How to play chess

Learn to play chess, method for beginners and kids

Introduction to Chess

With this method "how to play chess for dummies" you will firstly learn the movements of each piece, and then, you haveminigames available in order to consolidate your learning. We will also teach you some special movements and key situations in chess, such as the check, the checkmate or the stalemate.

Before starting a game of chess we must always check that we have placed the board correctly, the square to your right must be white.

White right square

Correct position of the board

Black right square

Incorrect position of the board

Chess is a turn-based game that faces two players, one carries the white pieces and the other the black pieces. In a chess game, white pieces always start moving, next it is the turn for the black pieces, back to the white pieces, and so consequently until the game ends.

The objective of chess is to checkmate the opponent, wherewith we win the game. Likewise, we could lose the game if we get checkmated. We can also end up the game in a draw.

How to move the Pawn in Chess

This are the rules of the pawn:

  • The pawn can only move forward.
  • The pawn can move one or two squares from its initial position.
  • The pawn can not move forward if it has a piece in front of it.
  • The pawn captures diagonally and in one square distance. When it captures a piece, it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
  • When a pawn reaches the last rank it can promote, which means we can swap it for any piece of our colour except the king.
Pawn movement
Pawn movement
Pawn capture

Pawn capture

Pawn promotion

Pawn promotion

Learn to move the Pawn with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

How to move the King in Chess

This are the rules of the king:

  • It can move one square in any direction.
  • It cannot move to a square in which he will get captured on the next move.
  • When the king captures, it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
  • The king cannot castle if:
  • The king is in check.
  • The king or rook with which you are castling have been moved previously.
  • The king's path or destination during castling is threatened by the opponent's pieces.
King movement

King movement

King capture

King capture

King illegal movement

It cannot move to this squares because it will be captured

King castle

Position before castling

King short castling

Castling short

King long castling

Castling long

Learn to move the King with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

How to move the Rook in Chess

This are the rules of the rook:

  • The rook can move in columns and ranks.
  • When a rook captures an enemy piece it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
Rook movement

Rook movement

Rook capture

Rook capture

Learn to move the Rook with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

How to move the Knight in Chess

This are the rules of the knight:

  • The knight moves in "L", two squares in one direction and one in the other.
  • The knight is the only piece of chess that can jump over other pieces.
  • When a knight captures an enemy piece it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
Knight movement

Knight movement

Knight possible movements

Possible movements of this knight

Knight capture

Knight capture

Knight jump

The knight is the only piece that can jump over other pieces

Learn to move the Knight with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

How to move the Bishop in Chess

This are the rules of the bishop:

  • The bishop moves diagonally.
  • When a bishop captures an enemy piece, it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
Bishop movement

Bishop movement

Bishop capture

Bishop capture

Learn to move the Bishop with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

How to move the Queen in Chess

This are the rules of the queen:

  • The queen can move in files, ranks or diagonals.
  • When the queen captures an enemy piece it stays in the square of the piece it has captured.
Queen movement

Queen movement

Queen capture

Queen capture

Learn to move the Queen with this Minigame

Reach the last rank and promote a pawn to win!

Check

A check is when we threaten the capture of the opposing king with one of our pieces. The opponent must defend himself from that check. There are three ways to defend from a check:

  • Capturing the piece that threatens the king.
  • Placing a piece between the attacking piece and the king.
  • Moving the king.
Check

Check

Check defense

Check defense

In chess it is impossible to capture the king. If it is your turn and you can capture it, your opponent has made an illegal move or it is checkmate.

Checkmate

The checkmate occurs when the opponent's king is threatened and cannot be defended. Whatever he plays, his king will be captured the next move. Whoever checkmates the opponent wins the game.

Checkmate

Checkmate

Stalemate

A stalemated king takes place when it is a player's turn and cannot make any legal move. The game ends in draw.

Stalemate

Stalemate

Try to play a full Chess Game