Chess Board

When learning how to play chess, understanding how the chess board should be set up and what the different pieces mean is the first step that should be taken. No matter whether one owns a cheap chess board or an expensive chess board, the chess pieces will mean the same thing. Chess boards can be bought nearly anywhere. After one is purchased, the individual can start learning how to set it up.

• A chess board is designed with 64 squares of two alternate colors. There are 32 game pieces total and each player gets 16 of them for their team. Setting up a chess board begins with knowing where each chess piece is placed. Because of the chess pieces that must stay upright, a chess board should be placed on a hard and flat surface such as a table or a floor. There are two opponents in a chess match. One opponent should sit on either side of the chess board, facing each other. The chess board must be positioned so that a light colored square on the corner of each players’ side of the chess board.

• Chess boards have two different colored squares. The lighter squares and game pieces are known as the white team, no matter if they are a completely different color. The darker squares on the chess board, along with its corresponding pieces, is always known as the black team. The white team will always make the first move when beginning a game. There are three types of rows on chess boards. The rows that go across the chess board horizontally are called ranks. There are eight squares in a rank. The rows that run lengthwise up and down the chess board is called files. Lastly, the rows that go in a diagonal direction are called diagonals. There are five different chess pieces that can move around the chess boards in different ways. Knowing how each chess piece can move is very important when it comes to learning how to play chess.

• The five chess pieces are called pawns, rooks, knights, bishops, kings and queens. Each player gets eight pawns, two bishops, two rooks, two knights, one queen, and one king for their side of the chess board. The rank closest to each player is set with the queen in one middle square and the king in the other. The queen should be placed on the light colored middle square and the king on the dark colored one. Each player’s side of the chess board should be a mirror image of the other side. The two bishops are placed in the same row on the chess board as the king and queen, with one on either side of them. The two knights are then placed on either side of the bishops. In the same rank, the two rooks are set up so that one is in each back corner of the chess board. All eight pawns are placed in the rank directly in front of the other chess pieces. Since each pawn has the same value, it does not matter which of the pawns is placed in which square.

Once someone knows how to set up a chess board, they can begin learning the moves and abilities of the chess pieces. Understanding the layouts of a chess board must happen before an individual begins to play chess.