Chess Rules Beginners Need to Know

Chess has experienced a surge in popularity over the last decade, attracting millions of new players worldwide. If you want to see if you’re up to the challenge, there’s never been a better time to learn! Our list of basic rules will provide you with all the knowledge you need to get started on the right track.

Setting Up Your Board

The first thing every beginner should learn is how to set up their board properly. When you place your chess board on the table in front of you, look at the side of the board closest to you. A light-colored square should be in the bottom right corner. You can say “white on the right” to remember this rule.

The pieces on the back rank are arranged with the king and queen in the middle, with the bishops, knights, and castles on either side. The queens should always be placed on their own color, making the board a true “mirror image.”

Now that you have your board set up perfectly, you’re ready to learn how the pieces move.

Basic Movements

Each chess piece has their own rules for movement. Once you’ve been playing a while, these movements will be second nature! White will always move first.

The Pieces

• King: The king is the most important piece on the board, as it is the piece you must protect at all costs. It is not the most powerful piece, however. The king moves one square at a time in any direction. The king may not move into a check position (see below for explanation of “check”).
• Queen: The queen is the most powerful piece on the board! Your queen may move any number of squares in any direction, as long as it is an unobstructed straight line. The queen is the highest-value piece on the board. Don't bring your queen out right away--you're going to need it later in the game!
• Bishop: Moving on from royalty, bishops are the next pieces on the back rank, either side of the king and queen. Bishops move diagonally in any direction in a straight line. They may only move the number of unobstructed spaces. As a result of their movement rules, bishops will always stay on the same color square they start on.
• Knight: Knights move in two unique ways! Knights move in an “L” shape, two squares horizontally or vertically, then one square to the right or left. They cannot move diagonally. This tricky movement rule means knights are pieces to keep a special eye on to prevent surprises. The second special thing about knights is that they can “jump” over pieces in their path. They’re the only pieces that can do this.

• Rooks: The "castles" sit in the lower corners of the board, anchoring the layout. They move in straight horizontal and vertical lines. They may move any number of unobstructed spaces. The rook is vital for the defense of your king and often comes in handy in your endgame, so hold onto it for later stages of the game whenever possible.

Pawns

Pawns: The pawns are the lowest value chess pieces—so much so, they’re called “pawns” instead of pieces. They must move forward, advancing across the board toward the enemy. Pawns may move one or two squares straight ahead on their first move, but only one square at a time after that. They may move diagonally one square to take an opponent’s piece, then continue to advance straight ahead on that file. There are two special moves for pawns, so keep reading to get the most out of your foot soldiers.

Special Moves

There are three special moves every beginner needs to learn. We’ll start with the most common one first.

• Castling: Castling refers to a move in the back rank made to protect the king. When there are no pieces in the back rank between your castle and king, and neither piece has moved yet, you may move your king two spaces toward your castle and hop your castle to the other side of the king. This is a fantastic protective move! Your rook is in an active position while pawns protect the king.
• Pawn Promotion: If your pawn can safely advance all the way across the board to your opponent’s back rank, you may “promote” it to any piece you like! While a queen is the obvious choice in most situations, you may also add a knight, bishop, or rook to the board instead. This can drastically change the trajectory of your game, so keep those little pawns strategically advancing.
• En Passant: En passant refers to a special move when two opposing pawns are side-by-side after one moves two squares from its starting position. The pawn in the more advanced position can move to the square that was “skipped” on the next turn and take the enemy pawn. For example, if the white pawn moves two squares to e5 in the diagram to avoid capture. The black pawn on d5 is allowed to move to d6 for an en passant capture anyway. This must be done on the turn following the move of two squares.

Check and Checkmate

When your opponent moves a piece to a square where they could capture your king on the next move, that is called “check.” If your king can move out of check, or another piece can intervene, you are required to make that move. If you have no option that moves your king out of check, that is “checkmate,” and the game is over.

The king cannot move into danger. Any move that puts the king into check is not legal, whether it’s moving the king or one of your other pieces out of a protective position. For this reason, the two kings will never stand on adjacent spaces.

Stalemate is a situation where the players can’t advance the game, and neither can win by checkmate. If you find that one player is moving a piece back and forth in a series of checks, it’s probably a stalemate. Stalemate results in a draw.

Chess Matches

Playing a friendly game doesn’t require strict adherence to time controls or chess rules about touching pieces. You might even allow “take-backsies” to correct a blunder to keep a game going. If you’re in a competitive environment or more structured games at a club, you’ll want to know a few important rules to keep from committing a faux pas.

Time-controlled games use a chess clock to ensure both players get an equal amount of time to contemplate and make their moves. The clock is set to the correct time control at the beginning of the match (it varies). White’s clock starts when the game starts. After moving, White presses the lever or button to stop their clock and start Black’s time. Be sure to promptly press your button! When you aren't quick about it, your opponent has extra time to contemplate their move at your expense. If you run out of time, you will lose the game regardless of your board position.

Don’t touch a chess piece unless you intend to move it! If you need to adjust a piece because it’s askew, announce your intention and get acknowledgement before you touch the piece. In tournament settings, the arbiter may need to give permission. This can get tricky in fast-paced games like blitz. If you grab a piece and realize you made a mistake, you’re committed. Be gracious and remember to be less hasty next time.

Before you enter your first tournament, make sure you’ve mastered chess notation. You’ll be required to document your game for the tournament record. For a free primer on chess notation, check out Learn to Read and Write Chess by Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield.

Etiquette and Good Sportsmanship

Chess can be an intense and exciting game, especially during a long match or tournament. When playing a casual game with friends, you can do whatever’s comfortable. Playing in a club or tournament setting is a little more formal, however.

Competitive games are played in relative silence. You may talk about an aspect of play or discuss something with an arbiter or tournament director, but you should refrain from chatting or talking to yourself.

Win or lose, congratulate your opponent on a good game with a quick handshake and acknowledgement before leaving the board. It’s good to be in this habit for every game, casual or not. After all, it’s always good to share a game of chess, no matter the outcome.

It's a good idea to grab a copy of the official rule book if you're going to start playing more structured chess. Buy a copy of the US Chess Federation's Official Rules of Chess and have all the guidance you need in one handy book.

Have Fun and Keep Learning!

Chess is a worthy lifetime pursuit that will keep you learning for as long as you play. Congratulations on beginning your chess journey! See you across the board.