – Due to the Queen’s freedom to move in any direction, it is
most powerful in the center of the board. Keep in mind that this
position also exposes your Queen to potential attacks, so it is best
to keep your Queen one move away from center. By doing this, you
can keep your Queen safe and still move it to a relevant square
when need be.
 King – The King is the most important piece on the board. It can
only move one square at a time, so it can be difficult to move to
safety. However, the King is easily protected from attacks by
blocking with less valuable pieces.
8.
Practice
The last step to learning how to play Chess is to practice. There is only so
much that can be learned from reading guides. The best way to become a
better Chess player is to play regularly. Here are some key points to try
while practicing:
 Try new openers – Experiment with different beginning strategies and
try to determine which one works best for your play style.
 Play against different opponents – Each person that you play against
will teach you something new about the game of Chess. Try to play
against as many people as possible.
 Don’t be afraid to lose – In Chess, losing teaches you more than
winning. Never be upset with yourself after a loss. As long as you
learned something from the game, then it was successful.
 Ask for advice – After a game with someone, ask them about his/her
strategy or if he/she saw any specific areas of weakness in your play.
This is doubly beneficial, as it will help you improve your strategy
and it will give you insight as to how other players think.
Figure 7
Sources
Introduction Picture – www.westerlylibrary.org
Figure 1 – www.chess-game-strategies.com
Figure 2 – www.chesscountry.com
Figure 3 –www.soyouwanna.com
Figure 4 – www.wikipedia.org
Figure 6 – www.techegeek.com
Figure 7 – www.wikipedia.org