Players need to understand the vital rules in their entirety before beginning to play. For the readers, we will go over some of the subjects associated with official chess rules in this text.
- Chess rules in short (TL;DR)
- Article’s Key Points
- What are the chess rules?
- Chess rules for beginners: where to start
- Gameplay rules in chess
- Chessboard setup
- How pieces move, capture, and turn
- Piece moves and values at a glance
- Special moves
- Draw conditions
- Resignation
- Touch-move rule
- Tournament play rules
- Time control rules
- Conclusion
- FAQs about chess rules
- What are the basic rules of chess?
- Who goes first in chess?
- Can a piece jump over another piece in chess?
- Can you move into check in chess?
- Can you have two queens in chess?
- Does the king go on its own colour?
- Is the game over if the king is captured?
Chess rules in short (TL;DR)
Chess is played on a 64-square board between White and Black. White moves first, and players alternate turns, moving one piece at a time. Each piece moves in its own way: the pawn forward, the knight in an L-shape, the bishop diagonally, the rook in straight lines, the queen in any direction, and the king one square at a time.
The goal is checkmate: trapping the enemy king so it cannot escape capture. A game can also end in a draw, for example by stalemate, repetition, or insufficient material. A few special moves complete the rules: castling, pawn promotion, and en passant.
Article’s Key Points
- Chess is played between White and Black on a board of 64 squares, with White always making the first move, and every rule exists to keep the game fair and playable from move one to checkmate.
- The setup and movement rules tell you how each piece starts, how it moves, how it captures, and how powerful it is, from the one-point pawn to the king, which can’t be lost because the game ends if it’s trapped.
- There are special mechanics you must know: check and checkmate, castling to protect your king, promotion when a pawn reaches the last rank, and en passant (a special pawn capture).
- Not every game ends in mate; chess can be a draw for many reasons like stalemate, insufficient material, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule, mutual agreement, or even if one side’s time runs out but the other side can’t possibly mate.
- Resignation is normal and means you accept defeat before checkmate, and the touch-move rule means you can’t freely “test” moves with your hand – if you touch it to move it, you play it.
- Official (tournament) chess adds its own discipline: recording moves, announcing adjustments (“j’adoube”), following FIDE procedure, and playing under a clock where different time controls (classical, rapid, blitz) change the rhythm of the entire game.
- Continue reading to get detailed explanations of those points.
What are the chess rules?
The chess rules set particular guidelines for each player and regulate the game. There are two colors in this game, each representing one player. They are usually white and black, with the white always starting the game first. The game is played with chess pieces on a chessboard. When the players are face-to-face (also known as over-the-board), a physical chessboard and 16 pieces are required for each player. When players battle it out online, the site automatically sets up the game.
Chess rules for beginners: where to start
If you have never played, you only need a handful of rules to start a real game. The rest will make sense once the pieces are moving.
- Set up the board so each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner.
- White always moves first, then players take turns, one move at a time.
- Learn how each piece moves and what it is worth before you trade them.
- Never leave your king in check, and try to put the enemy king in check safely.
- Castle early to keep your king safe and connect your rooks.
- The game ends when one king is checkmated, when a player resigns, or when the position is a draw.
Gameplay rules in chess
Chessboard setup
For every side, there are sixteen pieces. The pieces are designated as follows: Pawn (8), Bishop (2), Rook (2), Queen (1), Knight (2), and King (1).
Some chess rules govern where these pieces go on the chessboard. A chessboard has sixty-four squares; at the beginning of the game, thirty-two of these are covered by chess pieces. Of those sixty-four squares, thirty-two are light, and the remaining thirty-two are dark.
Players must check that their pieces are positioned correctly before placing them on the board. Each side of the board should have a black square in the bottom left corner. For that corner square, “a-file” (which indicates the a-file) should also be visible for the White player.
A quick way to check the starting position: the back rank holds the heavier pieces from corner to corner: rook, knight, bishop, then queen and king in the centre, then bishop, knight, rook. Two rules make the centre easy to remember: the queen starts on her own colour (the white queen on a light square, the black queen on a dark square), and the kings face each other on the e-file. The eight pawns stand on the rank directly in front.
The letters and numbers are used in the algebraic notation to notate the moves during the games.
1) The pawns.
Placing all the pawns is an excellent way to start to set up the board. The eight pawns we mentioned should be placed at the second rank of each player (seventh rank for the Black player).
2) The Rooks.
The next step is to locate the Rooks on the very corner squares. This way, the other pieces will be placed between them.
3) The Knights.
Then, we locate the Knights next to our Rooks.
4) The Bishops
After that, Bishops are placed next to the Knights.
5) The Queens
Then, the Queens are located on the player’s color.
6) The Kings.
Finally, we give the seat to the last remaining square for our old King.
