Correctly placing the chess pieces is the first step to starting a game. This guide will help you understand the initial position of each piece, ensuring you set up the board properly. You’ll also find helpful tips to remember how to arrange the pieces. Let’s get started!
How to place the chessboard?
Before setting up the pieces, it’s essential to position the chessboard correctly. Proper board orientation ensures that both the squares and pieces are in their ideal locations, providing a fair and optimal playing experience for both players.
Placement of the chessboard: Its lower right square is white.
The bottom-right corner of the board should always feature a white or light-colored square. This is a basic principle of correct board placement. If the bottom-right corner is dark, simply rotate the board 90 degrees to achieve the correct orientation before starting your game. By following these steps, you will have your chessboard correctly oriented.
How to place the chess pieces? Discover the initial position of the pieces
Once the board is well oriented, it is time to place the pieces in their initial positions. At the beginning of the game, each player has a total of 16 pieces, so there are 16 white pieces and 16 black pieces, for a total of 32 pieces on the board. Next, we will guide you through the process of placing each piece, so that you can correctly place all the chess pieces in their initial position.
1. Place the rooks
The rooks are placed first. They go in the corners: “a1” and “h1” for white, and “a8” and “h8” for black. Each player starts with two rooks, positioned in the lower-left and lower-right corners of their side.
Rooks are highly valuable pieces due to their ability to move quickly across the board. In most games, they are activated after the minor pieces (bishops and knights) develop, maximizing their powerful long-range influence.
In addition, the rooks are involved in a special move in chess which is castling. This move is the only one in chess that allows you to move 2 pieces at the same time, and serves to put the king to safety and also to activate the rook in the same move. Find out more about castling here.
2. Position the knights
The knights are placed next to the rooks, on the squares immediately adjacent to each corner. One knight goes to the right of the left rook, and the other to the left of the right rook.
In the initial position, knights are the only pieces (besides pawns) that can move right away, as they can jump over other pieces.
3. Place the bishops
After the knights, place the bishops. They occupy the third squares from the corners, one on each side. Bishops are crucial for both defense and board control.
Positioning the bishops effectively is key to controlling long diagonals. Bishops are particularly strong when placed centrally, maximizing their range for both offense and defense.
Triangle of Strength Rule: Imagine that the rook, knight, and bishop on each side form a triangle of strength around the king and queen. This visualization helps you remember the correct placement.
4. Place the queen
The queen follows the simple rule of the queen on her color. The white queen is placed on the white central square, and the black queen on the black central square. The queen always starts next to the king.
Since the queen is the most powerful piece on the board, it’s generally recommended not to bring it out too early in the game, to avoid unnecessary risks.
5. Place the king
The king occupies the remaining central square next to the queen. This ensures the king begins the game in a secure and proper position.
The king is the most important piece in chess, as checkmating the king determines the winner. Throughout the game, it’s crucial to protect your king — a strong defense lays the foundation for a successful attack.
6. Place the pawns
Pawns are positioned on the second rank (the “second row”) of each side of the board. Their initial setup serves as a defensive wall, protecting the major pieces behind them. Place all eight pawns on the row in front of your main pieces.
At the start of the game, as we have mentioned, each side has a total of 8 pawns, so it is the piece that is most often found on the board at the start of a game. A good advance of pawns can open spaces for other pieces and put pressure on the opponent, gaining a positional advantage that can help us win the game.
In addition, the pawns are involved in 2 special chess moves: the en passant capture and the crowning of the pawn. It is important to know both moves to avoid surprises during the game, as both moves can be decisive in many positions. If you want to discover more information about these articles, you can visit them here.
Order of placement of the chess pieces
Setting up the chess pieces is simple: place all the pawns on the second row, and follow this order for the back row:
- Rooks: In the corners.
- Knights: Next to the rooks.
- Bishops: Next to the knights.
- Queen: On her color square.
- King: On the remaining square next to the queen.
Who makes the first move in chess?
The player with the white pieces always makes the first move in a game of chess.
