Question: Are there chess games where the pieces are placed differently?

{"type"=>"root", "children"=>[{"type"=>"paragraph", "children"=>[{"type"=>"text", "value"=>"Yes! There are variations on chess games where not all the pieces are used, pieces are placed differently, or additional pieces are added."}, {"type"=>"text", "value"=>" Chess 960 starts with the back rank assigned to squares randomly (look up Chess 960 or Fischer Random Chess for rules). Endgame Chess only uses the pawns and kings. ", "bold"=>true}, {"type"=>"text", "value"=>"Capablanca is played on a 10X8 board with two additional pieces and pawns. Chess teachers often remove a few of their own pieces as a handicap when playing students. Look up “chess variants” to find many different options for new ways to play."}]}]}

Question: Why do I need to learn chess notation?

{"type"=>"root", "children"=>[{"type"=>"paragraph", "children"=>[{"type"=>"text", "value"=>"Algebraic chess notation is often referred to as the language of chess. "}, {"type"=>"text", "value"=>"Understanding how to read chess notation is essential to learning more and improving, as most study materials, puzzles, and tutorials use notation. ", "bold"=>true}, {"type"=>"text", "value"=>"Additionally, you must use chess notation if you enter a tournament at any point. You will write down your moves as the official record of the game. You can play chess without any understanding of notation, but it’s much easier to get better at chess if you do."}]}]}

Chess Board Setup: Perfection Every Time

If you’re an experienced chess player, setting up your board for play becomes muscle memory. Every piece goes in its place as if by magic. If you’re just starting out, or if you’ve played mostly online where the board is set up for you, you may second-guess yourself when confronted with a real-life chess set. Follow these simple steps to learn everything you need to know about setting up your board perfectly every time!

Step One: Orient Your Board

I have a buddy in the chess world who collects pictures of misoriented boards in popular culture and print. Every time he finds one, he makes a public post shaming the culprits. You don’t want to be pilloried in the village green for starting your chess board setup off on the wrong square! The easiest way to remember the correct orientation for your board is “white on the right.” Always place your board with a white square at the bottom right corner.

A chess board graphic with a green arrow pointing to a write square in the lower right corner — Be a good chess citizen and avoid misoriented boards. Chess Board Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

Can you play with the board in the wrong orientation? Sure. You can also simply place the pieces wherever and call it a variation, but that doesn’t make it correct. Starting all of the pieces on the wrong squares won’t change how you move them, but it can end up being confusing when you’re playing a pattern quickly. Go “white on the right” and you won’t go wrong.

Chess pieces are crowded together — This game is in a very confused state. Image by Alois Grundner from Pixabay

Step One Point Five: Note Your Notation

Now that you’ve got your board in the correct orientation, you’ll want to be mindful of your chess notation. Algebraic chess notation is the system of coordinates used to communicate where a chess piece is located on the board and the moves the pieces make. Experienced players can follow an entire game just from the notation.

The horizontal rows of the chess board are called “ranks,” and the vertical rows are “files.” Hopefully, you don’t need a mnemonic to remember this, because I’ve spent several minutes trying to come up with one and failing. The best I can do is call the vertical files “single file” lines across the board. The good news is that this will come naturally after practicing with it for a short time.

A chess board is labeled with algebraic notation and with one king at e6 — The king is on square e6 (Ke6) in this lonely setup. Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay

It might be easier to remember that the files use letters and the ranks use numbers, because we file things alphabetically, and we rank things numerically. Understanding algebraic notation opens up a world of learning opportunities, from simple online puzzles to studying some of the greatest games in the world. Practice with your physical set as well as books and online study, as looking at a three-dimensional board is different. For a free primer on chess notation, check out "Learn to Read & Write Chess" by Jeanne Cairns Sinquefield.

Important note! White is always on the “bottom” of the chess board for notation purposes, filling ranks 1 and 2, while black fills 7 and 8 at the “top” of the board.

Step Two: Cool Kids Sit in the Back … Rank

The row of squares closest to you or your opponent is referred to as the back rank. Your most important pieces fill the back rank. From the outside in, you’ll place your rook, knight, and bishop on their squares in that order, repeating the mirror of this on the other side. You've perfectly placed six pieces in your chess board setup that easily!

The king and queen can be a little trickier. When you set up your board correctly, the two queens will be on the same file, as will the two kings. You can remember the correct placement by always placing the queen on her own color. The white queen always starts the game on white, and the black queen always starts on black. This means that the board is a true mirror image when correct.

Step Three: The Pawns Don’t Get Any Respect

Pawns are the expendable soldiers in your chess war. They’re so low in the hierarchy that they aren’t even called “pieces.” They’re pawns—just pawns. The good news for you is that placing them on the board is easy. They fill the ranks in front of the pieces, forming a solid row of eight from left to right. The white pawns will be on rank 2 and the black on rank 7.

Ready your pawns for noble sacrifice, and your chess board setup is complete! Take a moment to admire the classic beauty of a chess set full of potential. I always enjoy the moment before I’ve made my first mistake.

Pawns are lined up decoratively on either side of the black king — The pawns are plotting their revenge, just wait. Image by Umkreisel-App from Pixabay

Extra Credit: Check Your Fit

Did you know there’s an ideal ratio for your chess pieces and chess board? If the pieces are too big, they’ll crowd the board and be difficult to play with. Pieces that are too small are no problem to play with, but boy, do they look silly. This is where you might want to grab your chess set and a ruler.

For the perfect chess board setup, measure one square on your board and the diameter of the base of your king. Then divide the width of the square by the diameter of the king’s base. Is the number 1.3 or close to it? Your set is a good match! Is the number lower than 1.3? Your chess pieces are oversized for your board. A higher number may mean the pieces are too small.

Want to check the fit without using any math? Take four of your lowly pawns and cram them into one square. Assuming your chess pieces are proportional within the set, if four pawns fit into a square, your set is a good size for the board.

Of course, the ultimate arbiter of the fit will be your own taste. If your pieces don’t seem crowded and you can reach the entire board easily, you can skip the math and enjoy.

Perfection Achieved: Now Play!

A chess board is fully set up on a dock next to the water — This setup is perfection in multiple ways. Image by Moutard from Pixabay

Your chess board awaits! Even if your set is a showpiece you don’t intend to play on, you’ll always have the satisfaction of knowing it’s properly arranged. If your chess board setup is just the beginning, enjoy your game with confidence that you’ve started off on the right square.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you bought your set from a reputable chess equipment manufacturer, the board and chess pieces usually work together beautifully. You would likely not even notice or think about the fit, because it will feel “natural.” If, however, you have a set that feels off or annoys you while playing, this may be the problem. Novelty and handmade sets can sacrifice playability for appearance. A mismatch is not a tragedy, however. Consider replacing the board with a better size and keep your favorite pieces in play.

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