The Chess Game Rules and Regulations for Beginners
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 18 September 2024
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
A Beginners Guide to Chess and Its Rules
As one of the most popular games of all time, it seems as though almost everyone knows at least the basics of chess. However, with the rise of video games and board games, it’s not out of the ordinary for people to have no clue how to play. In this guide to the chess game rules and regulations, we’ve provided a comprehensive run down of the game so you can start playing at home or online.
Intro to Professional Chess Rules
Before we get straight into the chess game rules and regulations, we have looked at the history of the game. This will provide some context to its enduring popularity and may help you with searching out strategies. From there, we’ve looked at the basic rules, pieces, and the available moves.
There are several ways that chess games can conclude, so we’ve outlined these as well as discussed why strategy is so integral to consistent success. To round out this guide, we’ve discussed how professional chess works and the regulator that manages major competitions.
- The History of Chess
- Basic Rules and Pieces
- The Moves Explained
- Potential Game Outcomes
- The Importance of Strategy
- About Professional Chess
History of Chess: From Early Beginnings to Recent Chess Rule Changes
The modern version of chess is the result of a constant evolution of the Indian game of Chaturanga which was invented in the fifth century. Over the centuries, the game spread across the world, being played in Persia as Shatranj before arriving in Europe in the Middle Ages.
By the 1500s, the chess rule changes were mostly complete, with moves such as the queen’s free ability to move now introduced to the game. However, the chess pieces that we know today didn’t debut till the Staunton chess set was created in 1849. Nicknamed “the royal game”, for some time it was considered to be a game for nobles.
It was in the 19th century that chess rules were formalized too, and organized competitions were held to determine champions. The first official World Chess Championship was held in 1886, which led to an increase in literature being written about chess strategies and the advent of expert trainers.
Over the 20th century, the game crossed class borders due to the availability of mass-produced chess sets. The history of the game of chess saw its popularity peaking in the 1970s as the world became captivated by the Cold War game when American Bobby Fischer defeated Soviet champion Boris Spassky.
The 1980s and 1990s saw Garry Kasparov dominate the sport, with highlights including matches against IBM’s Deep Blue artificial intelligence computer. Online chess has also ensured that the game is adopted by new generations. Chess experienced another surge in popularity in 2020 during the COVID lockdowns with the release of the hit Netflix series “The Queen’s Gambit”.
The Basic Rules and Pieces
Chess is a game that involves patience, attention, and strong strategic play. In standard and professional chess rules, games are played on an eight-by-eight grid between two players. Players start with 16 pieces that are laid out in the two rows closest to them in a specific mirrored order to their opponent.
The pieces include one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The aim of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, which is done by eliminating their other pieces. A checkmate is when the opponent’s king will be captured. Pieces can be used to attack or defend your own pieces.
All pieces can capture the king, but they have different characteristics in how they can move and capture. To capture a piece, a piece must be directly moved and placed on the same square occupied by an opponent’s piece. All pieces can be moved to a place where they can be captured except the king, with this capturable position being called check.
It’s especially important to understand these rules if you wish to bet on chess online. The most common types of chess bets are on the outright winner of the match, but it’s also possible to make Totals on the total moves in the game or prop bets on whether certain moves will be made.
The Chess Moves
Before the game commences, the pieces are arranged in a set order. The back row contains the rooks in the corners, knights next to them, bishops next to the knights, the queen on her matching color (for example, white queen on white), and the king on the remaining square. The front row contains only pawns.
Each piece has specific movements and limitations. Pawns move forward one square but capture diagonally, and on their first move, can move two squares. Rooks can move any number of squares horizontally across or vertically up, and bishops can move any number of squares diagonally.
Knights move in an L-shape, which is two squares vertically and one square horizontally, or two squares horizontally and one square vertically. The queen has the most freedom in that it can move any number of squares in any direction. The king can move one square in any direction.
There are several other special chess game rules and regulations to consider. For example, when a pawn reaches the opponent’s back row, it can be promoted to any piece of your choosing. An en passant allows a pawn to capture an opponent’s pawn that has moved two squares forward to bypass a capturing pawn. It can only be used immediately after the opponent’s move.
Game Outcomes
To put into perspective how many variations in potential chess games there can be, a calculation puts it that there are more variations than atoms in the observable universe. However, when it comes to the outcome of a game, there are only two options: a win or a draw.
A win is made with a checkmate, which occurs when a king is in a position to be captured, or “in check”, and cannot move to escape the threat. As for draws, there are several ways that this can happen. For a draw with a stalemate, a player must have no legal moves left and their king must not be in check.
At any time, draws can be agreed to at any time during the game if no conclusion seems likely. This could be because neither player has enough pieces to force a checkmate. Additionally, a draw can be claimed if fifty moves pass without any pawn movement, or if the same position occurs three times with the same player to move.
The Importance of Strategy
It isn’t wise to start thinking about strategy in your first few games, but rather it’s best to grow accustomed to the chess game rules and regulations. Over time you will likely discover tactics that help you with success, however, as you face more experienced opponents, you will need to think about strategies.
Strategies differ from short-term actions but instead involve long-term planning. This helps you to understand the strengths and weaknesses and formulate plans based on different outcomes provided by your opponent. One of the most reliable strategies is to control the center of the board.
This gives you more flexibility to move. You will also want to bring your pieces from their starting positions and place them on squares that ensure proactive offense and fortified defense. Strong structuring of pawns is integral to preventing weaknesses. Conversely, you’ll want to take out your opponent’s pawns where possible.
These are just a few basic strategies to consider. As you progress, be sure to consider the wealth of resources available in book form, podcasts, and online videos. There will never be any major chess rule changes to consider, so learning the fundamentals from experts early may shave years off your development.
About Professional Chess
The professional chess rules are governed by the International Chess Federation (FIDE). This organization also hosts tournaments and maintains player rankings. Unlike sports, most chess events are open and allow for mixed participation among men and women. Professional players are known for both in-person and online play.
The current World Chess Champion is Magnus Carlsen, who is one of the most recognizable names in the history of the chess game. The women’s title is held by Ju Wenjun. Some of the most prestigious events include the Candidates Tournament and the World Chess Championship, with the events showcasing the top global talent.
