Edition: Standard chess under the international FIDE rules, which US Chess and national federations around the world also follow. Last checked October 25, 2026
Chess Rules: How to Play Chess for Beginners
Chess is a strategy game for two, where each player commands an army of 16 pieces. Here are the most important rules in short, plus answers to the small rules that often spark debate at the table.
- Players
- 2
- Age
- 6 and up
- Playing time
- 20 to 60 minutes
How to win: You win by checkmating your opponent's king, so that it is under attack and cannot escape. The game can also end in a draw.
Who is right?
The classic arguments at the table when you play Chess.
Can the king castle while in check?
No.
You may not castle out of check, through a square that is under attack, or into check. The rook, however, may be under attack, or pass over an attacked square on the queenside.
Some families with kids ignore the rule about passing through an attacked square, but that is not legal under the official rules.
Is en passant a real rule?
Yes.
If a pawn moves two squares forward and lands right beside an opponent's pawn, the opponent may capture it as if it had moved only one square. It must be done on the very next move, or the chance is gone.
Many families do not know the rule and play without it. Agree on it before the game if you are new.
Is stalemate a win for the player with more pieces?
No, it is a draw.
If the player to move has no legal move and is not in check, it is stalemate and the game is a draw. That holds no matter how many pieces each player has.
Some families count stalemate as a loss for the stalemated player. That is a house rule, not official chess.
Can you have two queens?
Yes.
A pawn that reaches the far row can become a queen even if your first queen is still on the board. In principle you can have several queens at once.
If you do not have a spare queen, many use an upside down rook as a queen.
Do you have to move a piece you touched?
Yes, under the official rules.
If you deliberately touch one of your own pieces, you must move it if you can. If you touch an opponent's piece, you must capture it if you can. To straighten a piece, say I adjust first.
In friendly games and with kids, many skip the touch move rule.
What you need
- A chessboard with 64 squares
- 16 white and 16 black pieces
Setup
- 1Place the board so each player has a light square in the bottom right corner.
- 2Put the rooks in the corners, the knights next to them, and then the bishops.
- 3The queen goes on her own color: white queen on a light square, black queen on a dark square.
- 4The king goes on the last open square of the back row, next to the queen.
- 5Place all eight pawns on the row in front of the other pieces.
How to play
- 1White always moves first. Then you take turns moving one piece at a time.
- 2The king moves one square in any direction. The queen moves as far as she likes in straight lines and diagonals.
- 3The rook moves in straight lines and the bishop diagonally, both as far as they like as long as the path is clear.
- 4The knight moves in an L: two squares one way and one square to the side. It is the only piece that can jump over others.
- 5A pawn moves one square forward, or two squares forward from its starting square. It captures one square diagonally forward.
- 6You capture by moving your piece onto a square occupied by an opponent's piece. The captured piece is removed from the board.
- 7When the king is under attack, it is in check. You must get out of check at once by moving the king, capturing the attacker or blocking.
- 8When a pawn reaches the far row, it is promoted to a queen, rook, bishop or knight.
- 9If the king is in check and cannot escape, it is checkmate and the game is over.
Castling
Castling is a special move where the king and a rook move on the same turn. The king moves two squares toward the rook, and the rook hops over to the other side of the king. It is only allowed when:
- Neither the king nor the rook being used has moved before.
- There are no pieces between the king and the rook.
- The king is not in check.
- The king does not pass through a square that is under attack and does not end up in check.
When is it a draw
- Stalemate: the player to move has no legal move but is not in check.
- Neither player has enough pieces left to checkmate, such as king against king.
- The same position occurs for the third time with the same player to move.
- 50 moves by each player have passed without a capture or a pawn move.
- Both players agree to a draw.
House rules
Pick the rules you want to play with tonight. Everyone at the table has to agree.
Our Chess rules for tonight
Everything else follows the official rules.
Frequently asked questions
Who goes first in chess?
White always moves first. Many players switch colors after each game so both get to start.
Do you have to say check when you attack the king?
No, it is not required by the official rules. Many say it anyway in friendly games, especially with kids.
Can the king capture a piece?
Yes. The king can capture a piece on a neighboring square, as long as it does not end up in check afterward.
Source: The FIDE Laws of Chess and common club and family tradition. The rules are written in our own words. Ask the referee if you are unsure.