LET'S PLAY
CHESS
Chess—the ultimate battle of strategy, patience, and the occasional blunder that ruins everything. Every move is a step toward dominance or disaster, and only those who think ahead will stand victorious. Unlike fast-paced, chaotic games, Chess is a pure test of skill, making it the perfect game for anyone who loves outsmarting their opponent one move at a time. Simple rules, endless depth—are you ready to play the long game?
Object
Set Up
Checkmate your opponent’s king, meaning the king is under attack and cannot escape. If no legal moves are available and the king isn’t in check, the game ends in a stalemate (a draw).
What You Need
A standard 8x8 chessboard.
32 chess pieces (16 per player as follows):
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1 King
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1 Queen
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2 Rooks
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2 Bishops
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2 Knights
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8 Pawns
Each player arranges their pieces on the back two rows:
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Rooks in the corners
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Knights next to the rooks
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Bishops next to the knights
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Queen on her own color (white queen on white, black queen on black)
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King next to the queen
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Pawns go in a full row in front of the other pieces.
VIDEO COMING
Piece Movement
KING
→ Moves one square in any direction.
Cannot move into check.
ROOK
→ Moves horizontally or vertically
any number of squares.
KNIGHT
→ Moves in an L-shape (two squares in one direction, then one square perpendicular).
Can jump over pieces.
QUEEN
→ Moves any number of squares in any direction.
BISHOP
→ Moves diagonally
any number of squares.
PAWN
→ Moves one square forward, but captures diagonally. On its first move, it can move two squares forward instead of one.
Game Play
White moves first, then players alternate turns.
Turn Actions in Chess
1. Move One Piece
→ On your turn, move a single piece according to its movement rules.
2. Capture (Optional)
→ If your move lands on a square occupied by an opponent’s piece, capture and remove it from the board.
3. Check for Check
→ If your move puts the opponent’s king in check, they must escape it on their turn.
Your turn ends after making a legal move. Your opponent now plays.
Special Rules
Castling
→ The king moves two squares toward a rook, and the rook jumps to the other side of the king.
Conditions:
• Neither the king nor rook has moved before.
• No pieces are between them.
• The king cannot castle through or into check.
En Passant
→ If a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands next to an opponent’s pawn, the opponent can capture it as if it had moved only one square forward, but only on the next turn.
Pawn Promotion
→ If a pawn reaches the opposite side of the board, it must be promoted to a queen, rook, bishop, or knight (usually a queen).
Winning the Game
Checkmate
→ The king is under attack and has no legal moves. The game immediately ends with a win for the attacking player.
Stalemate
→ If a player has no legal moves but isn’t in check, the game is a draw.
Other Draw Conditions:
• Insufficient material (e.g., king vs. king, king and knight vs. king).
• Threefold repetition (same position occurs three times).
• 50-move rule (no captures or pawn moves in 50 consecutive moves).
• Agreement (both players agree to a draw).
Strategy Tips
• Control the center → Strong positions come from occupying central squares early.
• Develop your pieces → Move knights and bishops before pushing too many pawns.
• Protect your king → Castle early to keep your king safe.
• Don’t bring your queen out too soon → She’s powerful but vulnerable if exposed too early.
• Watch for forks, pins, and skewers → These tactics can help you gain material.
Final Thoughts
Chess is easy to learn but takes a lifetime to master. Whether you play casually or competitively, every game is a new challenge of skill, foresight, and creativity.