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📚 Chess Courses – Openings, Tactics, Middlegame, Endgames

♜ How to Set Up a Chessboard Correctly (Beginner-Friendly Guide)

Setting up a chessboard properly ensures both players start from the same, standard position. This short guide shows you the correct board orientation, where each piece goes, and a common mistake to avoid — with interactive diagrams you can explore.

📐 Step 1 — Orient the Board: “White on Right”

Place the board so the bottom-right corner square nearest you is a light square. A quick memory trick: “White on right.” If the corner is dark, rotate the board 90°.

🧱 Step 2 — Place the Pieces for Each Side

  1. Back rank (closest to you if you are White): Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Rook.
  2. Pawns: Place eight pawns directly in front of the back rank.
  3. Color rule for queens: The Queen goes on her own color — White Queen on a light square (d1), Black Queen on a dark square (d8).
Correct initial position — White pieces at the bottom, “White on right.”

⚠️ Common Mistake — Swapped Queens (Don’t Copy!)

Beginners sometimes swap the king and queen. Remember: Queen on her color. Below is an incorrect example purely for learning — avoid this setup.

Incorrect example: queens swapped with kings. Do not use this setup.

🧩 Helpful View — Build the Back Rank First

If you’re teaching someone or setting up quickly, place the major pieces first on the back rank in order (R–N–B–Q–K–B–N–R), then drop the eight pawns in front.

Back-rank template (add pawns on the next rank in front).

✅ Quick Checklist

❓ FAQ

Q: Which side moves first?
A: White always moves first.

Q: Does board orientation matter online?
A: The server or app handles it for you — but knowing the correct orientation helps when playing over-the-board.

Q: How do I remember the order?
A: Think symmetry from the corners inward: Rook, Knight, Bishop, then Queen on her color, King, then mirror back out: Bishop, Knight, Rook.