Chess Board Setup
Light square on the right, queen on her own color, rooks in the corners. Try it on the board below.
| Rank 8 | Black pieces: rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook |
|---|---|
| Rank 7 | Eight black pawns |
| Rank 2 | Eight white pawns |
| Rank 1 | White pieces: rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook |
How to set up a chess board in 5 steps
- Turn the board so each player has a light square in the right-hand corner.
- Rooks go in the four corners: a1 and h1 for White, a8 and h8 for Black.
- Knights stand next to the rooks (b and g files), then the bishops next to the knights (c and f files).
- Queen on her color: white queen on d1 (light), black queen on d8 (dark). The king takes the last square, e1 or e8.
- Pawns fill the second rank for White and the seventh rank for Black.
Ready to play through a position? Set up anything you like in the board editor, time your games with the chess clock, and review them afterwards with the free chess game review.
Common setup mistakes
- The board turned the wrong way, with a dark square in the right corner.
- King and queen swapped: the queen must stand on her own color.
- Knights and bishops swapped: knights belong next to the rooks.
Frequently asked questions
Which way does the chess board go?
Each player has a light square in the right-hand corner nearest to them. Remember “light on the right”. If the corner square on your right is dark, turn the board 90 degrees.
Where does the queen go?
On her own color: the white queen starts on the light square d1, the black queen on the dark square d8. The two queens face each other on the same file, and the kings face each other on e1 and e8.
Do the knights or the bishops go next to the king and queen?
The bishops. From the corners inwards the order is rook, knight, bishop, then queen and king in the middle: R N B Q K B N R for White, the same for Black.
Who moves first?
White always moves first. Players usually decide who takes White by hiding a pawn of each color in their hands.