How to Play Chess
Chess is a game for two players, White and Black, on a board of 64 squares. The goal is to checkmate the other king: attack it so that it can't escape.
The board and setup
Place the board so each player has a light square in the right-hand corner. Each side has 16 pieces: a king, a queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. The queen starts on her own colour (the white queen on d1, the black queen on d8).
Files are named a–h from White's left, ranks 1–8 from White's side; every square has a name like e4.
How the pieces move
| Piece | Moves | Value |
|---|---|---|
| King | One square in any direction | – |
| Queen | Any distance in a straight line or diagonal | 9 |
| Rook | Any distance along a rank or file | 5 |
| Bishop | Any distance diagonally (stays on one colour) | 3 |
| Knight | An L: two squares one way, one square sideways. It jumps over pieces | 3 |
| Pawn | One square forward (two on its first move); captures one square diagonally forward | 1 |
Only the knight jumps; every other piece stops at the first piece in its way. You capture by moving onto a square with an enemy piece, which is removed. See how the pieces move for diagrams.
Check and checkmate
A king that is attacked is in check. You must get out of check at once: move the king, capture the attacker, or block the line. You may never make a move that leaves your own king in check.
If you're in check and nothing gets you out, it's checkmate and you lose.
Special moves
Castling
Once a game, the king may castle: it moves two squares toward a rook, and that rook jumps to the square on the king's other side. Castle short (O-O) toward the h-rook or long (O-O-O) toward the a-rook. Allowed only if:
- neither the king nor that rook has moved yet;
- the squares between them are empty;
- the king is not in check, and doesn't pass through or land on a square attacked by the enemy.
On kawu, castle by moving the king two squares; the rook follows.
En passant
When a pawn steps two squares from its start and lands beside an enemy pawn, that pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square, but only on the very next move. The capturing pawn goes to the square the other pawn passed over.
Promotion
A pawn that reaches the far rank is promoted to a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour. Almost always you choose a queen; kawu asks you every time.
How the game ends
- Checkmate: the side that gives it wins.
- Stalemate: the player to move has no legal move but is not in check. A draw.
- Threefold repetition: the same position with the same player to move occurs three times. A draw (kawu ends the game automatically).
- Fifty-move rule: fifty moves by each player without any capture or pawn move. A draw (also automatic on kawu).
- Insufficient material: neither side can possibly checkmate, for example king against king, or king and one bishop or knight against a king. A draw.
- Agreement: the players agree to a draw. Against the computer, use "Offer a draw"; it accepts when it's worse or the game is dead level.
Ready? Play chess against the computer, with a friend on the same device, or online with a room link, then read our chess tips and openings for beginners.
Frequently asked questions
Who moves first in chess?
White always moves first. After that the players take turns, one move each.
Can you castle out of check?
No. You can't castle while in check, through a square attacked by an enemy piece, or into check. The king and that rook must not have moved before, and the squares between them must be empty.
What is the difference between checkmate and stalemate?
Checkmate: your king is in check and you have no move that gets it out, so you lose. Stalemate: you're not in check but have no legal move at all, and the game is a draw.
Can a pawn promote to a second queen?
Yes. A pawn that reaches the last rank becomes a queen, rook, bishop or knight of your choice, whatever pieces are already on the board.
Last updated 2026-10-19