How to Set up a Chess Board Properly?
Understanding how to set up a chess board is a crucial component of playing the game, regardless of experience level or novice status.
Millions of people worldwide have been enjoying the popular and cerebral game of chess for centuries.
It will be difficult or impossible to play the rest of the game if your chessboard is not set up correctly.
Primarily because different chess pieces move in different ways, and if they aren’t positioned correctly, they might not move at all.
It’s a board game for two players that requires planning, strategy, and judgment. Setting up the chessboard could be intimidating if you’re new to the game.
But it’s easy to set up your chess board and get started with a few easy steps.
Steps on How to Set up a Chess Board
Follow the steps we have outlined below to help you set up your chessboard properly;
1. Orientate the Board Correctly
Consider the following when positioning your board: white on the right.
This indicates that the square on your board that faces you and is in the right-hand corner should be white.
2. Set Your Pawns on Row 2
The next step is to position your pawns in the second rank, or second row.
Your pawns must be positioned in every square color in the row, leaving no space between them.
3. Set Your Rooks in the Corners
Next, we must place your rooks in each corner of your first row (rank).
Thus, place one rook in the corner on your left that is closest to you, and then in the corner on your right. One rook will be in one square color, and another rook will be in the other.
4. Set Your Knights Next to Your Rooks
Next, place your two knights in the squares in the first row adjacent to your rooks.
Once more, one knight will be in the square of light color and the other in the square of darker color.
5. Set Your Bishops Next to Your Knights
Your bishops must now be positioned on either side of your knights. One is to the left of the other, and vice versa.
6. Put Your Queen in the Same Colour
By this point, the first row should only contain two squares remaining. Therefore, you must position your queen on the final square that shares her color scheme.
Consider dressing the queen in a dress of the same color to help you remember this.
7. Set Your King in the Last Square
Next, position your king in the last vacant square in the first row. The monarch will be seated in a color distinct from his own.
8. You are Ready to Play
You are now prepared to play because all of your pieces are correctly positioned. The first to move in a chess match is whoever has the lighter piece.
What are the Basic Rules of Playing Chess?
Do you want to learn the fundamentals of playing chess? Here is a brief explanation of how the rules operate.
Every player in chess takes a turn making a single move. Players are forced to move a piece during a turn and cannot opt to skip one.
Every chess piece has a certain way of moving, and it must be moved under its permitted movement.
Pieces cannot move through pieces of either color without stopping (with a piece of the same color) or capturing them (with a piece of the opposite color), except for the knight, which may jump over pieces.
How to Move Chess Pieces
Now that you know how to set up your chess board, let’s know how to move your chess pieces while playing;
1. Pawn
Pawns advance straight ahead, one square at a time. They are unable to move backward, diagonally, or horizontally.
This does not apply if a pawn has not yet been moved during the game. A pawn can advance two squares in one move if it hasn’t moved yet.
The two squares have to be empty. Another option available to the player is to move the piece one square.
A pawn can only move diagonally to capture a piece held by an opponent. On either of the diagonal spaces to the left or right of the piece, pawns may capture an opponent’s piece.
2. Rook (Castle)
The rook, also known as the castle, can move along its current row (rank) or column (file) in any number of squares in a horizontal direction.
It can move onto an occupied space to capture pieces of the opposite color, but it cannot pass through pieces of the same color. For whatever reason, it cannot move diagonally.
3. Knight
The only chess piece that can be moved “through” or “jumping” over other pieces is the knight.
It moves over pieces of either color while moving, but it cannot move to a square occupied by a piece of the same color. It catches pieces as usual by landing on a space occupied by a piece of the opposite color.
A set “L” pattern is followed by knights as they move: two squares forward, backward, left, or right, followed by one square horizontally or vertically, or vice versa, with one square forward, backward, left, or right, and two squares horizontally or vertically to finish the “L” shape.
4. Bishop
The bishop can move diagonally in any number of squares; It always moves along the diagonal line that corresponds to the square’s current color.
This implies that one bishop that can move on each color is available to each player at the start of the game. For whatever reason, a bishop is immobile both vertically and horizontally.
It can only move onto its square to capture a piece of the opposite color from those it cannot pass through.
5. Queen
Any number of squares may be moved by the queen in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction. During a single turn, these motions have to be performed in a single straight line.
To put it another way, you are not allowed to move three squares diagonally and then three spaces vertically.
The queen moves onto the square of the opposite color to capture it since she is unable to pass through pieces of the same color.
6. King
The king can move one space in a diagonal, vertical, or horizontal direction. The king is not allowed to move into a position that would give the opposing player a check or checkmate.
The king, unlike all other chess pieces, is never captured. If the king is brought into checkmate, the opponent will unavoidably take it during their subsequent turn, and the player loses the game.
Although it can appear difficult at first, setting up a chessboard is a straightforward procedure that is easy to learn.
You can enjoy the game of chess and correctly set up your chess board by following these steps. Never forget that practice makes perfect, so start playing chess now.
