Objective: Checkmate the opponent’s king—put it under attack with no legal escape.
-
Setup: Board light square at bottom-right. Each side: back rank Rook-Knight-Bishop-Queen-King-Bishop-Knight-Rook; pawns in front. Queens start on their own color.
-
Turns: White moves first, then alternate. Move one piece per turn following its move rules.
-
Basic moves: Pawns move forward 1 (or 2 from start), capture diagonally; Knights in an “L”; Bishops diagonal; Rooks straight; Queen any straight/diagonal; King 1 square any direction.
-
Checks: If your king is in check, you must block, capture, or move the king to safety.
-
Castling: Once per game, move king two squares toward a rook and place that rook beside the king—allowed only if neither moved, no pieces between, and not moving through check.
-
Pawn special: Reaching last rank promotes (usually to a queen).
-
Win/Draw: Checkmate wins. Stalemate, threefold repetition, or 50-move rule are draws.
Quick start: Control the center, develop minor pieces, castle early, and activate your rooks.
