Learn How to Play Chess

The game of these 64 alternate white and black squares has tremendous potential of numerous possibilities, permutations and combinations. Applauded as one of the great indoor games in Human history, it has a global appeal. It is very easy to Learn how to play Chess but hard to master.

The game of chess is supposed to have originated in India, though many countries lay claim to its invention. The Persian word Shatranj seemed to have originated from the Sanskrit word Chaturanga and hence it is considered to have been played in India first. The purpose of this article is to give an idea of how to play chess. Chess play- basics To play chess one must know how to put the pieces on the board. The chess board contains 64 (8x8) squares with each square having opposite colors alternatively, usually black and white or a dark and a light color. The two players, who play the game, sit on the opposite side of the board facing each other. The players sit usually in such a way that the diagonally situated two light color squares on the outer most of square of the board come on the right hand side of the players. Each player has 16 pieces in two different colors for easy identification, containing 8 Pawns, 2 rooks, 2 knights, 2 bishops, 1 queen and 1 king. The 16 pieces are arranged on the first two rows of the player with all the pawns occupying the second row and the remaining pieces on the first row. There is a rule in placing the pieces. The white king is placed on the opposite colored, fourth square from the right edge. On the left of whit king is placed the white queen. On both the sides of white king and queen two bishops are placed next to them two knights and next to them two rooks on both the sides. The opponent pieces are arranged so that each piece faces the other sides respective pieces like king facing king, queen facing queen etc. to play chess. Movements of pieces One should know the movements of the pieces on the board to learn to play chess. The movements of the pieces are as described below: Pawns all pawns are moved one step further on the same column except the initial move where they can be moved two squares. On capturing the other pieces (remember! Pawn can even capture a king) they can be moved diagonally one step. The captured opponents piece is removed from the board. King a king can move in any direction straight, forward, backward, diagonal- only one step. Queen a queen is moved in any direction straight, forward, backward, diagonal any number of squares available on the board. Bishop a bishop is moved diagonally only any number of squares available on the board. Knight a knight moves 3 steps with- two steps straight or backward and one step side wards (both sides) or one step straight or backward and two steps side wards (both sides) the movement of knight may slightly confuse the beginners and as the game is played it will be easily understood. Rooks rooks are always moved straight, forward or backward on the same column or row You should learn to play chess by carefully understanding the movements. How to play chess Before learning how to play chess, one should understand the rules of the games and some more words/moves. The aim of the game or the players is to capture the opponents king. A piece is supposed to have been captured, when the opponents piece (anything) comes to occupy this square of the piece by virtue of its logical movement. A piece is under threat when the opponents piece can capture this piece in the next move. When a threat is given to opponents king, then that king is supposed to be under check. Under checked position, the king has to be moved from its position. Or the check can be blocked by putting another piece in between the king under check and the opponents piece giving the threat. The game is won by proper strategies than by following rules. So learn chess to learn to form strategies.