A little understanding. A world of moves.
Learn chess.
Make it yours.
You don’t need to know every rule to begin. Start with the board, meet the pieces and build your confidence one good move at a time.
Find your next guideClear explanations. Practical examples.
A guide for every next step.
Standard chess, explained with care.
Follow a topic or jump to the rule you need.
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Chess rules: how to play chess, step by step
Learn chess from the first move to checkmate: board setup, piece movement, captures, castling, en passant, promotion, draws and your first game.
How to set up a chessboard
Set up a chessboard with confidence: learn square names, piece positions, queen placement and a quick checking routine before your first game begins.
Pieces and moves
How every chess piece moves
Learn all six chess pieces with practical examples: sliding, jumping, captures, blockers and the king-safety checks that make a move legal in a game.
Pawn rules, explained with examples
Understand pawn moves, diagonal captures, blocked pawns, promotion and en passant, with practical examples that separate everyday rules from exceptions.
Special moves
Castling rules: when, how and why to castle
Learn exactly when castling is legal, which squares must be safe, why a rook can be attacked, and how to check both castling directions with examples.
En passant: the pawn capture that lasts one turn
Understand en passant with clear White and Black examples, its immediate timing rule, and the king-safety trap that can make this pawn capture illegal.
Pawn promotion: choosing a queen, rook, bishop or knight
Learn when a pawn promotes, which pieces you can choose, and why a rook or knight can be better than a queen, with verified mate and stalemate examples.
Check and endings
Check and checkmate: attacks, escapes and the end of the game
Tell check from checkmate, find the three ways to answer an attack, and use worked board positions to test king escapes, protected pieces and stalemate.
Stalemate and draws: how a chess game can end level
Understand stalemate, dead positions, repetition and move-count draws, with worked examples and clear differences between FIDE claims and online procedures.
Playing your first games
How to read and write chess notation
Read chess moves one symbol at a time: square names, piece letters, captures, castling and promotion, with a worked sequence you can replay yourself.
Beginner chess strategy: a plan for your next move
Build a useful beginner chess routine: notice threats, develop pieces, protect your king and compare trades without relying on memorised opening tricks.
Chess clocks: time controls, increments and running out of time
Read chess time controls, calculate increments and delays, and understand timeout exceptions, clock etiquette and the differences between board and online play.
Teaching chess to kids: small games, real understanding
Teach chess through short, friendly activities: introduce roles, practise safe moves and use replay together while keeping choice, curiosity and fun central.
Make your next move
The board is yours.
Put a little understanding into play, with pieces that feel like you.