Pawns
White pawns begin on the second rank and Black pawns on the seventh.
Start with the basics
Chess Rules for Beginners
Chess is played by two opponents on an 8×8 board. White moves first, and the goal is to checkmate the opponent's king. This guide explains board setup, piece movement, castling, en passant, promotion, check, checkmate, stalemate, and common draws.
What is the goal of chess?
The goal is to checkmate the opponent's king. Checkmate occurs when the king is under attack and there is no legal move that removes the threat. The king is not captured; the game ends at checkmate.
You may never make a move that leaves your own king in check.
How to set up a chessboard
The board has 64 squares. From each player's viewpoint, the nearest right-hand corner square should be light.
Back-rank pieces
From the edge toward the center: rook, knight, bishop, then queen and king, followed symmetrically by bishop, knight, and rook.
Queen on her own color
The White queen starts on d1, a light square; the Black queen starts on d8, a dark square.
First move
White always moves first, then the players alternate turns.
How the chess pieces move
King
Moves one adjacent square in any direction, provided the destination is not attacked.
Queen
Moves any number of clear squares along a rank, file, or diagonal.
Rook
Moves any number of clear squares along a rank or file.
Bishop
Moves any number of clear squares diagonally and remains on squares of one color throughout the game.
Knight
Moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and one sideways. It is the only piece that can jump over other pieces.
Pawn
Moves one square forward into an empty square; from its starting square it may move one or two squares if clear. It captures one square diagonally forward and never moves backward.
Special chess rules
Castling
The king moves two squares toward a rook and the rook moves to the square the king crossed. It is legal only if the king and that rook have not moved, the squares between them are empty, the king is not in check, and the king does not cross or finish on an attacked square.
En passant
If an opposing pawn advances two squares from its starting position and lands beside your pawn, your pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square. The capture is available only immediately on the next move.
Promotion
When a pawn reaches the farthest rank, it must immediately be replaced by a queen, rook, bishop, or knight of the same color. The choice is not limited to previously captured pieces.
Check, checkmate, and stalemate
CheckThe king is attacked and the threat must be removed with a legal move.
CheckmateThe king is in check and no legal move can save it. The game ends immediately.
StalemateThe player has no legal move but the king is not in check. The game is drawn.
When is a chess game drawn?
The side to move has no legal move and its king is not in check.
Neither side can checkmate by any sequence of legal moves.
FIDE rules allow a correct claim after three occurrences and automatically end the game after five occurrences.
A player can claim under the 50-move rule; 75 such moves by each player end the game automatically unless the final move produces checkmate.
How to start learning chess
Learn legal movement first
Knowing how every piece moves and recognizing check matters more than memorizing opening names.
Practice slowly
Play against the computer to get comfortable with the board at your own pace.
Learn tactical patterns
Continue with chess tactics for beginners and chess puzzles.
Build a training plan
Read how to improve at chess and choose a useful chess time control.
Chess rules: beginner questions
Who moves first in chess?
White always makes the first move.
Can you skip a move?
No. If you have a legal move, you must make one.
Can you castle through check?
No. The king may not castle while in check, cross an attacked square, or finish on an attacked square.
What can a pawn promote to?
A queen, rook, bishop, or knight of the same color.
What is the difference between checkmate and stalemate?
Checkmate is a loss because the king is in check with no escape. Stalemate is a draw because there are no legal moves but the king is not in check.
Once the rules are familiar, the next step is learning how to read and write chess moves.