{"id":2287,"date":"2024-04-16T21:05:10","date_gmt":"2024-04-16T21:05:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/?p=2287"},"modified":"2024-04-16T21:05:10","modified_gmt":"2024-04-16T21:05:10","slug":"basic-chess-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/basic-chess-rules\/","title":{"rendered":"What Are The Basic Rules Of Chess? (Beginner&#8217;s Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve understood the basics of&nbsp;Chess, you can begin working on your technique, to master the game eventually. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, having a good foundation and a basic understanding of how the game works (in detail) is essential to your progress. This is the first step for beginners and one that should not be taken lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n<style>.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-content-wrap{padding-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);background-color:#edf6ff;border-top:1px solid #242a36;border-right:1px solid #242a36;border-bottom:1px solid #242a36;border-left:1px solid #242a36;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-contents-title-wrap{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-contents-title{font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-content-wrap .kb-table-of-content-list{font-weight:regular;font-style:normal;margin-top:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);margin-right:0px;margin-bottom:0px;margin-left:0px;}.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-basiccircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-arrowcircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:after, .kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-toggle-icon-style-xclosecircle .kb-table-of-contents-icon-trigger:before{background-color:#edf6ff;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-content-wrap{border-top:1px solid #242a36;border-right:1px solid #242a36;border-bottom:1px solid #242a36;border-left:1px solid #242a36;}}@media all and (max-width: 767px){.kb-table-of-content-nav.kb-table-of-content-id2287_82b15d-dc .kb-table-of-content-wrap{border-top:1px solid #242a36;border-right:1px solid #242a36;border-bottom:1px solid #242a36;border-left:1px solid #242a36;}}<\/style>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-left\">What are the basic rules for playing chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most beginners will learn how pieces move and begin playing immediately after. However, there are specific basic strategies that will help you begin playing at a more advanced level and that are worth consulting before you jump in. Below, we&#8217;ve compiled a list of essential basics that will help improve your game, even before you start playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do Pieces Move on a Chess Board?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Most people will have a very simplified understanding of how each piece moves. However, knowing where your pieces can be placed is critical to you playing correctly and key to you being able to plot your next step. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Each piece has a set of directions it&#8217;s allowed to move in, and some pieces are more limited than others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do Pawns move in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pawns are small, round-tipped pieces. You have 8 of these, and you can only move each pawn one square forward, although on its first move- you can move the pawn two squares forward if you so choose to. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pawns are also able to knock out an opponent&#8217;s pieces by moving one square diagonally. Pawns can only move forward and can not move back at any point during the game.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pawn-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"Pawn Movement\" class=\"wp-image-3978\" style=\"width:271px;height:271px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pawn-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pawn-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Pawn Movement<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the Bishop move in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Bishop is a piece with a notable slit on the top, and each player is given 2. They can only move diagonally, although they can move an unlimited number of squares (until they reach an adversary&#8217;s piece). <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re struggling to remember how the Bishop moves, try and associate the diagonal slit with diagonal movement.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bishop-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"Bishop Movement\" class=\"wp-image-3980\" style=\"width:269px;height:269px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bishop-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Bishop-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><strong>Bishop Movement<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does a Horse move in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Knights are commonly referred to as &#8216;horses&#8217; by beginners, and each beginner is given 2. These pieces can move in an L-shape, using any number of valid combinations. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Players can move one square forward and two to the side, two squares to the side and one backward, and so forth. The critical thing to remember is that the Knight must move in a two-one or one-two motion.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Knight-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"Knight Movement \" class=\"wp-image-3981\" style=\"width:278px;height:278px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Knight-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Knight-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> <strong>Knight Movement<\/strong> <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the Rook move in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Each player receives 2 Rooks, which are tower-like pieces, that move any number of squares in a straight line. This means that they can move up and down, or side to side, providing your opponent&#8217;s piece isn&#8217;t in the way. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All of your pieces (aside from the Knight) will be blocked by your adversary&#8217;s pieces, which you must &#8216;knock out&#8217; before progressing.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Rook-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"Rook Movement  \" class=\"wp-image-3982\" style=\"width:268px;height:268px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Rook-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Rook-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">         <strong>Rook Movement<\/strong>  <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the Queen move in Chess? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Queens can move any number of squares, in any direction, along ranks, files, and diagonals (different areas of the grid).<\/strong> Each player is given 1 Queen, and beginners should look to hold onto their Queen, as losing it will put them in a very vulnerable position.