Learn chess › Floor 1 · The basics Setting up the pieces Where every piece begins
Try this lesson in Chess40 Step 1 Each side begins with sixteen pieces: a king, a queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns.
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 Step 2 The rooks stand in the corners, the knights beside them, and then the bishops.
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. Marked: a1, h1, b1, g1, c1, f1, a8, h8, b8, g8, c8, f8. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 Step 3 The queen stands on her own colour: the white queen on the light square d1, the black queen on the dark square d8. The king takes the square beside her.
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. Marked: d1, e1, d8, e8. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 Step 4 The pawns fill the whole second rank for White, and the seventh for Black.
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. Marked: a2, b2, c2, d2, e2, f2, g2, h2, a7, b7, c7, d7, e7, f7, g7, h7. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 Step 5 Tap the square where the white king starts.
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 Show the answer The squares: e1
Step 6 Where does the black queen start?
White: King e1, Queen d1, Rook a1, Rook h1, Bishop c1, Bishop f1, Knight b1, Knight g1, Pawn a2, Pawn b2, Pawn c2, Pawn d2, Pawn e2, Pawn f2, Pawn g2, Pawn h2. Black: King e8, Queen d8, Rook a8, Rook h8, Bishop c8, Bishop f8, Knight b8, Knight g8, Pawn a7, Pawn b7, Pawn c7, Pawn d7, Pawn e7, Pawn f7, Pawn g7, Pawn h7. a 8 b 7 c 6 d 5 e 4 f 3 g 2 h 1 d8 e8 d1 Show the answer Answer: d8
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