Basics in Beginning a Chess Game
Chess is a game of wit, skill, and smart strategies. But first, we have to know the very basic in the game—how to set up the board and start the chess game rolling. Here are some tips.
The chess board has 8 by 8 squares or 64 squares in all. Another way of putting it is 8 columns by 8 rows— or 8 files by 8 ranks. The squares have two alternating colors and a white square should always be at the extreme right of the eighth row and column.
Chess pieces are 32 in all. These are divided into two teams or groups of white against black with each team having 16 pieces to play. One side of the board is occupied by a team and the other side by the other team. Usually, the white team makes the first move in the game, but this could be arranged differently according to what the two players would agree on. Each player assembles their 16 chess pieces on two rows of their sides. With coordinates, this means one player has 1 and 2 rows while the other has the 7 and 8 rows to occupy.
To set up the board, the front rows (row 2 and row 7) are where all the pawns should all be drawn up. Thus, the white team has 8 white pawns lined up on row 2 and the black team has 8 black pawns lined up on row 7. The major and minor pieces in a chess game, sometimes called officials, are drawn up at the back row (row 1 for the white team and row 8 for the black team). Major pieces include the king, queen, and two rooks or towers. Minor pieces include 2 knights and 2 bishops—8 officials in all per team.
Here's how major and minor pieces are arranged: for the white team, beginning from the white square at the extreme right of row 1 (or extreme right of row 8 for the black team) we place a rook. Next to it are a knight, then a bishop, then the king. These are the king's officials. Next to the king are the queen, then the other bishop, then the other knight, then the other rook. These are the queen's officials.
When we have set up the board and the pieces this way, and if we know how each piece is valued and moved, then we're ready to begin and enjoy a chess game.