If you have ever noticed a chess board in a movie or TV show, something likely didn’t look quite right. Often, there will be some mistake in how the board is set up. Whether this is a sign that no real chess player was involved in production or just a quirk of the characters who don’t know how to set up the board properly, learning to set up a board is an important part of a chess player's education.

Setting up a board correctly, especially when playing in an official tournament, is vital. It is surprising how many self-proclaimed chess fans don’t even know how to set up the board. Whether it's having the right size chess pieces, placing the king and queen on the wrong squares, the board turned sideways, or the pieces on the wrong squares, getting the perfect chess board setup without mistakes is key to ensuring every game starts with the right setup.

A Step-by-Step Guide to the Perfect Chess Board Setup

Board Orientation

The quick and easy way to know if your board is facing the right direction before starting your chess game is making sure the bottom-right square is a light-colored square. The right is white! Or light on the right! Whichever way helps you remember, just don’t start your game with the black square on the right corner. It is a common mistake to have the board flipped incorrectly, which can result in pieces being placed on the wrong squares.

The bottom right corner, h1, should be a light square. Place one rook there and one on a1 for the white side.

Placing the Rooks

In order to set up your pieces correctly, start by placing your rooks in the corners of the board. Again, make sure the bottom right square is white. Starting by placing the rooks, which resemble castles, in the corners can be useful for achieving the perfect chess set setup. Then you build out from the corners.

Positioning the Knights for Chess Matches

Next, you put the knights, the ones that look like horses, next to the rooks. Place them on the g1 and b1 squares for the white side.

Once you have placed the knights, you can move on the the bishops.

Bishops Go Next

Place the bishops on the squares next to the knights. For white, that is the c1 and f1 squares. The bishops operate on different color squares, so if you somehow find yourself with two light color bishops, then you have made a mistake with your chess board setup.

Common Blunder Before the Chess Matches Begin

One common mistake I see frequently with beginners setting up chessboards is incorrectly flipping the knights and bishops. Whenever I have worked as a tournament director, especially for scholastic tournaments, between rounds, you always have to check that students haven’t mixed up the knights and bishops.

The Queen’s Placement to Setup a Chess Board

The next most common mistake I see when students are setting up a chess board is the placement of the queen. Mixing up the king and queen can cause real problems in your chess game. Openings that you are used to playing will suddenly go quite wrong. So, how do you remember where to put the queen in my chess board setup?

“Queen on Her Color”

Simply remembering that the queen always goes on her own color can help you keep the queen on the correct square. The white queen goes on the white center square. The black queen will go on the dark square. I have also heard people say that the queen’s “dress matches her shoes.” Just remember to match the color!

Positioning the King

If you have done everything correctly, you only have one more square on the back rank, and that square is for your king. The king sits next to the queen in the remaining center square. If you are setting up your pieces opposite the other sides, you can look to make sure your king and queen are opposite your opponents, and if they are not, then someone has made a mistake.

Placing the Pawns

You are almost done! The last step is the easiest. Place all of your pawns across the next rank. For the white side, you place them on the second rank, and for black, they go on the seventh. Once your pawns are in place, you are ready to play.

Misplaced Pawns

Remember, pawns can never make to your own first rank. If you see that in a TV or movie, then you know for sure that they don’t actually know how to play chess. Some movies, especially good chess movies, tend to get this correct.

Notice anything strange? How did that pawn get there in this definitely real game of chess being played?!

Tricks to Setup a Chess Board Faster

While it’s not a race to set up the board, knowing a few tricks can help you set up a board quickly.

Use a Reference Board 

If you are a beginner, looking a board that is set up correctly can be the best way to set up the board quickly and to make sure you don’t make any mistakes. You can find a chess analysis board set to the starting position to give yourself a good reference. Once you have finished setting up your board, check your work. Use the analysis board to verify that your position is correct.

Mnemonic Names Normally Necessary

Using mnemonic devices can be a helpful way to remember the position and to also set it up quickly. Remember these:

1. White on the right.
2. Rooks in the corners.
3. Queen on her color.

Setting Up Fast

If I want to set up the pieces quickly, I try to grab pieces in pairs. Place both rooks at once, then both knights, then both bishops, then the king and the queen. Try to do this in the same order every time to gain some muscle memory. You will get faster over time.

Other Tips for Playing Tournament Chess

1. Setting Up a Chess Clock Timer

Try to be familiar with your chess clock before you get to your tournament. Look up ahead of time on the tournament's website and set up your clock with the required time control. It’s best to learn the details of how your clock works while you are not already sitting at the chess board.

2. Make Sure You Have All the Pieces

Before heading out to your tournament, make sure you have all of the pieces in your chess sets you are bringing. It doesn’t matter how good you are at setting up the chess board if you are missing a rook.

3. Board Facing the Right Way

If there is a board provided, make sure it is facing the right way.

The letters should go across the bottom, not the numbers. Right should be white!

The Next Step

Once you become a master at setting up the board quickly, the next step is to learn the coordinates. Every square on the chess board can be named by using the letter for the file and the number for the rank. Good chess players can identify squares just at a glance. When I say, c4, some players see vividly the square that I am referring to. If you aren’t exactly sure, then you can practice using a few tools.

Practice Your Chess Board Coordinates

There are online tools that you can use to practice identifying your coordinates. This Lichess coordinate trainer can help you find any square in a moment. Knowing chessboard coordinates is essential. Since algebraic notation is widely used in chess courses and exercises, learning the squares will help you in your quest to improve. It also facilitates clear communication with other chess players, whether at your chess tournaments during post-game analysis or while casually discussing a game. It can enhance your ability to analyze games when you can quickly recognize coordinates.

Now, Play!

You can set up the chess board and maybe even identify some squares, but all of this is to help you play more chess! Use what you have learned to set up a board and go play some chess matches. 

Frequently Asked Questions