How to play chess

Learning how to play chess is simple, yet the gameplay is somewhat complicated. If playing against a person who takes his chess playing very seriously, the game can get technical and confusing. This Instructable will just cover the basics of gameplay

Please note that I am not responsible in any manner for injury or death from conflict of competitive opponents.

Step 1 The art of chess.

Chess is a two player game that is played for recreational and competetive purposes. Each player has a set of characters all one color (usually black and white). Each player takes turns using strategy to overcome the enemies forces and destroy the King. If you lose your King, the game is over and you have lost. Try to defend your King, while trying to destroy the enemy King.

Comments

[Derin]

did you know that check mate originated from the Arabian word shah mat which means "king dead"

[antichemisty]

OK technically the king would be captured however because of the rule that the "rule" that you have to move out of check exists, he simply resigns by tipping the king, he could simply move another piece and the game would be over anyways by you taking it. So it really is correct from both perspectives.

The King is not purely a defensive piece. King can be very much an offensive piece. There are games, rare as they may be, where the king willing comes out and plays a support role in the game. Even more common is during the end game. The king is a vital offensive piece. Especially when it comes down to keeping your pawn alive as it moves across the board.

Castling can only be used if one of your rooks and your King haven't moved at all during gameplay. You move your King as far as you can towards your rook (without going through pieces), and place your rook beside the King.
Actually the king is move two squares in either direction. When castling queen side the king moves to C1 not to B1 and the queen side rook would consequentially move to D1. When castling king side, the king moves to G1 and the king side rook would move to F1. When playing you must always move the king first. If you move the king the two spaces it is required that you castle because it is a special move outside of normal limits. However simply moving the rook first is within the limits and would be there by counted as you move and it would be the other person's turn. (This is important with more serious players, not so much for recreation)

To address another few points, yes, white does ALWAYS go first. The queen point wise is worth the most (9) next to the king (invaluable, duh =P) However that does not make it the best piece. It is close to impossible to win solely on your queen and it is more that possible to win with out one. Does it help? Sure, usually in mid to end game though. Brining her out first only gives the opponent a set target and you spend half your time getting her out of harms way. It really is personal preference, my friend love knights and considers them the best. I love rooks and bishops more the rooks though. Its really is all about the combinations.

There is some other good techniques that i would like to explain such as pin, fork and skewer and other tricks and such but that would require a whole separate instructable. Hope i helped.

[DuctTapeRules!]

Try to defend your King, while trying to destroy the enemy King.
You have to checkmate (trap the King so it can't get out of danger) the King, not capture/kill/destroy/whatever it.

[lemonie]

Each player should pick a color, then decide who begins
White always goes first

The Queen is probably your most useful offensive unit
No. Most attacking is done with other pieces, and combinations of. No one piece is most useful.

Castling can only be used if one of your rooks and your King haven't moved at all during gameplay. You move your King as far as you can towards your rook (without going through pieces), and place your rook beside the King.
The rook is moved to theother side of the king.

You missed en passant

Standard teminology includes words like take and attack, not kill, destroy, dead etc

L

[chikensr0ck]

White does always go first. The Queen is the most powerful piece. How the hell do you castle?

[CameronSS]

Heh...I beat my sister once with en passant, though I don't think the supreme victory was quite worth the slap...probably should have told her what it was beforehand...

[lemonie]

Yes, well maybe she should have familiarised herself with the rules? L

[pyr0man1ac]

ok im not perfect at chess.....but white doesnt always go first, at least not in america the queen is used offensively and i meant that it is your best character.....and USEFUL is not the same as COMMONLY USED that is correct about castling, i just looked it up i didnt want to include en passant because i find it difficult to understand as a beginner, leastways it was for me

[FrenchCrawler]

I have to agree with lemonie... white does go first.
Look it up on any site (US or non) or read any chess book.

http://www.fide.com/official/handbook.asp?level=EE101
http://www.uschess.org/beginners/letsplay.php
http://www.chessclub.com/resources/rules/ (this one will help to understand en passant among other things)

[lemonie]

Well, queen is highest value and powerful. My point was that the best attacks use combinations. Wading in with a queen is risky, and can leave you severly compromised, but I know what you mean.
OK, who goes first is subject to local (but not official) rules.
I was being picky about en passant, and apologise for it. Athough having read the other Chess Instructable afterwards I noticed it did get a mention.

L

[pestisbest]

i dont know how to play chess. haha. i know pyro tho.

[latobada]

@ llama13
I guess he beat us to it? but in either case, we should publish yours in a while, I've made a 3D chess set to show move positions, and it can be animated very easily.

Nice Instructables pyr0man1ac, although lama13 and had placed a dib on this one. ^_

[pyr0man1ac]

latobada, you and llama13 can collaborate on it with me if you 2 would like

[trebuchet03]

although lama13 and had placed a dib on this one.

He actually beat llama to it - it just got caught by robot who had to read through it first ;)

But ya, Jeff's the man :p

[jeffreyf]

No worries. As I said, everyone who makes a valid effort wins! Just make yours as good as possible!