Why does white move first? • page 1/2 • General Chess Discussion • lichess.org

Mirayaanuds

#1

Why does white actually move first??

EvilPyrokar

#2

Otherwise the game wouldnt start....

Mirayaanuds

#3

Like why can’t black move first?

glbert

edited

#4

black can move first. for example, afaik in the immortal game in 1851 black moved first, though it was later recorded as white moving first. white always moving first came later, around 1880-1890 according to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_and_Black_in_chess
and it's just a tradition, like all the other rules as well. nothing prevents you from playing according to your own rules on your own board.

black can move first. for example, afaik in the immortal game in 1851 black moved first, though it was later recorded as white moving first. white always moving first came later, around 1880-1890 according to this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_and_Black_in_chess and it's just a tradition, like all the other rules as well. nothing prevents you from playing according to your own rules on your own board.

mkubecek

#5

Reminds me that recently I read in two (maybe independent) sources that one helpful trick for more efficient memorization of opening lines used by strong players is replaying them in mirror version as an exercise, i.e. with colors reversed and black starting the game. I haven't tried it yet (I'm not really a fan of memorizing long opening lines, to be honest).

Historically, it didn't even have to be called white and black, apparently. I remember how I was surprised when I learned that in the original version of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass the characters are White Queen and Red Queen, not black. (In Czech translation I read as a child it was white and black.)

Reminds me that recently I read in two (maybe independent) sources that one helpful trick for more efficient memorization of opening lines used by strong players is replaying them in mirror version as an exercise, i.e. with colors reversed and black starting the game. I haven't tried it yet (I'm not really a fan of memorizing long opening lines, to be honest). Historically, it didn't even have to be called white and black, apparently. I remember how I was surprised when I learned that in the original version of Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass the characters are White Queen and Red Queen, not black. (In Czech translation I read as a child it was white and black.)

justme23

#6

Old topic. Every few years someone (Racist) post why does White move first.

Mukundh_Iyer

#7

The question is, why not?

SMiik2

edited

#8

J'aime ai noir Dans chess parce que je win chaque temps

Abigail-III edited

#9

One of the colours has to go first. In Chess and Draughts, it's White. In Shogi, the person going first is referred to as Black (the pieces are of the same colour). In Go and Othello, Black goes first. In Xiangqi, Red moves first. In Janggi Blue moves first.

It's just arbitrary, and in different games, different traditions emerged.

One of the colours has to go first. In Chess and Draughts, it's White. In Shogi, the person going first is referred to as Black (the pieces are of the same colour). In Go and Othello, Black goes first. In Xiangqi, Red moves first. In Janggi Blue moves first. It's just arbitrary, and in different games, different traditions emerged.

gilligan841

#10

If you want to break the rules and start as black, find a fellow that will accept to play like this on Lichess and, then, play the Knights until you can play black first. It means that the Knights will have to move and come back at original positions for Knights.

Here is a good puzzle, what would be the fastest Knight moves on both sides to accomplish that?

If you want to break the rules and start as black, find a fellow that will accept to play like this on Lichess and, then, play the Knights until you can play black first. It means that the Knights will have to move and come back at original positions for Knights. Here is a good puzzle, what would be the fastest Knight moves on both sides to accomplish that?