Before the game begins, it is usually decided at random who will play with the white pieces, using methods such as flipping a coin or guessing the color of a hidden pawn.
The player with the white pieces starts the game, followed by the player with the black pieces, and turns alternate until the game ends. The player who starts first (with white) has a slight advantage, as they can take the initiative from the very beginning.
What is the purpose of chess?
The objective of chess is to place the opponent’s king in checkmate, a position where the king is under threat of capture and has no legal move to escape. Achieving this means winning the game.
Players also aim to control the board, defend their pieces, and create opportunities to attack the opponent’s king while protecting their own. Ultimately, however, the primary objective of chess is to checkmate the opponent’s king.
However, a game of chess is not always won. A chess game can end in 3 different outcomes:
- The side with the white pieces wins the game, giving checkmate to the black king.
- The side with the black pieces wins the game, giving checkmate to the white king.
- Neither side is able to win the game, so a draw is reached (or agreed). This result is called a draw in chess.
The value of chess pieces
Chess piece value is an approximate scoring system that assigns a numerical value to each piece. This value serves as a guide for evaluating positions and making strategic exchange decisions. Although the values are approximate, they provide a solid foundation for understanding which pieces are more valuable in different positions.
Standard chess piece values in order
- Pawn: 1 point
- Knight: 3 points
- Bishop: 3 points
- Rook: 5 points
- Queen: 9 points
- King: Invaluable (capture ends the game)
However, as mentioned above, these numerical values are very general because their importance can vary depending on the position. For example, a knight is often more effective in closed positions than a bishop. In certain situations, a bishop or knight can even be more valuable than a rook, since the rook’s mobility may be limited while the minor pieces can exert greater influence.
Therefore, we can see that while pieces have assigned numerical values, these can change depending on the position. A chess player can gain a positional advantage when their pieces are better placed than those of the opponent.
Exchanging chess pieces
Understanding the relative value of the pieces helps you decide when an exchange is worthwhile. For example, trading a rook (5 points) for a minor piece, such as a bishop or knight (3 points), is usually a poor exchange. However, trading a queen (9 points) for two rooks (10 points combined) is often advantageous.
Basic rules of tournament chess (competitive chess)
The rules of official chess championships are very strict. In tournament or competitive chess, FIDE (the International Chess Federation) sets certain “Laws of Chess,” which include the following:
- Chess clock: Each player has a set amount of time for the entire game, controlled by a chess clock. After making a move, the player must press the clock to activate the opponent’s time. If a player runs out of time, they lose the game, with a few exceptions.
- Move recording: Players must record each move on a scoresheet to keep a record of the game. This notation must be accurate and continuous until the game is complete.
- Touch-move rule: If a player touches a piece, they must move it (if a legal move is available). Likewise, if they touch an opponent’s piece, they must capture it if possible. If they wish to adjust a piece without moving it, they must announce it by saying “J’adoube.”
- No outside assistance: Players are not allowed to receive help or advice from others, use electronic devices, or consult books or analysis during the game.
The basic rules of chess are very important and should be followed even when not playing in an official tournament, in order to develop good habits.
How to record a chess game
Recording a chess game is essential for both beginners and advanced players, as it allows you to analyze your moves, learn from mistakes, and study games played by grandmasters. To record a game, you only need a board, pieces, a pen, and a scoresheet or chess notebook. Most tournaments provide official scoresheets, but in casual games, any sheet of paper will do.
Standard chess notation format
The algebraic chess notation system is the most commonly used format for recording chess moves. This system is universally understood and makes it easy to read and analyze games from players around the world.
Algebraic notation is based on a coordinate system where each square is identified by a combination of a letter and a number. Columns are labeled with letters (a-h) and rows with numbers (1-8). For example, a square may be referred to as “e4,” “c6,” or “f7.” Each piece is represented by an abbreviation, and specific symbols are used to indicate special moves.
We hope this article has helped introduce you to the world of chess. You can visit our official Chesscul blog to learn about openings, tactics, strategy, and endgames, all for free. And if you’re feeling inspired, you can also try a class at our school for FREE!
