Chapter 01 · Complete beginner · 3 min
Starting position of the pieces
The starting setup has a rhythm: rooks in the corners, then knights, bishops, queen on her color, king on the last square.
Explanation
The starting position follows a very regular logic.
The pawns form a line in front of the pieces. Behind them, the rooks go to the corners, then the knights, then the bishops. There are two squares left in the center: the queen goes on her color, and the king takes the other square. Yes, the king still comes last, he has his little status.
The classic trap is to reverse the king and queen. To avoid it, remember: the queen loves her color. White queen on light square, black queen on dark square. This sentence saves a lot of messy game starts.
To remember
Rooks in the corners, then knights, bishops, queen on his suit, king on the remaining square.
Classic error
Reverse king and queen. The White queen starts on a light square, the black queen on a dark square.
Player Tip
The magic phrase: the queen loves her color. It saves a lot of setups.