Chess 101 – Chess Setup and Rules

To learn chess, you need to know and understand its rules and how to set up the board and its pieces. Part of the lesson is identifying how certain pieces should move and where they can go. There may be a lot of references to help you get started, but we have listed down the essential things you must know about chess setup and rules to make it easier for you:

• Know the goal of chess – The ultimate objective of the game is the checkmate, which happens when you are able to trap the King of your opponent. Checkmate comes from ‘Shah Mat,’ a Persian phrase that literally means, ‘the King is ambushed.’

• Basic setup – The chessboard has eight columns and rows, totaling 64 alternating color squares. A unique pair of number and a letter corresponds to each square. Vertical files are identified as A to H, from the left of White (queenside) to the right. Horizontal ranks are numbered one to eight, starting from the area nearest to White’s side. Every square is identified by a file letter and a rank number. Basic chess setup and rules call for the white Queen to be on a white square, and the black Queen must be on a black square.
  
• Remember: White moves first – One of the most important things to remember in chess setup and rules is whoever takes the White side between you and your opponent starts the game. You will be taking turns, alternately moving a piece at a time. Movement is necessary, so you cannot pass.

• What happens if there are no moves left? - If it is your opponent’s turn to move and they are not in check, but they do not have legal moves anymore, that is a ‘Stalemate,’ which means that the game has ended in a draw.

• Every piece is allowed to move in a certain way – You may move a piece to another square or capture a piece of your opponent and replace it on its position. En passant, however, is an exception. A piece is unable to move through or over any other piece, except for the Knight.
  

Mastering the chess setup and rules calls for frequent practice and proper instruction from a qualified instructor. So, consider playing chess online and study with help from a chess instructor.

Finding the Best Chess Teacher to Learn Chess Strategies

Chess is certainly fun, but it can be hard to learn. It is a ‘mind game’ that requires you to make smart and strategic movements in order to win against your opponent or at least prevent a quick downfall. Have you considered hiring chess teachers to learn the right techniques?

It’s much easier to learn chess strategies when you have people around you who also play the game. But this is often not enough. Casual players often don’t have the skills to teach others; at most, you can only learn the basic movements of each piece and the game’s rules and regulations from them. If you’re serious about getting better at chess, it’s time to find a chess teacher.

Chess classes can be expensive and troublesome since it is mostly conducted in a classroom setting where you must leave your house. But fortunately, there are now a lot of websites where you can learn chess online.

When looking for classes, look for a site that is ranked as a leading online chess school. Make sure that they offer live sessions from real time chess teachers. These classes should be tailored to fit each students’ needs.

Be sure to join a class that is beginner friendly and caters to your age group. Also, if you are a person with special needs, look for an online chess school that has teachers who specialize in your needs. Most importantly, enroll in a class that is taught by a reputable online chess teacher who has many successful students in the field of chess.

Chess is not only a fun game-it has also been proven to be a great way to increase one’s IQ. It is also a perfect activity to teach your children as it can help them focus. Chess can be social, too, as it lets you meet new people and make new acquaintances.