Almost unaltered for the last 500 years, the game of chess remains immensely popular. Today, it’s approximated that over 605 million people worldwide are informed of the game.
How to get involved yourself?
It’s not as difficult as you may imagine, but it does take a little bit of a primer. To start, let’s initiate with the basic tools of the game. There are really only two essentials: First, the chess board and 2) the chess set.
Let's Start
Compiled of sixty-four squares (with 8 rows by 8), switching between white and black, a chess board provides the figurative battlefield on which players maneuver. From this point forward, chess players are able to design their assaults, defend their sovereign, and guard their ground.
At the outset of every game, chess pieces are lined at the upper and lower rows. From these starting locations, strategies and tactics evolve. Executed between 2 opponents, chess is fundamentally a fight between two armies. The chess pieces correspond to that of a medieval armament, furnished with a king, a queen, two bishops, 2 knights, 2 rooks, and eight pawns.
The overall goal of chess is to seize the king of the opponent, which if productive, will effectively cease the fight (and game). To do so is to checkmate their opposition. Take Note that a game can also end in a impasse, if it’s apparent that no sure checkmate is possible.
Again, a chess board consists of sixty-four squares, which has been the way for more than 1,300 years now, going back to the game's beginning with the Indian game Chaturanga. The rows are denoted as rank and the columns file. Ranks are numbered one to eight, while files are marked as a-f. Therefore, every last square has its own related name on the grid.
A Couple Of Rules of Thumb
When notating, recall that it’s file first, which signifies the file key is always first. E.g., the lower right square would be a8 or a-file, 8th rank. While the notational system isn't required for the introductory chess participant, maintaining track of files and ranks is a easy way of visualizing the playing field, measuring space, and therefore, projecting one's strategy.
Equally for the chess sets, every one consists of 32 color-coded pieces: 16 are set-aside for the white player and the other sixteen for the black. At the beginning, a color/side is selected: white or black, which also determines who goes first. The participant allotted the white chess pieces invariably has the honor.
Also, talking of color, when setting up a chess board, remember: white=right. This mnemonic rhyme will assist you turn the board correctly, as appropriate setup of chess sets is imperative, especially if one is scoring the game. In the bottom right-hand corner, there must always be a white square. For both players. If it is a black square, turn the chess board one time before placing the chess pieces down.
Making the 1st Move
Congratulations! Now that you have got your chess board positioned correctly and your chess set properly distributed, it’s time to play and to create that important beginning move.