Chess is an abstract strategy game and involves no hidden information. It is played on a square chessboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. At the start, each player (one controlling the white pieces, the other controlling the black pieces) controls sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent's king, whereby the king is under immediate attack (in "check") and there is no way for it to escape. There are also several ways a game can end in a draw.
Do you aspire to become a Grandmaster in Chess? Then your future begins here.
Before you begin, the Chessboard is set up in a fashion that each player has the white color square in the bottom right corner.
The second row is packed with pawns. The rooks are arranged in the corner next to the knights, followed by the bishops and the queen, who is positioned on her own matching color. The remaining square is taken by the King.
All the pieces in Chess have a specific movement which is mentioned below:
King - The King can only move one square at a time either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. When the game begins, the King can make a peculiar move called ‘castling’.
Queen - The Queen can move N number of vacant squares in any direction (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally).
Rook - The Rook can move N number of vacant squares either horizontally or vertically. It is also a part of the ‘castling’ move.
Bishop - The Bishop can move N number of vacant squares diagonally only.
Knight - The Knight can move a single square along a rank or file and then at an angle. This movement can be visually seen as a “L” or “7” at a horizontal or vertical angle.
Pawns - The pawns can move forward two squares in the first move and if the square is unoccupied. A pawn cannot move backward in the game of chess. The Pawns can capture an enemy piece diagonally in front of them but can not move to these spaces if they are vacant.
It is important to learn the rules of the game like promotion, en passant, castling and more which we will understand in the next section.
The opponent with the white pieces always makes the first move. So, white makes the first move, then black, and then white again.
The idea of the game of Chess is to checkmate the rival’s King. It happens when the opposite King is put in Check and is not able to get out.
There are four important elements of Chess.
To improve your chances of winning and to get better, it is important to practice at home with friends or family. Now, you can easily play the game online.
Here are some tricks that will establish you as a Chess Grandmaster.