How pieces move, capture, and turn
After White begins the game, each player moves once each turn. Sides are not allowed to skip any turns, and if one player cannot make a legal move, the game ends with a result.
Piece moves and values at a glance
| Piece | How it moves | Captures | Value (points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pawn | One square forward (two on its first move) | One square diagonally forward | 1 |
| Knight | In an L-shape; the only piece that jumps over others | The same way it moves | 3 |
| Bishop | Any number of squares diagonally | The same way it moves | 3 |
| Rook | Any number of squares horizontally or vertically | The same way it moves | 5 |
| Queen | Any number of squares in any straight direction | The same way it moves | 9 |
| King | One square in any direction | Any piece except the rival king | Cannot be captured; the game ends if it is checkmated |
Let’s start discovering the pieces with the Queen.
Each party begins the game with one Queen. If any pawns are promoted, the player can choose to have a new Queen. The Queen can move in any direction along the diagonal, horizontal or vertical.
The movement of the Queen.
The Queen is the sum of a Rook and a Bishop. This enables her to cover many places and shift the target within seconds. She is considered to have nine points of value, the same as nine pawns.
The Queen attacks the pawn.
She captures the pieces in the same way she moves.
The Queen captured the pawn.
Each side begins the game with two Rooks. The Rook is the strongest piece after the Queen, with five points of value.
The movement of the Rook.
The Rook can move to any square either horizontally or vertically, and it captures similarly as well.
The Bishops are regarded as minor pieces, just like the Knights. Both sides begin with two Bishops. One Bishop is worth three points, and this makes them more readily disposable than major pieces.
The movement of the Bishop.
Both Bishops occupy a different color of the board. This enables both of them to be in tandem. They can move in any diagonal square and capture any piece the same way they move.
Just like Bishops and Rooks, both sides start with a pair of Knights. The Knights are special chess pieces that can be estimated to have a three-point value. This makes them akin to a Bishop.
The movement of the Knight.
They move uniquely; only they have the power to jump over other pieces. They move in the L shape, with two squares directly (vertical or horizontal) and one square perpendicular to it. They also capture any enemy piece the exact way they move.
Both sides start out with one King. He is the most significant chess piece because it is game over if he dies according to the rules of chess.
The movement of the King.
He can be moved one square in all directions, thus making him one of the weakest chess pieces. He can capture any chess piece other than the rival King in the same way he moves. A King cannot land on any square that is occupied by an adversary piece.
Both sides start with eight pawns. In terms of its value, it is worth one point.
The movement of the Pawns.
Compared to the other pieces, they move and grab differently. They advance by one square in the same row. If they have never moved, these pieces may move two squares. They may also take any piece on one square left or right diagonal. When a pawn arrives at the opponent’s first rank, it can promote and become any piece except the King.
Special moves
If any of the pieces we mentioned attack the rival King, it is called a “check.” According to the chess rules, the player under check must deal with this threat.
The White Queen attacks the enemy King.
To avoid check, the player can either capture the assaulting piece, move the King into safety, or block the check with an ally piece.
The Black Knight can block the check.
The King can escape the check by moving the highlighted squares.
The e6-Knight can capture the attacking Queen to stop the check.
The game ends with a checkmate if the enemy cannot avoid the check on their turn.
An example of a checkmate.
A famous quick checkmate shows how the rule works in practice. White brings out the bishop and queen to aim at the f7-square, the weakest point near the black king. When the queen captures on f7, it is protected by the bishop, the black king cannot take it, and no piece can block or escape, that is checkmate, and the game ends at once.
The most commonly used special chess rule is perhaps “castling.”
Castling is typically done to get the King well away from danger, and one of those Rooks is working!
An illustration of castling.
Castling cannot be done if the King has moved in any direction prior to castling. Another element required for this move is the Rook. If one of the Rooks moves before castling, the King cannot get castled on that side.
The King cannot castle because g1-square is controlled by the enemy Bishop.
If the King is under check, he can only castle once the threat is dealt with. The pathway of the King should also be safe for castling rules to be viable.
The King may castle either on the long or short sides.
If White King castles on the short side, the King slides two squares right (to the g1-square) and places the h1-Rook one square left (to the f1-square).
If White King castles on the long side, the King slides two squares left (to the c1-square) and places the a1-Rook one square right (to the d1-square).
Similarly, the Black player does the same act symmetrically.
Here is castling in a real opening. After both sides develop a knight and a bishop, White castles kingside: the king moves from e1 to g1 and the rook jumps from h1 to f1 in a single move. This tucks the king into the corner and brings the rook toward the centre.
Another crucial special move is “pawn promotion.” Once a pawn lands on the last rank on the board, they can become any chess piece other than the rival King.
White can be promoted if the pawn moves forward.
