Wings Chess
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Chess rules · beginner

How to Set Up a Chessboard

Every square has a name, like a map.

Last updated

touch_appLearn it by doing: read the short explanation, then play it on the board.

Quick answer

Place the board so each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner. Put the rooks in the corners, then the knights, then the bishops. The queen goes on her own colour (white queen on d1, black queen on d8) and the king beside her. Fill the second row with pawns.

Step by step

Chess is played on a board of 64 squares: 8 rows and 8 columns, in alternating light and dark colours. Place the board so that each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner.
The columns are called files and are lettered a to h, from left to right (from White's side). The rows are called ranks and are numbered 1 to 8, from White's side up.
Each square is named by its file letter then its rank number. This square is e4: file e, rank 4. You'll use these names to talk about moves.
Each side starts with 16 pieces: 8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, 1 queen and 1 king. White always moves first.
From the corners inwards: rook, knight, bishop. Then the queen and king in the middle. Tip: the queen goes on her own colour. The white queen starts on the light square d1, the black queen on the dark square d8.
The pawns stand in a row in front of the pieces: White's on rank 2, Black's on rank 7.

Test yourself

quizAnswer on the board. It's the same drill as in the app, no account needed.

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Common mistakes

  • Turning the board the wrong way: if the bottom-right square is dark, rotate it a quarter turn.
  • Swapping king and queen. Remember 'queen on her colour': the white queen starts on a light square, the black queen on a dark one.
  • Mixing up knights and bishops: from the corner it goes rook, knight, bishop.

Tips from the lesson

  • Letters go left to right (a–h), numbers bottom to top (1–8).
  • Corners: rooks. Then knights, bishops, and the queen on her own colour.

FAQ

Which side of the board is White?add

White sets up on ranks 1 and 2, Black on ranks 7 and 8. The files are lettered a to h from White's left.

Does the queen go on the left or the right?add

On her own colour: d1 for White (a light square) and d8 for Black (a dark square). The kings then face each other on the e-file.

Who moves first?add

White always makes the first move. In a series of games, players usually swap colours each game.

How many pieces does each player have?add

Sixteen: eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen and one king.