How to Play Chess

Never played chess before? Start with your first game, then learn the pieces and the special rules one page at a time. Each page takes just a few minutes.

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Play your first gameFrom choosing a level to finishing a game, one step at a time.

How the pieces moveKing, queen, rook, bishop, knight and pawn each move in their own way. Learn them all from the diagrams.Special moves: castling, en passant and promotionChess has three special moves. They are where beginners get stuck most often, and this page explains them.Check, checkmate and drawsWhat to do when you're in check, how you win, and the ways a game can be drawn.Reading chess notationWhat do e4, Nf3, exd5 and O-O mean? Learn notation and you can follow books, videos and your own games.Computer opponents and levelsHow strong each of the four levels plays, which one to start with, and what loads the first time.Good habits for beginnersOnce you know how the pieces move, these habits will save you a lot of games.FAQA piece won't move, the game disappeared, the move list makes no sense? Find the answers here.