A promotion to Queen is typically desired due to her excessive power. Occasionally, players might need to promote the pawn to other chess pieces. This condition is called “underpromotion.”
Another special move concerning pawns is “en passant.” Any pawn that moves two squares forward at its initial move and stands beside an enemy pawn of the same rank is subject to being captured “en passant” by the enemy pawn as if it had moved one square only instead of two.
This capture is legal only in the first turn and cannot be applied in subsequent turns.
An example makes en passant clear. White pushes a pawn to e5. Black answers by advancing a pawn two squares, from d7 to d5, so it lands right beside the white pawn. On the very next move, and only then, White may capture as if the black pawn had moved one square, landing on d6.
Draw conditions
Let’s discuss the following conditions regarding the chess draw rules:
1) Insufficient material occurs when either side does not possess enough material to checkmate the enemy. “King versus King, King versus King + Knight, King versus King + Bishop, and any combination of King + one minor piece for each side” is declared a draw.
2) Agreement of a draw occurs when both parties accept the draw and shake hands.
3) Stalemate occurs when one side has no legal move and they are not in check.
Black to play, stalemate by rules!
4) The fifty-move rule occurs when no pawn moves or captures were made in the last fifty moves.
5) Threefold repetition occurs when the exact same position is repeated three times.
6) Running out of time while the enemy has insufficient material occurs when one player loses all of their time, but they cannot lose the chess game due to their opponent’s insufficient material.
Resignation
Resignation means the admission of loss. If one player resigns, the opponent wins the chess game by rules. It is often declared verbally. In online games, there is a resignation button to forfeit from the game.
Touch-move rule
If a player touches any piece to move it, they have to move that piece (if it is legally available) in that turn by chess rules. If the piece is not dropped on the new square, the player can choose where to put it. If the intention is to adjust the piece, players should say “I adjust” or “J’adoube” before adjusting the piece to avoid confusion.
Tournament play rules
There are several other chess rules for competitive chess. Chess tournament rules may vary depending on the time format, the chess federation, and the tournament type.
These are some of the most common rules of chess, according to FIDE:
1) The players must use one hand to move the pieces.
2) Each player must record their moves in their scoresheet (unless it is a blitz game).
3) Players must state their intention of adjusting the piece (such as J’adoube) before touching it.
4) Wins gain one (1) point, draws gain half a point, and losses do not gain any points.
The complete rules of FIDE are outside the scope of this article. Competitive players can reach out to FIDE’s chess rules manual to ensure they don’t miss anything!
Time control rules
- The clocks work in such a way that only one clock runs at a time. If the given time has expired for that player, they lose the game by official chess rules unless the opponent has insufficient material (in that case, the game ends with a draw).
- Before the game, the referee chooses where to put the clock on the board. Once the game starts, the player’s clock with the White pieces starts ticking.
- If a player claims a condition inaccurately, the opponent might gain extra time, or the player who claimed the condition might have a time penalty.
- The time controls are divided into classical and fast time controls. Among the fast time controls, the most popular ones are the rapid and blitz time controls.
- In classical games, both sides have at least 120 minutes in their clock (which may increase after the move-60) for master-level players. This number can decrease to 60 minutes for amateur players.
- In rapid games, both parties have 10 to 60 minutes by chess rules.
- According to FIDE, 10 or fewer minutes are considered blitz games. However, most online platforms consider the games until 3 minutes “bullet” rather than blitz.
Conclusion
The chess players must acknowledge the chess rules mentioned to be proficient in this game. Some of the tournaments apply different rules of chess game for different time formats. It is recommended to look at the tournament regulations before diving into the battle.
FAQs about chess rules
What are the basic rules of chess?
Two players, White and Black, take turns moving one piece at a time on a 64-square board. White moves first. Each piece moves in its own pattern, and the goal is to checkmate the enemy king. A game can also end in a draw or by resignation.
Who goes first in chess?
White always makes the first move. Colours are usually decided by chance before the game, and in tournaments they are assigned by the pairing.
Can a piece jump over another piece in chess?
Only the knight can jump over other pieces. Every other piece is blocked by anything standing in its path, whether friendly or enemy.
Can you move into check in chess?
No. You may never make a move that leaves your own king in check. If your only “moves” would expose the king, and you are not currently in check, the game is a stalemate and ends in a draw.
Can you have two queens in chess?
Yes. When a pawn reaches the far rank it can promote, and most players choose a queen. You can have several queens on the board at the same time.
Does the king go on its own colour?
No, the queen goes on her own colour, and the king takes the square beside her. The white king starts on a dark square and the black king on a light square.
Is the game over if the king is captured?
The king is never actually captured. The game ends one move earlier, at checkmate, when the king is under attack and has no legal way to escape.
