Classic chess rules

Initial setup

Chess is played on a chessboard, a square board that is divided into sixty-four squares (eight-by-eight) of alternating color, which is similar to that used in draughts (checkers) (FIDE 2008). No matter what the actual color of the board, the lighter-colored squares are called "light" or "white", and the darker-colored squares are called "dark" or "black". Sixteen "white" and sixteen "black" pieces are placed on the board at the beginning of the game. The board is placed so that a white square is in the near-right corner, and a black one in the near-left. Each player controls sixteen pieces:

• one king
• one queen
• two rooks
• two bishops
• two knights
• eight pawns

At the beginning of the game, the pieces are arranged as shown in the diagram to the right. The second row from the player contains the eight pawns; the row nearest the player contains the remaining pieces:

• The rooks are placed on the outside corners.
• The knights are placed immediately inside of the rooks.
• The bishops are placed immediately inside of the knights.
• The queen is placed on the central square of the same color of that of the player: white queen on the white square and black queen on the black square.
• The king takes the vacant spot next to the queen.

Popular phrases used to remember the setup, often heard in beginners' clubs, are "queen on own color" and "white on right". The latter refers to setting up the board so that the square closest to each player's right is white.