The Rules of Chess

Objective of the Game

The objective of chess is to checkmate the opponent's king. This means placing the enemy king in a position where it is threatened with capture (check) and no move can save it from this threat.

Setup

• The chessboard consists of 64 alternating light and dark squares, forming an 8×8 grid.
• Each player begins with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns.
• The initial arrangement places the pawns on the second rank in front of each player, and the other pieces on the first rank according to a precise order.
• The chessboard must be oriented so that each player has a white square in the bottom right corner.

Movement of Pieces

• Each type of piece moves according to specific rules:
  • The king can move one square in any direction.
  • The queen can move any number of squares in all directions: horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
  • Rooks move horizontally or vertically any number of squares.
  • Knights move in an "L" shape: two squares in one direction (horizontal or vertical), then one square perpendicular to that direction.
  • Bishops move diagonally any number of squares.
  • Pawns move forward one square, but for their first move, they can advance two squares. Pawns capture diagonally, one square forward.
• Pieces cannot move through other pieces, with the exception of the knight which can jump over them.
• If a piece moves to a square occupied by an opponent's piece, the latter is captured and removed from the board.

Special Moves

Castling

If neither the king nor the rook involved has moved yet, and if there are no pieces between them, the king can move two squares toward the rook, and the rook jumps over the king to the adjacent square. This special move allows the king to be secured while activating the rook.

En passant

If a pawn advances two squares from its starting position and ends up beside an opponent's pawn, the latter has the option to capture it as if it had only advanced one square. This capture must be made immediately after the two-square pawn move, otherwise the opportunity is lost.

Pawn promotion

When a pawn reaches the last rank (the opposite edge of the board), it can be promoted and transformed into any other piece of the same color (except a king), usually a queen to maximize its value.

Check and Checkmate

• A king is in check when it is threatened with capture by an opponent's piece. The player must then make a move that eliminates this threat.
• Checkmate occurs when the king is in check and no legal move can eliminate this threat. The player whose king is checkmated loses the game.

Stalemate and Draw

• Stalemate occurs when the player whose turn it is has no legal move possible and their king is not in check. In this case, the game is declared a draw (tie).
• Draw by insufficient material: if neither player has enough pieces to force a checkmate (e.g., king versus king, king and bishop versus king), the game is a draw.
• Draw by repetition: if the same position occurs three times with the same player to move and the same movement possibilities, the game is declared a draw.

End of Game

• The game can end with a checkmate, a stalemate, or a draw by mutual agreement between the players, by insufficient material, or by triple repetition.
• If a player is unable to make a legal move (often called a dead position), the game ends.

Chess in Art and Literature

Chess has a rich history intertwined with art and literature. Two notable works stand out particularly:

Scacchi ludus (1527) by Marco Girolamo Vida

This poem describes a chess game between gods on Mount Olympus. Its beauty captured readers' attention, inspiring later works such as the poem Chess by Jan Kochanowski.

Caïssa: or The Game of Chess (1772) by William Jones

This poem introduced Caïssa, a mythical figure representing the spirit of chess, who has since become the muse of the game.

These works have had a lasting influence on chess culture. They have been referenced in literature, game analysis, and even in art. Both Scacchi ludus and Caïssa remain important aspects of chess's cultural heritage.