The Chessboard
Before a single piece moves, you need to know the battlefield. This lesson covers everything about the chessboard — its structure, squares, coordinates, and how the pieces are arranged at the start of every game.
1. The board at a glance
A chessboard is a square grid made up of 64 smaller squares arranged in 8 rows and 8 columns. The board is shared equally between two players — White and Black — and every game of chess is played on this same 8×8 grid, no matter where in the world you are.
2. Squares: light and dark
The 64 squares alternate between light and dark colours. There are exactly 32 light squares and 32 dark squares. This alternating pattern is functional — the Bishop, for example, is permanently bound to one colour for the entire game.
Bishops starting on a light square stay on light squares for the whole game.
Bishops starting on a dark square stay on dark squares for the whole game.
3. Files, ranks and diagonals
Chess uses three directional concepts to describe movement and position:
Files — vertical columns (a → h)
The 8 vertical columns are called files, labelled a through h from White’s left to right. The a-file is on White’s far left; the h-file is on the far right.
Ranks — horizontal rows (1 → 8)
The 8 horizontal rows are called ranks, numbered 1 through 8. Rank 1 is closest to White; rank 8 is closest to Black.
Diagonals
Lines of squares running at 45° are called diagonals. Every diagonal consists entirely of one colour, described by endpoints such as “the a1–h8 diagonal.”
4. Chess coordinates (algebraic notation)
Every square has a unique address: a file letter followed by a rank number — for example e4, d7, or h1. This system is called algebraic notation and is the universal language of chess worldwide.
The four central squares — d4, e4, d5, and e5 — are the most strategically important squares on the board.
5. Starting position
At the start of every game, all 32 pieces are placed in the same fixed arrangement. White occupies ranks 1 and 2; Black occupies ranks 7 and 8. Ranks 3–6 are empty — the battlefield.
6. The pieces
Each player begins with 16 pieces: one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights, and eight Pawns.
7. Orientation rule
There is one golden rule for placing the board correctly before a game:
When placing the Queen: the Queen goes on her own colour. White Queen on d1 (light square); Black Queen on d8 (dark square).
8. Quick quiz
Test your knowledge before moving on to Lesson 2.