Rules Concerning the Arrangement of Pieces on the Chessboard

Just like all the other essential aspects in the game of chess, the arrangement of the different chess pieces on the chessboard is very important. Without following these pre-set rules, the game is expected to be chaotic and highly disorganized. Because of this fact, individuals who may be planning to try the game should know the different chess pieces are arranged accordingly on top of the chessboard.

Before setting up a chess game, the players must initially know what are the basic materials that are necessary to start a game. A single chessboard and a complete set of chess pieces make up the essential materials needed to begin. With these two fundamental elements present, a couple of players can start playing competitive chess games by themselves. Meanwhile, chess clocks, although not that necessary, are still required tools especially in the tournament setting.

Chessboards are available in various kinds of materials. Wood, vinyl, and glass are among the most common materials used in creating excellent chessboards. Meanwhile, other manufacturers use stone, leather, or cardboard to produce these alternately colored boards. Overall, each of these boards used in playing chess is made up of 64 squares. These chessboards will serve as bases upon which the various chess pieces will be arranged.

Similarly, manufacturers of chess sets use a wide range of materials to produce the different beautifully crafted chess pieces. Plastic, wood, and glass make elegant chess pieces. Ivory, metal, and stone are also used occasionally. A complete chess set is basically made up of 32 pieces. The first half of them should be white in color while the other half are black. These pieces complete the basic materials needed to play a chess game.

The chess pieces would have to be divided equally between two players. The first player would have to control the white pieces while the second one would have to maneuver the black pieces. Each player must have a single king, one queen, and eight pawns. Furthermore, each of them should also possess a couple of bishops, two knights, and a pair of rooks. Pawns occupy the second horizontal lines from each player while the rest of the chess pieces fill up the outer lines.

A pair of rooks usually fills up the outermost squares of each side. A couple of knights would occupy the next couple of squares besides these rooks. Meanwhile, the pair of bishops should occupy the two vacant spots next to the knights. The player who would control the light colored pieces should place the queen on the light shade square. The king would have to occupy the only remaining spot left in that row. Before a chess game starts, each side should act as the mirror image of the other with the white pieces making the first move in the game.