The Chessboard

The chessboard is a perfect square, consisting of 64 smaller squares that alternate in color, dark and light. To set up the chessboard correctly, the lower right hand cornet should always be a light square. Each horizontal row is called a rank; each vertical row, a file. In the game itself, pieces, depending on their particular scope, can move along the ranks and files, but may also move diagonally on the chessboard.

The Chess Pieces

The game is played with chess pieces, also called either men or chessmen, and pawns, a total of 32 in all, 16 for each side. Each player, black and white, has eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen, and one king. To verify the position of the pieces, always remember that the queen of each side is always on its own color; i.e.. the white queen is on a light square and the black queen on a dark square.

Castling

Since the king is so important and his safety is of prime strategical consideration, the rules of chess allow castling, which puts the king in a position of great safety. It can be done by either player, and can be done on either side of the board; the king's side (where the king stands) (king-side castling) or the queen's side (where the queen stands) (queen-side castling). Castling involves moving the king and either the queen's rook or the king's rook, depending upon the side one is castling on, and must meet the following criteria: First of all, neither the rook nor the king can have moved previously. Secondly, no pieces can stand between the king and the rook. Third, the king cannot castle into or through check. Fourth, it must be that side's turn to move, for castling counts as a single move. And last, the king cannot be in check. The notation used for castling is as follows: King-side castling = 0 - 0, Queen-side castling = 0 - 0 - 0

Drawn

A game may be drawn, or tied, under the following circumstances. a) Both parties agree by mutual consent. b) There are insufficient pieces on the board to force checkmate. For example, if one player has only a king remaining, and the other has but a knight or bishop and a king, then checkmate is impossible. c) Perpetual check ends the game in a draw. If one side can perpetually check the opponent's king, and does so to force a draw, the game is over. d) Repetition of the identical position for any three times during the game ends in a draw. This prevents constant stalling by one side. e) Stalemate causes a draw. In this case, the king is the only piece that can make a legitimate move, and it's only move is into check. Since a king can't move into check, it is a stalemate. f) If, in fifty consecutives moves, there has been no capture or no pawn has moved, it is a drawn game.

Additional Rules of Play

White always makes the first opening move, and then black moves, and thereafter each side alternates with one move a piece.

The object of the game is to capture the opposing king, known as checkmate. Once he is captured, the game is over. A player who puts the opposing in take may announce this by saying "check". During most professional tournaments, strong chess players customarily do not announce "check". For beginners, we suggest announcing "check" every time they put the opposing king in take. 

A player shouldn't wait for his king to be captured to lose the game if his or her position in hopeless. Often beginners lose piece after piece and still play on. If you have a lost position, you can resign. You resign by announcing your resignation or tipping over your own king. Most tournament games end in resignation, rather than checkmate.

A piece or pawn is captured when the opposing piece or pawn moves into its square. After a piece or pawn is so captured, it is taken off the board and removed from play.

A pawn that reaches the eighth rank must be replaced by another piece, other than a king. Usually it is replaced by a queen. This is called queening, or pawn promotion.

In private games, there is usually no time limit to the number of moves that can be made. However, in tournament play, a chess clock is used, and each player has a predetermined amount of time to make all his moves. If he/she can't make his/her moves within that time frame, he/she loses the game.

If a player touches a piece or pawn, he/she is obligated to move that piece or pawn. If he/she touches several pieces or pawns, the opponent can choose which piece or pawn should be moved. For beginners, this is important. Learn to play patiently, and don't touch any piece or pawn until you are sure you want to move it. A player may adjust his pieces or pawns, however, without a penalty. The usual phrase, said beforehand, is " I adjust"


If an illegal move is made by an opponent, he/she must retract it upon demand of the other player, and another legal move must be made by the same piece or pawn. If the illegal move was a capture, the capture must be made legally by another piece, if possible.