If you are a complete beginner to chess and have bought yourself a chess board or have been gifted one by a friend then you are probably looking to get started. Before you get around to dishing out challengers to your friends and family, you might want to familiarise yourself with the rules and how to set up the board in the first place.

Once you grasp the basic concepts which underpin the game of chess then the sky is the limit for your progression as you will start to learn different strategies and begin dismantling your opponents.

In each game, the player who plays with the white pieces will have the honour of making the first move. This means that if you play as white you will always enjoy the advantage of being one move ahead of your opponent. The player who plays black is said to be defending due to this difference in tempo.

Though, throughout the game, the tempo will change as you develop your pieces and begin attacking the pieces of your opponent. As you progress as a player you will need to do quite a bit of calculating.

You will need to come up with a multitude of strategies and defend against the attacks of your opponent. While you focus on capturing enemy pieces you will also need to keep an eye on what your opponent might be planning themselves.

The overarching goal is of course to trap the enemy king, although capturing the material of your opponent is a great way of improving your advantage in the game!

Chess is a complex game, get started with the basics today!

The best Chess tutors available
Damilola
4.9
4.9 (5 reviews)
Damilola
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Hanifi
Hanifi
€20
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vladimir
Vladimir
€65
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stan
Stan
€8
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Shane
Shane
€12
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Ameer
Ameer
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Carol
Carol
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stefan
Stefan
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Damilola
4.9
4.9 (5 reviews)
Damilola
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Hanifi
Hanifi
€20
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vladimir
Vladimir
€65
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stan
Stan
€8
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Shane
Shane
€12
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Ameer
Ameer
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Carol
Carol
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stefan
Stefan
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

Setting up the Chessboard

The chess board has a total of 64 squares. These squares are comprised equally of two corresponding colours, white and black, just like the pieces!

Each player will start with the same number of pieces on opposite ends of the board. These pieces will occupy the first two rows of the boards before they are moved. This leaves the middle 32 squares at the centre of the board up for grabs.

In chess, the pieces are arranged the same way each time. The second row is filled with pawns. The rooks go in the corners, then the knights next to them, followed by the bishops, and finally the queen, who always goes on her own matching colour, leaving the king on the remaining square.

Each piece moves differently and you will use them to play different roles in your attack throughout the game. For the most part, pieces cannot move through other pieces and can never move onto a square with one of their own pieces.

There is however one exception to this rule with the knight, this piece can jump over those which obstruct its patch to a free square. The knight will jump two squares and across one square in any direction. This movement is best described as an L shape and means that it is one of the trickier pieces to use in an attack on the board.

However, they can be moved to take the place of an opponent's piece which is then captured. Pieces are generally moved into positions where they can capture other pieces, defend their own pieces in case of capture, or control important squares in the game.

chess
Learning to play chess will help to keep your mind active. source: unsplash

Taking a look at professional-level chess

Perhaps you have an interest in the competitive side of chess and wish to take a look at how the game is played at the highest level.

We learn more and more about the game as time goes on since it is sequential and follows what are known as paths, or lines, dependent on your opponent's plays.

Due to the growth of the game, the learning tools available to players, powerful AI, and its role in understanding the game, professional chess players today considerably surpass those of previous generations.

Since the beginning of the game, the standard at which chess is played has increased dramatically at the professional level. Chess is a strategy game that requires complex analysis and assessment.

Through the ages, the game of chess has drawn some of society's most intelligent and well-educated players. This indicates that the game has undergone significant change since it was originally played, with ongoing contributions from different generations.

Professional level chess is both educational and exciting to watch.

The best Chess tutors available
Damilola
4.9
4.9 (5 reviews)
Damilola
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Hanifi
Hanifi
€20
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vladimir
Vladimir
€65
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stan
Stan
€8
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Shane
Shane
€12
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Ameer
Ameer
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Carol
Carol
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stefan
Stefan
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Damilola
4.9
4.9 (5 reviews)
Damilola
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Hanifi
Hanifi
€20
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Vladimir
Vladimir
€65
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stan
Stan
€8
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Shane
Shane
€12
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Ameer
Ameer
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Carol
Carol
€17
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Stefan
Stefan
€10
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

An Introduction to Online Chess

The game of chess has benefited greatly from online play. Consider how long it would take you to play ten games on a traditional chess board.

