Chess basics

Start here if chess is new to you. Each guide has a board on the page, so you can try every rule as you read it.

1. 1How to play chess: the complete beginner's guideLearn how to play chess from the first move: the board, every piece, how a game starts, and how it ends. Play a short game and three puzzles here.
2. 2How to set up a chess boardSet up a chess board in five steps. Two checks catch every mistake: white on the right, and the queen on her own colour.
3. 3How every chess piece movesHow the king, queen, rook, bishop, knight and pawn move, with a diagram for each one and a playable study with a chapter per piece.
4. 4How the knight moves in chessThe knight moves in an L shape and is the only piece that jumps. Learn the move, the colour trick, and solve two knight tour exercises on the page.
5. 5How pawns move, capture and promoteA pawn walks forward one square, captures on the diagonal, may start with a double step, and turns into a queen at the end. Three puzzles included.
6. 6En passant explainedEn passant is a special pawn capture. See when it is allowed, when it is not, and try it on a board you can move pieces on.
7. 7Castling rules: king side and queen sideHow to castle on both sides, every case where castling is not allowed, and a board you can try each case on.
8. 8Check, checkmate and stalemate: the differenceStalemate vs checkmate vs draw, explained with three positions side by side, so you never give away a won game again.
9. 9How to read and write chess notationRead and write chess moves in algebraic notation, with every symbol explained and a famous 17-move game to follow along on the board.