Board Games
How to play Chess
Use six kinds of pieces to attack and checkmate the opposing king.
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How do you play Chess?
White moves first, then turns alternate. Move each piece according to its movement pattern. A king under attack is in check and must escape. Win by checkmate, when the checked king has no legal move.
Jump to the step-by-step rules ↓EDITOR'S TABLE NOTES
Is Chess a good fit for your group?
This game works especially well for two players who enjoy planning, pattern recognition, and a game with no hidden information. Before setting up, decide whether that matches the experience your group wants today.
Rules version covered here
This guide covers standard chess, including castling, en passant, promotion, check, checkmate, stalemate, and the common draw conditions.
QUICK VIDEO GUIDE
Learn Chess in under a minute
About this video
This original mini lesson covers what you need, setup, normal play, the winning condition, and one beginner tip. Continue below for the complete written guide.
INTERACTIVE LEARN-TO-PLAY
Practice Chess before the first round
Walk through the setup, try a sample turn, and get a quick answer when play stalls.
Place a light square at each player’s right.
Arrange rooks, knights, bishops, queen, and king behind the pawns; the queen begins on her own color.
Playable example turn
Step 1 of 4
White moves first, then turns alternate.
What should we do now?
Start with this action: White moves first, then turns alternate.
Scoring and winning
Win by checkmate, when the checked king has no legal move.
Common dispute to prevent
Leaving the king in check. Agree on any edition-specific variation before the first turn.
The objective
Your goal is to use six kinds of pieces to attack and checkmate the opposing king. Before play begins, make sure every player can explain how the game ends and what determines the winner. That one check prevents many mid-game disagreements.
What you need
A chessboard and 32 chess pieces. Lay out every required item before teaching the rules. If pieces, cards, controllers, or play space are missing, resolve that before the practice turn.
How to set up
- Place a light square at each player’s right.
- Arrange rooks, knights, bishops, queen, and king behind the pawns; the queen begins on her own color.
Setup check: Ask one player who did not arrange the game to compare the table, field, or screen with these steps. A fresh look often catches an incorrect starting position.
How to play: step by step
- White moves first, then turns alternate.
- Move each piece according to its movement pattern.
- A king under attack is in check and must escape.
- Win by checkmate, when the checked king has no legal move.
Example first round
White opens by moving the king pawn two squares. Black replies in kind. White develops the king-side knight toward the center. No piece has been captured, but White has already improved control of central squares and prepared to castle.
How scoring and winning work
- Checkmate wins immediately; the king is never physically captured.
- Stalemate is a draw because the player to move has no legal move but is not in check.
- Tournament draws can also arise by agreement, repetition, the fifty-move rule, or insufficient mating material.
Useful variations
- Use a clock only after both players understand legal movement.
- Play mini-games with only pawns and kings to practice promotion.
- Chess960 changes the back-rank arrangement but preserves normal movement and checkmate.
Beginner strategies
- Control the four central squares.
- Develop knights and bishops before repeatedly moving one piece.
Choose one of these ideas for the first game instead of trying to remember every strategy at once. Afterward, identify one decision that changed the result and one move you would test next time.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the king in check.
- Bringing the queen out too early.
If an illegal move is discovered, pause and agree on the least disruptive correction. For casual play, consistency and a shared understanding matter more than reconstructing many turns.
Frequently asked questions
Can a king be captured?
No. The game ends at checkmate before capture.
What is a draw?
A game with no winner, caused by stalemate, agreement, repetition, or other rules.
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