Chess set pieces names how to#

You may like this interesting article about “ how many chess openings you need to learn“ The Move of the PawnĮach of your pawns moves forward one square at a time. This means that, for example, the pawns in front of your two Knight pieces are called the Knight Pawns, and those in front of your King and Queen are called the King Pawn and Queen Pawn respectively. Your pawn is more specialized and multi-functional than you think.Īll eight pawns are named after the chess piece behind them in the first column on your side of the chessboard. Your battle line of pawns is both simple and complex when it comes to their functions and moves. It might be a common misconception and even an understatement for chess beginners to consider the pawn as a simple and weak chess piece. Of course, this is not always the case, especially for advanced players who use other or stronger chess pieces to start the game. They are usually the game starters, the first chess piece you would often move first to initiate the game. You will notice that it is the smallest piece on the chessboard.

You are assigned eight pawns at the start of every game. Now let us look into each chess piece, their respective positions and basic moves in the game. This means that all other chess pieces on the right are named Kingside pieces, while those on the left are called Queenside pieces.įor example, the first four pawns on the right side are called the Kingside pawns, while those on the other side are the Queenside pawns. Study the sample diagram below.Ĭheck out this article about the useful chess terms and chess movesĪs you can see in the board above, the Kingside in the game is always found on the right side of the chessboard, while the Queenside is located on the left side. The designated positions of your King and your Queen in both sides of the chessboard dictate and identify the roles of each chess piece to some extent. The chessboard is also divided vertically into two: the Kingside and the Queenside. The Rook, the Bishop, the Knight, the Queen, and the King chess pieces are positioned behind the eight pawns, from a1 to h1. The squares forming the vertical parts of the chessboard are assigned 1 to 8.Īll eight pawns are positioned and lined up on the second set of squares, from a2 to h2 and a7 to h7, in front of each remaining chess pieces. The squares forming the horizontal part of the chessboard are named a to h. The chessboard has a designated name for each square. It is made up of 64 squares and each player-the White and the Black players-has 16 chess pieces.Īt the beginning of each game, both players have 8 Pawns, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights, 2 Bishops, 1 Queen, and 1 King. The Chessboard Layout With Namesįirst, you have to be familiar with the chessboard set-up. In this article, I will try to share a simple but complete guide about chess pieces (positions, as well as names, and its moves) Here is a simple (but complete) guide for Chess Positions If you are a beginner, you also have to be familiar with some of their specialized moves and their “alternative” functions when you advance their moves in the game.Ĭhess is a game of strategy which requires critical thinking and enough skill, understanding, and mastery of all the moves and functions of each chess piece. That is precisely what I teach my daughter when it comes to the chess pieces, positions, and its moves.

Chess set pieces names how to#

When I started learning how to play chess, I was taught first to be familiar with the different pieces, their respective positions in the chessboard and their basic moves.