YUWiN CHESS ACADEMY

(Affiliated to Bombay Chess Association)

Office : B-501, Maitreyee C.H.S, New Mhada, Opp N.N.P. 1&2, Goregaon (E), Mumbai - 63
Contact No.: 9769747576
Office :B-

BASIC NOTES FOR BEGINNERS

Introduction: Chess is a war game played between two players with army of sixteen (16) chessmen each.
The chessboard is a big square sub divided into 64 squares of light and dark colors. The player having an army
of White chessmen is said to be White player and the player with an army of Black chessmen is said to be Black
player. The battle starts with the white player making first move, followed by black and the game goes on till a
result of a win, defeat or a draw is achieved on the board.

Setting on the chessboard: The chessboard should be arranged in such a way that there is a light colored
square on the right hand corner of the players. (See Diagram1)

No. Of Chessmen: Each player has an army of 16 chessmen consisting of a King, a Queen, 2 Rooks, 2 Knights,
2 Bishops and 8 Pawns. (See Diagram 2)

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 Movement of the Chessmen:

The Rook: The Rook moves in any of the plus (+) direction as long as there is no chessmen blocking its
path. In other words Rook moves vertically or horizontally, straight or in one of the standing or sleeping lines.
(See Diagram 3). In an open position Rook controls maximum 14 squares at a time.

The Bishop: Each player has 2 Bishops, one which moves only in light colored squares and the other which
moves only in dark colored squares. A Bishop moves in one of the cross (X) direction any number of squares as
long as there are no chessmen blocking its path. In other words, Bishop moves diagonally any number of
squares as long as there are no chessmen blocking its path. (See Diagram 4)

The Queen: Once a player knows how to move Rook and Bishop, the Queen’s movement becomes
absolutely simple to understand. The Queen has a power of a Rook and Bishop. It means Queen can move
vertically, horizontally, or diagonally any number of squares as long as there are no chessmen blocking its path.
Because of the combined power of Rook and Bishop, the Queen is the most powerful chessman on the board.
(See diagram 5)

The King: The King moves like the Queen but only one square at a time. The whole battle of the game
revolves around the defeat of the King. (See diagram 6)

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 The Knight. The Knight moves either 2 squares vertically and 1 square horizontally or 2 squares
horizontally and 1 square vertically. We can also say, it moves in (L) shaped directions. In other words Knight
moves 2 squares in any plus (+) direction and turns 1 squares up or 1 square left or right.(See diagram 7)

The Pawn; The Pawn moves vertically straight and maximum two squares from the starting position. After
the Pawn has been played from its original square, it can be played only one square at a time in its next move.
Pawn captures the enemy in a different way from the one in which it moves. It captures 1 square forward to the
left or right, but only 1 square at a time. It is the only chessmen which cannot move backward. (See Diagram 8)

Setting of the board with chessmen: (see diagram 9)

Short forms of Chessmen and their value.

SR. NO. CHESSMEN SHORT FORM VALUE

1 King K Infinite
2 Queen Q 9
3 Rook R 5
4 Bishop B 3
5 Knight N* 3
6 Pawn P 1

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*(To avoid confusion with the king’s short form, Knight is denoted by (N), because while pronouncing
Knight ‘K’ is silent.)

Pawn and Piece: Remember when the word Piece is use, it means all except a pawn. In other words a Pawn
is never called a Piece. Together Pawns and Pieces are referred to as chessmen.
Check and Mate: The most important factor in the game of Chess is to defeat the enemy King. Whenever
an enemy chessman attacks a King, the King is said to be under check. The player should get his King out of
check anyhow and there are only 3 ways to do it.
1. Capture the enemy chessman that has given check. Or
2. Bring one of your chessmen in between the line if check. Or
3. Move the King to a safer square where it is not under attack.
When a player has no chance to get his King out of check from the above three (3) options then his King
is said to be checkmated.
Files and Ranks: Chessboard is divided into 8 vertical rows of squares and 8 horizontal rows of squares.
Vertical rows of square are known as Files denoted by alphabets from ‘a’ to ‘h’. Horizontally rows of squares
are known as Ranks denoted by numbers from ‘1’ to ‘8’.

Square Names: Every Square on the board has its name, which is called as a square name. To know the
name of the square, a player should look at the file or an alphabet and then the rank or number which it belongs
to and join it together with alphabet first and then the number.
Remember, in a square name the alphabet should always be a small one. Example a4, b5, c8 etc (See
Diagram 11)

Reading of files and ranks: The ‘a’ file shall always start from the Queenside Rook. The ranks shall always
start from the White’s part.
Notation: Recording of moves is compulsory in tournaments. A player should record the moves of white
and black. A pawn is always denoted by the square name where it has placed. When a piece is played, the short
form of the piece is recorded first with a big alphabet and then the square name, where it has been placed.

Example
MOVE NO. WHITE BLACK
1 e4 e5
2 Nf3 Nc6
3 Be4 Bc5

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 Castling: Castling is special move between King and Rook. In castling first King moves two (2) squares in
the direction of Rook and the Rook jumps and sits beside the King. Though two (2) pieces are played on the
board, it is counted as one move only. Castling is possible if the squares between King and Rook are vacant.

Castling with the King side Rook is known as Kingside Castling (Short Castling), while Castling with the
Queen side Rook is known as Queenside Castling (Long Castling).

Rules of Castling

1. If the player moves his King even once, Castling is not possible for that player in the whole game.
2. The same point applies to the Rook where the player intends to Castle. If the Rook has been moved
from its original square, then the Castling will not be allowed with that Rook.
3. Castling cannot be done when the King is in check. After clearing the check, Castling can be done if
other conditions are fulfilled.
4. Castling cannot be done if the King passes through enemy attack or occupies an attacked square.

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1. Arrange the Chessboard in such a way that there is a light colored square on both players’ right
hand corner square.
2. Arrange every Chessman except Kings and Queen, and then keep White Queen on light colored
square and black Queen on dark colored square.
3. d4, d5, e4, and e5 are four center squares of the chessboard.
4. ‘d’ and ‘e’ are the two (2) center-pawns and the center files
5. Before Castling ‘f 2’ is the weak square of White and ‘f 7’ is the weak square of the Black.
6. Touch and move rule: If a player has to move on the board, he must move the same Chessmen
which is touched by him in the first place, unless and until the Chessmen cannot be moved or it is an
illegal move on the board.
7. Say “Adjust: During the course of the of play if the Chessmen are not arranged properly or while
playing if a chessmen falls, a player should say ‘Adjust’ and then keep the chessmen properly.
8. While Castling, move the king first and then the Rook.
9. Pawn Promotion: When a Pawn reaches the last square, it can be made into anything except a
King and Pawn.
10. Major Pieces: Queen and Rooks.
Minor Pieces: Bishops and Knights.

Points Related to King

1. It is illegal to move a King closer to the enemy King. There should be a gap of at least one
square between two Kings.
2. It is illegal to move a King on an attacked square. It means a King cannot move on a square
which is controlled by the enemy.
3. It is illegal to move a King to capture the enemy, if the enemy is protected or supported.
4. It is to illegal to move Chessmen whose playing brings its own King under Check.

SIGNS AND MEANING

SYMBOLS
+ Check
++ Double Check (dbl +)
# Checkmate
X Capture
0-0 Short Castling (Kingside)
0-0-0 Long Castling (Queenside)
1-0 White won
0-1 Black won
½-½ Draw
? Weak move or a mistake or bad move
?? Very bad move, Big mistake or Blunder
! Good move
!! Very good move
Ep En-passant

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