All games of chess begin with White making a move. In reply, Black makes a move, and then it's White's turn again. The players continue alternating moves until one of a number of situations occur that ends the game. These situations are explored in detail in Chapter 4.

A move in chess is generally defined as a move by White and Black's reply. A single move by either White or Black with no reply is often called a half-move, or a “ply” in computer-talk.

On a computer screen or in a book or magazine, the board is almost always set up so that the White pieces are on the bottom and the Black pieces are at the top. There is no particular reason for this other than tradition. You could just as easily have the Black pieces at the bottom and the White pieces at the top.

The White pieces are set up along the first rank. The rooks begin at the outside corners, with the knights inside, the bishops next, and the king and queen in the middle. The White pawns line up on the second rank. The Black pieces begin on the eighth rank, and the Black pawns begin on the seventh rank. Kings are opposite each other on the e-file and queens are opposite each other on the d-file.

Setting up a chessboard

Kings start out on the e-file. Just remember King Edward, and you'll never forget. The queens start out on the d-file. Queen Dolores will do. Also, remember that the queen takes her own color: The White queen starts out on d1, a light square, while the Black queen begins on d8, a dark square.