Do you know “Chaturanga” an ancient game which some people believe chess evolved from? It was played back in the Gupta Empire in India before the 7th century AD. Now, let’s have a quick look on the basics of chess.
Chess is played by 2 participants. The board has 64 squares – 32 black squares and 32 white squares. Each player has 16 pieces. The following below is in order of strength:
- 1 King
- 1 Queen
- 2 Rooks
- 2 Knights
- 2 Bishops
- 8 Pawns
The Queen is the most powerful piece, a pawn is the weakest piece and the King is the most valuable piece.
How the pieces look
Rook: The rook looks like a small tower
Pawn: you can recognise it by:
- There’s eight of it
- It’s at the very front
Queen: The Queen has a small, round-shaped crown.
Knight: The Knight looks like a horse.
King: The King looks like it has a plus on top.
Bishop: The bishop looks like it has a sad smile and looks up.
The rules of the Pieces
-
- Pawns can only move 1 step forward at a time unless it wants to capture a piece 1 step forward diagonally. The pawn can move 1 or 2 steps forward in its opening move.
- The Knight which looks like a horse moves in a L shaped pattern. If the knights in the centre it can move to 8 different squares. It can leap over pieces but it can’t capture the ones it leaps over. It can only capture the pieces it lands on. It’s the only piece that can leap over other pieces.
- The King is the most valuable piece and without it a game cannot last. It can move to any square but it can only move one step at a time.
- The queen is the most powerful piece in the chess. It can move anywhere vertically, diagonally or horizontally.
- The Bishop can only move diagonally to any square.
- People usually think that the Rook look like a small castle, it can move horizontally or vertically in a straight line to any square.
- Each piece has its own points.
| Name | Points |
| Queen | 9 |
| Rook | 5 |
| Knight | 3 |
| Bishop | 3 |
| Pawn | 1 |
| King | Infinite |
Ooh, remember white starts first in the game.
Do you know where Chess was invented?
Chess was originated in India before the 6th century but some people thought that it was invented in China. Initially, from India, it spread to Persia. When the Muslims conquered Persia, they quickly spread to Europe and other countries.
How to set a Chess board?
- First have to layout the board with the white square on the bottom right corner. Most people say ‘white on the right’.
- Then, you set the eight pieces of Pawns in the penultimate row.
- After that, place the 2 Rooks in the left and the right corner squares below the corner Pawns.
- Followed by the 2 Knights right next to the Rooks.
- Next, you have to place the 2 Bishops right next to the Knights.
- Then, the Queen goes to the white square left in the board.
- Finally, the King is positioned in the black square left in the board
If you want to know more about the techniques to be used in Chess, wait for Advance Chess which is expected soon.
Written by
Siddharth Sambandan
(11 years)
very informative!
just an add-on :
Chaturanga (Chatur – Four , Anga – Limb/Body parts) initially represented four strategic arms of battalions in war. Cavalry – knights, Infantry – pawns, Elephants – rooks, Chariots – bishops, Queen, King.
Thank you ?