Rules of Chess Explained for Beginners

Chess is a two-player strategy game that has stood the test of time for centuries. It is played on a square board divided into 64 squares, arranged in an 8x8 grid. Each player begins with 16 pieces, which are placed on the two rows closest to them. The pieces consist of one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The goal of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, placing it under attack in a way that it cannot escape. Although the end goal is simple, the journey to checkmate is complex, requiring deep strategic thinking and mastery of tactics.
The king is the most important piece, as the game ends if it is checkmated, but it is also one of the weakest. It can move one square in any direction—vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. The queen, on the other hand, is the most powerful piece on the board. It can move any number of squares along a rank, file, or diagonal. The rook is powerful in its own right, able to move any number of squares along a rank or file, but it lacks the diagonal mobility of the queen and bishop. The bishop is confined to moving diagonally, but like the rook, it can travel an unlimited number of squares in its given direction. The knight has the most unique movement, jumping in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and one square perpendicular. Knights are the only pieces that can jump over other pieces. Finally, pawns move forward one square but capture diagonally. Pawns also have a special ability to move two squares forward on their first move and, if they reach the opponent's back rank, can be promoted to any piece (usually a queen, but sometimes a rook, bishop, or knight) of the player's choosing.
The basic rules of chess also include several special moves and situations that add complexity to the game. One of the most important of these is castling, a move that involves both the king and a rook. Castling is a defensive move to protect the king and simultaneously bring the rook into play. To castle, the king moves two squares toward a rook, and the rook moves to the square next to the king. Castling can only be performed under the following conditions: neither the king nor the rook involved may have moved previously, there must be no pieces between the king and the rook, and the king must not be in check, nor can it move through or into a square that is under attack. Another special rule is en passant, a pawn capture that happens when a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands next to an opponent’s pawn. The opponent has the opportunity to capture the pawn as though it had only moved one square, but this move must be made immediately, or the opportunity is lost.
In addition to these rules, chess also includes the concept of check and checkmate. A king is said to be in check if it is under attack by an opponent’s piece. When a king is in check, the player must make a move to remove the check. This can be done by moving the king to a safe square, capturing the attacking piece, or blocking the attack with another piece. If no legal moves are available to get out of check, the game ends with a checkmate, meaning that the game is won by the player who delivered the checkmate. Chess games can also end in a draw under various conditions. One such condition is stalemate, which occurs when the player whose turn it is has no legal moves left and is not in check. Another possibility is a threefold repetition, where the same position on the board occurs three times with the same player to move, which results in a draw if the player requests it. The 50-move rule also states that a player can claim a draw if no pawn moves or captures have occurred for 50 consecutive moves by both players.
Understanding chess notation is essential for communicating and recording chess games. Over time, a standardized system of notation has been developed to help players document their games and review past matches. The most widely used system is Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN), which uses letters and numbers to describe moves on the board. Each square on the chessboard is identified by a combination of a letter and a number: the files (vertical columns) are labeled a-h, from left to right for White, and the ranks (horizontal rows) are labeled 1-8, from White's side to Black's. In SAN, each move is recorded by the piece’s name (often abbreviated) and the destination square. For example, e4 indicates that a pawn has moved to e4, while Nf3 means that a knight has moved to f3. If a piece captures another piece, an “x” is used to signify the capture. For example, Bxg7 means that a bishop has captured a piece on g7. Special notations such as O-O or O-O-O indicate castling, with O-O representing kingside castling (the rook moves to f1 for White) and O-O-O representing queenside castling (the rook moves to d1 for White). If a move places the opponent's king in check, a plus sign (+) is used, and checkmate is indicated by a hash mark (#), such as Qh5#, meaning the queen moves to h5, delivering checkmate.
In addition to SAN, there are several other notations that have been used historically or in specialized contexts. One example is Descriptive Notation, which was more popular before the rise of algebraic notation. In Descriptive Notation, the files are named based on the pieces’ starting positions, and ranks are numbered from the player’s perspective. For example, the move P-K4 in descriptive notation (pawn to king’s fourth) is equivalent to e4 in algebraic notation. Descriptive notation has largely been replaced by algebraic notation due to its clarity and ease of use, but it can still be found in older chess literature.
Another, less common system is the BCCI Notation, which was used by the British Chess Control in the mid-20th century. This system also uses letters and numbers to describe moves but with slight variations in how it records piece movements and captures. The BCCI system has largely fallen out of favor, as SAN became the standard for both tournament play and informal games.
Chess players also often engage in analyzing and recording their games for the purpose of improvement, and understanding notation is key to this process. By studying past games, especially those played by top players, one can learn valuable strategies and tactics. Chess books, magazines, and online databases use notation to present games for analysis, and even amateurs can benefit from reviewing their own games using this system.
In competitive chess, players can earn titles that reflect their level of skill and achievements in the game. These titles, awarded by the World Chess Federation (FIDE), include Grandmaster (GM), International Master (IM), FIDE Master (FM), and Candidate Master (CM). The highest and most prestigious title is Grandmaster, which is awarded to players who have achieved a rating of 2500 or higher and have earned three GM norms, which are exceptional tournament performances against other highly rated players. The International Master (IM) title is the second-highest, requiring a rating of 2400 and three IM norms. Players who achieve a rating of 2300 are awarded the FIDE Master (FM) title, and those with a rating of 2200 can earn the Candidate Master (CM) title. These titles are a reflection of a player’s mastery of chess and are highly respected in the global chess community.
In addition to these open titles, FIDE also awards titles to female players. The most common titles for women are Woman Grandmaster (WGM), Woman International Master (WIM), and Woman FIDE Master (WFM). These titles have slightly lower rating requirements than their open counterparts but are still significant accomplishments for female players. Many women aspire to earn these titles and eventually compete at the highest levels of chess, alongside their male counterparts.
Finally, in addition to FIDE titles, national chess federations may award National Master (NM) titles, which reflect a player’s standing within their home country. The NM title is usually based on the player's rating within national tournaments and is an important distinction within a particular country's chess community.
In conclusion, chess is a game that requires a blend of strategy, tactical thinking, and precise knowledge of its rules and notation. The game’s rules dictate how the pieces move, how players win, and how they can record their games. Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN) is the most common method for recording games, allowing players to analyze and study matches. Titles such as GM, IM, FM, and CM represent a player’s skill level and achievements, with GM being the pinnacle of chess excellence. Whether played casually or competitively, chess is a game that offers endless opportunities for learning, growth, and mastery, and notation systems are critical to preserving and analyzing the game’s rich history.