Welcome to the fascinating world of chess! Whether you’re looking to challenge your mind, engage in strategic battles, or simply enjoy a timeless game, chess offers endless possibilities. This beginner’s guide will help you understand the basics and get you started on your chess journey.
1. The Origin of Chess
Chess is very popular around the world, with major tournaments taking place every few days and hundreds of millions of enthusiasts globally.
There are many legends about the origin of chess. One famous legend goes like this:
Two thousand years ago in India, there was constant warfare, and the people were suffering greatly. People were obsessed with war and mutual slaughter, creating a tragic and unbearable scene. To eliminate war and maintain peace, the wise man Sissa ibn Dahir came up with a brilliant idea: he invented a game similar to the battles between two armies, aiming to divert people’s energies to the chessboard and thereby eliminate war and maintain peace. This game was the early form of chess.
As Sissa had hoped, this game, with its unique moves and novel strategies, quickly captivated people with its immense charm. The passion for war gradually transformed into enthusiasm for honing chess skills, leading to national prosperity and peace.
People were very grateful to Sissa, and King Sheram promised to grant him a reward for inventing chess. Clever Sissa had a sudden inspiration: “My request is simple. Just place one grain of wheat on the first square of the chessboard, two grains on the second square, four grains on the third square, and continue doubling the amount on each subsequent square until the 64th square. I will be immensely grateful.” The king thought, “How much wheat can this be?” and immediately agreed to Sissa’s request. However, when the king ordered a bag of wheat to be brought, it was used up quickly. More bags were brought, but they were soon exhausted as well. The king was puzzled and quickly summoned mathematicians to calculate the amount. After a long time, they finally got the result. It turned out to be an astronomical number, one that could not be satisfied even with all the grain in India at the time.
Later, this immensely captivating game quickly spread to Italy, France, Spain, and other countries. By the 1990s, chess had become a globally popular competitive sport.
Playing chess regularly can cultivate qualities of wit and bravery, foster a spirit of humility and optimism, enhance our sharp observation and focused attention, strengthen our memory, and improve our thinking skills, especially abstract thinking.
Playing chess essentially mimics a battle between two armies. One player controls the white pieces, called the white side, and the other controls the black pieces, called the black side. Each player takes turns moving one piece at a time. The player who checkmates the opponent’s king wins the game.
2. Chess pieces and board
The Chessboard:
- The board is an 8×8 grid, with alternating light and dark squares. The bottom-right square should be light.
- The columns are labeled a-h (left to right), and the rows are numbered 1-8 (bottom to top).
Setting Up:
- Each player starts with 16 pieces: 1 King, 1 Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 2 Bishops, and 8 Pawns.
- The second row (rank) for each player is filled with pawns.
- For White, the first row (rank 1) is set up from left to right as Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook. The White Queen goes on the d1 square (a light square), and the White King goes on the e1 square.
- For Black, the first row (rank 8) is set up from left to right(for white’s perspective) as Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook. The Black Queen goes on the d8 square (a dark square), and the Black King goes on the e8 square.
Who Plays First:
- White always makes the first move. Players then alternate turns.
3. Each Piece's move rules
By Understanding these move rules, including the special moves for the king and pawn, you’ll be well-prepared to navigate the game of chess with confidence.
King:
– Moves one square in any direction: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
– Castling: A special move involving the king and one of the rooks. It is the only move in chess where two pieces move simultaneously. Castling can be done kingside (short castling) or queenside (long castling).
Conditions for Castling:
– Neither the king nor the rook involved has previously moved.
– There are no pieces between the king and the rook.
– The king is not currently in check, nor can the king pass through or end up in a square that is attacked by an opponent’s piece.
Kingside Castling:
– The king moves two squares towards the rook on the kingside (right), and the rook moves to the square next to the king on the opposite side.
– For example, White’s king moves from e1 to g1, and the rook moves from h1 to f1.
Queenside Castling:
– The king moves two squares towards the rook on the queenside (left), and the rook moves to the square next to the king on the opposite side.
– For example, White’s king moves from e1 to c1, and the rook moves from a1 to d1.
Queen:
– Moves any number of squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Rook:
– Moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically.
Bishop:
– Moves any number of squares diagonally.
Knight:
– Moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicular. Knights can jump over other pieces.
Pawn:
– Moves forward one square, but captures diagonally.
– On its first move, a pawn can move forward two squares.
– En Passant: A special capture move.
Conditions for En Passant:
– It can only occur when a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands beside an opponent’s pawn.
– The opponent’s pawn can capture the first pawn as if it had only moved one square forward.
– This capture must be made immediately after the initial two-square move, or the opportunity is lost.
**Example of En Passant:**
– If a White pawn on e5, and a Black pawn moves from d7 to d5, the White pawn can capture the Black pawn by moving to d6.
Promotion:
– A pawn that reaches the opponent’s back rank (8th rank for White, 1st rank for Black) can be promoted to any other piece (except a king), typically a queen.
4. Basic Rules and Objectives
Objective:
- The goal is to checkmate your opponent’s king. Checkmate occurs when the king is in check (under threat of capture) and cannot escape.
Check:
- A king is in check when it is under threat of capture. The player must make a move to remove the threat.
Stalemate:
- A game ends in a draw if a player has no legal moves and their king is not in check.
5. Fundamental Strategies
Control the Center:
- Aim to control the central squares (d4, d5, e4, e5) with your pieces and pawns.
Develop Your Pieces:
- Move your knights and bishops toward the center early in the game to control key squares and prepare for castling.
Protect Your King:
- Castle early to safeguard your king and connect your rooks.
Avoid Common Beginner Mistakes:
- Develop pieces before moving the same piece multiple times.
- Don’t bring out the queen too early.
- Always consider your opponent’s threats and protect your pieces.
Chess is a game of endless depth and complexity, but with these basics, you’re well on your way to enjoying and improving your game. Stay tuned for more tips, strategies, and insights as you delve deeper into the art of chess.
Happy playing!
Yours in chess, The Prevision Chess Team