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Queen-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"Queen Movement   \" class=\"wp-image-3983\" style=\"width:259px;height:259px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Queen-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Queen-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">   <strong>Queen Movement<\/strong>   <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the King move in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The King is the most famous piece in&nbsp;Chess, prone to &#8216;checkmate,&#8217; and can move any direction on the board. However, the King can only move one <strong>square at a time<\/strong>, and you, naturally, only have one King.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image is-style-default\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"425\" height=\"425\" src=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/King-Movement.jpg\" alt=\"King Movement    \" class=\"wp-image-3984\" style=\"width:268px;height:268px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/King-Movement.jpg 425w, https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/King-Movement-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 425px) 100vw, 425px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">   <strong>King Movement<\/strong>    <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What is the Difference between Check and Checkmate?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The game aims to force your opponent into a &#8216;<a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/what-does-checkmate-mean-in-chess\/\" target=\"_blank\">checkmate<\/a>.&#8217; This is a term you&#8217;ll hear every match, and it refers to one player having the adversary&#8217;s King in a position where they cannot move. &#8216;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Checkmate&#8217; therefore means that a player has lost. Ultimately, to put the other player in &#8216;checkmate, you&#8217;ll have to first put them in &#8216;check&#8217;. This means that if they do not move, they will be put into checkmate on the next turn.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to progress from check to checkmate, it&#8217;s recommended that you dominate the middle of the board, allowing you to corner the opposing King more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why is the Queen so Powerful in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The Queen is a very powerful and arguably the most valuable, piece in the game. Other than your King, you should seek to defend this piece very aggressively throughout. This piece is so important because it has the most mobility and can move the most across the board. Therefore, having your Queen will allow you to play on the attack if you do need to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More experienced players will also opt for a Queen tradeoff on the basis of the fact that it&#8217;s so powerful. A tradeoff involves sacrificing your Queen while taking your opponents. This isn&#8217;t recommended for beginners, as playing without a Queen means playing much more strategically and maximizing each piece. Most new players won&#8217;t have the foresight and knowledge to do this successfully.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens When a Pawn is Promoted?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Advancing your pawn or pawns to the opposite side of the board, at the far row, will give you the option to swap it for a piece of your choosing. This is a definite benefit for players and one that you should actively strive for. If a Queen tradeoff has taken place, for example, then you&#8217;ll be able to replace your lost Queen with your pawn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this is a move that you should aim for, it&#8217;s also an unlikely occurrence and one that you shouldn&#8217;t depend on too heavily. Don&#8217;t sacrifice better moves to progress your pawn, and remember to leave some pawns in the middle of the board to defend your side from any potential attacks. Pawns make great defensive lines, so you mustn&#8217;t undervalue this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do you Attack with Knights in chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While the Queen can move in any direction, Pawns can progress, and Rooks can move from one side of the board to the other- the Knights are one of the most tactical pieces in the game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/why-is-the-knight-important-in-chess\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Knights <\/a>can jump over other pieces, they have a wider range of the board. If you&#8217;re playing aggressively and looking to knock out your opponent&#8217;s pieces, then the Knight should be your weapon of choice. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is because your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/why-is-the-knight-important-in-chess\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Knight <\/a>will claim whatever piece is on the square that it landed on, which gives you a major strategic advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More advanced players will actively look to capture your Knight in the first few moves, so be wary of this, and try your best to protect at least one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does Practice Make Perfect in Chess?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As&nbsp;Chess&nbsp;is a tactical game, players will thrive only if they practice. A combination of reading and learning the strategies, alongside actual practice, is recommended. However, simply playing the game for enjoyment and learning as you play is just as effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>As you practice, you should also seek to experiment and vary your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/category\/chess-openings\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">openings<\/a>. For every new match, you should try a different opening to understand your strengths and compare each strategy. Many beginners fear losing, but the loss is part of the process and a stage you should embrace and learn from.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are now many virtual hubs for&nbsp;chess&nbsp;players to take advantage of. Many websites, such as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chess.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chess.com<\/a>, will allow you to play against humans or computers- and the software will then critique your moves after. As computers are very logical, rational machines- they are adept at finding the best move. Therefore, using a computer can definitely help you improve as a player.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Once you&#8217;ve understood the basics of&nbsp;Chess, you can begin working on your technique, to master the game eventually. However, having a good foundation and a basic understanding of how the&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":3926,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2287"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5356,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2287\/revisions\/5356"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3926"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mrscheckmate.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}