Master the fundamentals of chess with our comprehensive guide. From piece movements to winning strategies, start your chess journey here.
Chess is played on an 8x8 board with 64 squares alternating between light and dark colors. Each player starts with 16 pieces: 8 pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, 1 queen, and 1 king.
Always remember: "White on right!" The bottom-right square should be light-colored when you set up the board.
The most powerful piece on the board. Moves any number of squares in any direction: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Think of it as combining the powers of a rook and bishop!
Moves one square in any direction. The most important piece - if it's captured, you lose the game!
Keep your king safe at all times.
Moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically. Cannot jump over other pieces.
Great for controlling ranks and files.
Moves any number of squares diagonally. Each player has one light-squared and one dark-squared bishop.
Bishops work great in pairs!
Moves in an "L" shape: 2 squares in one direction, then 1 square perpendicular. Only piece that can jump over others.
Knights love closed positions.
Moves forward one square (two on first move). Captures diagonally forward. Can promote to any piece upon reaching the end.
Pawns are the soul of chess!
A special move involving the king and rook. Helps keep your king safe and develops your rook. You can castle kingside (short castling) or queenside (long castling), but only if neither piece has moved and there are no pieces between them.
A special pawn capture. If an opponent's pawn moves two squares from its starting position and lands next to your pawn, you can capture it "in passing" on the very next move.
When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it must be promoted to any piece except a king (usually a queen). This can dramatically change the game!
Move your central pawns (e4, d4, e5, d5) to control important squares.
Bring out knights and bishops before queens and rooks. Aim for active squares.
Castle early to protect your king and connect your rooks.
Develop all pieces before improving the position of already developed pieces.
Your queen is powerful but also a target. Develop minor pieces first and save the queen for later.
Focus on piece development over pawn pushes. Usually, 2-3 pawn moves in the opening are enough.
Castle early and keep pawns in front of your king. An exposed king is vulnerable to attacks.
The best way to improve at chess is through practice. Start with these steps:
Play against AI opponents at your skill level, then gradually increase difficulty as you improve.
Try Chess-ibility's adaptive AI →Learn basic tactical patterns like pins, forks, skewers, and discovered attacks.
Review your games to understand mistakes and missed opportunities.
Play with other beginners and ask questions. Learning together is more fun!
Put your new knowledge to the test with Chess-ibility's beginner-friendly AI opponents and interactive tutorials.
Start Playing ChessMaster essential tactical patterns and combinations to win more games.
Coming Soon →Learn the fundamental principles of chess openings and popular opening systems.
Coming Soon →Master basic endgames and learn how to convert winning positions.
Coming Soon →© 2025 Chess-ibility - Powered by Atkins Media