Finding ten different opponents with comparable skills would be your first step. The board would then need to be reset after each game. Additionally, you would need to spend money on an analogue chess clock, which is rather pricey.

The chess game has advanced quickly in recent years as it has moved more and more into the digital sphere. Although playing chess online can never fully replace playing the game "over the board."

Online chess games are the most effective way to play. There are chess players of all ability levels, from novices to Grandmasters.

When you play chess online, you may either play a quick game in a matter of minutes or spend time reviewing your previous games. Online chess is available for free on a number of websites.

Here is an introduction to the world of online chess.

Resources to help you learn how to play chess

You might want to practice with a chess engine when you reach a higher level. You will be able to study methods that you might have overlooked in your games and see the optimal move in each position as a result.

Replay your earlier games and take note of your blunders. One of the best tools you have at your disposal to get better at chess is this one.

The best approach to advance as a player and sharpen your strategy and foresight on the chessboard is to solve a lot of chess problems.

Many of the popular chess websites offer a part where you may just practice your chess puzzles, so be sure to check those out.

Even while the positions you come across when completing chess puzzles will be very different from those you could come across in a game, they will still aid in your ability to see tactics on the board and comprehend concepts that you can use in your own games.

Knowing what resources to learn from is also important.

This rendition of The Chess Players is celebrated in France
Chess has been around for over 800 years. source: pixabay

Develop your understanding of the game of chess

Developing your pieces is one of the best ideas for beginners to concentrate on when they first begin playing chess and to maintain practising even as they grow to an advanced level.

All of your strongest pieces and those worth the most material points are placed in the bottom row or back rank at the start of each game. Before capturing an opponent's pieces, you will weigh the strength of the piece in terms of points of material.

Of course, the main objective is to trap the opposing king, but one wonderful approach to get an advantage is to take your opponent's resources!

Whether you already know how to play chess or know none of the chess rules you will find value in this article. Once you know the proper chess set up and have searched chess rules for beginners you will be well on your way! You don’t even need a board you can play chess online free.

Don’t worry the online chess board has the same number of pieces, squares, players and rules than the physical game. Once you find an opponent you will be able to play the game. Remember to keep an eye on your time and to keep your pieces safe, especially your king!

Find a Chess Tutor with Superprof

In Ireland, there are an increasing number of chess instructors that are willing to give their skills. The number of students looking to learn the age-old game has increased.

Here is some advice on where to find your first chess tutor.

You should look to develop your pieces in the early game. Moving pieces such as your rook, queen can put your opponent’s king in danger from across the board. Moving a pawn could take some pressure off of your other pieces. Remember that once the pan reaches the end of the board, that player will get a new piece such as a queen.

When looking at the game and what moves you can make to threaten the pieces of your opponent, you should take time and look if your pieces could put the king of your opponent in check!

Whether you choose to play chess in person with an opponent or with online players you will still have all of the same pieces, your king, queen, bishop, knight, rook and all the pawns. If you are playing over the board make sure that you set up all the chess pieces correctly and that both you and your opponent know all of the rules and moves.

It's crucial to choose a chess instructor with whom you get along well when you first start learning the game. Students find this to be particularly simple with Superprof because the site allows you to tailor your search to suit your individual requirements.

With Superprof, this is not the case! The platform gives students some freedom in how they decide to move forward. In fact, the vast majority of teachers who advertise their services on the site provide students with the choice of taking classes remotely via webcam from the convenience of their own home, the tutor's home, or both.

Your chess tutor will, without a doubt, possess superb teaching techniques and be aware of how to extract the most from you as a pupil in order for you to advance toward your own unique objectives.

>

The platform that connects tutors and students

First Lesson Free

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating.

5.00 (1 rating(s))
Loading...

Samuel

I enjoy reading fiction, playing chess, live music and traveling.