Chess can be played as a competitive or as a recreational game; played between two players. Today chess is one of the world’s most popular games and is played by millions of people all over the world. There are however some things to know before playing chess. Let’s take a look at worldwide Chess rules to help you better understand the game.
FIDE: World Chess Organization
FIDE is the World Class Federation, international organization that connects national chess federations around the world. They act as a governing body for international chess competition. Their major role is organizing the World Chess Championship, regional championships, and the Chess Olympiad. They also oversee many other tournaments. FIDE is known throughout the world as the organization who defines the rules of chess for both individual games and for the conduct of international competitions. International competition rules are for the most part the same as local rules, but you can however make modifications to some of the local rules.
Rules of the Games: Set up
Chess is played on a square board divided into sixty four squares. The colors are alternating and are similar to a checkers board. On the board you will have sixteen white pieces and sixteen black pieces which each player will control. The pieces are as such:
1 King
1 Queen
2 Rooks
2 bishops
2 knights
8 pawns
At the beginning of the game the pieces are arranged in rows. The second row away from where the player is sitting contains the eight pawns. The row nearest the player contains the remaining pieces as such:
Rooks are placed on the outside corners
Knights are placed immediately inside of the rooks
Bishops are placed inside of the knights
The queen is laced in the middle square (which is the same color of that player; white queen on white, black queen on black)
The King takes the vacant spot next to the queen.
Rules of the Game: Game Play
White always moves first in the game of chess and then players will alternate turns. Play will continue this way until a player resigns or a king is check mated. Each chess piece has its own moving styles which are made to open squares except when you want to capture an opponent’s piece. Pieces can jump over one another except for the knight and when a piece is taken the captured piece is replaced by it’s over taker in that square. The King however cannot be captured. It can only be put into check. In worldwide chess the King has to be touched and moved first when castling. Castling consists of moving the king two squares toward a rook; then placing the rook on the other side of the king so it is adjacent to it. Castling is allowed only under certain conditions:
1. The player must not have moved the king or the rook involved in castling.
2. There are no pieces between the king and the rook
3. The king cannot be in check
4. The king and rook must be on the same rank
In more serious chess play the king must be touched first and moved when castling. Each chess piece also has its own set of rules when playing the game of chess.
The rook moves any number of open spaces vertically or horizontally across the board. It can also be moved while castling.
The knight moves in an L shape across the board to the nearest square not on the same rank, file or diagonal. Its move is never blocked by other pieces.
The bishop moves only diagonally to any number of open squares
The queen can also move any number of open squares diagonally, vertically, or horizontally.
Pawns however are a little more complex in their movement. A pawn can move forward one square if the square is not occupied by another piece. It also has the option of moving two squares if it hasn’t been touched and moved yet. Both squares however have to be open spaces. The pawn cannot move backwards. Pawns are the only pieces in the game of chess that can be captured different from how they move. They can capture enemy pieces that are diagonally placed in front of them but can’t move to these spaces if they are open. If it makes it all the way to its eighth rank, it is promoted to a queen, rook, bishop, or knight of the same color.
Check and Checkmate
Players move across the board using these chess pieces in an attempt to capture the king. When a player makes a move that threatens the opposing team’s king, the king is said to be “in check. ” The opponent must then move the king to eliminate the threat of capture. If the player’s king is in a place where it cannot make a legal move to take the king out of threat, then the king is said to be “checkmated ” and the game is over. Players move strategically across the board trying to protect the king from becoming checkmated.
There is a quick look at worldwide Chess rules. There are however other things you will want to consider when playing chess internationally; illegal moves, touch-move rules, resigning, etc. This is only a brief overview.
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