1The white player makes the first move. They choose any piece they'd like to move to begin the initial attack, or the opening. They move a piece, and black counters. The opening is one of the most important parts of the game. There's no real "right" way to do it -- everyone has their own style and you'll find yours. But there are a few things to keep in mind:Do not go about about attacking for now. In your opening, you're just getting your pieces to their most useful posts. You want them to be on good and safe squares.Generally, make only 1 or 2 moves with your pawns. Then start concentrating on your more powerful pieces -- bishops, knights, queen, and rooks. "Development" (getting your pieces to active squares, such as the center) isn't complete until all of these pieces have moved.A lot of your opening moves depend on your opponent -- you'll just have to feel out the game. So observe and see if you can guess what his plan is. This game is more about anticipating threats and foresight than anything else.2Incorporate the "en passant" rule. If you'd like, that is. Plenty of beginners don't worry about it. But if you're curious as to how to make this game a little more French and a little more complicated than it already is, why, here's how:If you recall, your pawn can move 2 spaces forward on its first move. Let's say you do just that, landing next to your opponent's pawn, on the same row. On the next move -- and only the next move -- your opponent can capture your pawn en passant (which literally translates to: in passing). Normally, pawns can only attack one square diagonally -- but this is an exceptional case in which it can capture in passing and still land on that same diagonal space.Again, this can only happen directly after a pawn has made its initial 2-space move. If a turn goes by, the opportunity is lost. This move is unique only to the pawns and no other piece. Thus you cannot capture the queen or a knight by en passant3Take turns. And thus goes the game! You and your opponent take turns, trying to get to each other's king and capturing pieces in your wake. If you can threaten their queen or king and keep him on the defensive, you'll be at an advantage, but there are infinite possibilities as to how to win.Pawns may seem like they're just in the way, but don't be tempted to sacrifice them just yet. If you get one to the other side of the board, it turns into a different piece (just not the king)! Generally people go for a queen, but you're welcome to turn it into a rook or a knight or a bishop. If you can sneak your pawn to the other side without your opponent noticing, you can change the tide of the game completely.4Always think a step or two in advance. If you move your knight there, what happens? Does it expose other pieces for your opponent's next play? Do you have time to play offense or does your king (or maybe even queen) need protecting? What ideas seem to be brewing on your opponent's turf? Where do you see the game going in the next few moves?This isn't a game where you can mindlessly move pieces around -- they all affect each other in one way or another. You'll have a pawn in the way of your bishop's attack, you'll have your knight defending your king, and your opponent's rook is about to jump on your queen if you don't do something about it. So plan your next move and the one after that -- and your opponent's moves if you can, too. To win, you must be tactful and strategic!Always have a comeback move, if possible. You can place your pawn at the will of your opponent's bishop if that means you can then take his bishop with your knight. Sometimes well-planned sacrifices must be made.5Know how to "castle." There is a special move involving both the rook and the King. It is the only time you can move two pieces in the same turn.Apart from the pawn's en passant move, one other special move is castling. That's when your rook and your king exchange places -- it shelters the king and gets your rook developed and ready to join the action. It is generally useful to have your king castled.You can use your castle only if :Neither the King or the Rook to be castled have moved.The King is not under check.There are no pieces between the King and the rook.When your enemy pieces do not control the squares between the final castled position and the uncastled positionIn one turn, you move both your king and your rook. If castling towards the King side, your king moves two spaces right and your rook is placed right next to the king, (having moved two spaces) If castling towards the Queenside, your king moves two spaces left and your rook is placed next to the king(having moved three spaces right).6Win the game by checkmating your opponent's king. That means you've got the king in check but this time there's no escape. When this happens, saying, "Checkmate!" is acceptable, but not necessary. At this point your opponent taps over his king so that it falls and signals defeat.Stalemates do happen -- where the game basically ends in a draw. It's when you can get your king is neither in check, nor has any safe squares to move to.There are a few other ways by which a game can end in a draw.By agreement. If both players agree that they can no longer win or see a method to win, they can agree to draw.By repetition. If the same exact position of the chess board, occurs at three different points in a game, the game is declared a draw. For example, if both players just keep moving their Knights back and forth to the same squares, the game will be declared a draw.By the 50 move rule. If neither player makes a pawn move or captures a piece for 50 consecutive moves, the game will be declared as a draw. This prevents player from playing endlessly, or to tire the other player out.By insufficient material. If neither player has sufficient material to checkmate the king, the game is considered a draw. For example, a Knight and a King alone cannot checkmate the lone enemy King.If all other pieces except the kings are captured and are off the board. This is an example of insufficient material and a King cannot checkmate or check the other king all by himself. The game will end as a draw.
