Complete chess rules | Learn the laws of chess
Complete chess rules: piece moves, checkmate, castling, en passant, stalemate, and how to start.
Chess rules are the base of serious study. The board has 64 squares, each side starts with 16 pieces, and the goal is to checkmate the king. This hub covers setup through special rules.
The six pieces move differently: rook on files and ranks, bishop on diagonals, queen both ways, king one square, knight in an L, and pawn forward — capturing diagonally. Practice those moves in GChess interactive drills.
Check means the king is attacked and must be resolved at once. Checkmate is check with no legal escape. Stalemate is no legal move while the king is not in check, and the game is drawn.
Special rules include castling, en passant, promotion, and repetition. These belong in beginner courses and online chess classes, not only in a memorized list.
After the rules, the GChess path is basics drills, tactics puzzles, free online play, then openings and endgames.
Common questions
Where should I learn complete chess rules?
Start with setup, the six piece moves, check and mate, then special rules. GChess basics drills teach the same path on a live board.
What is the difference between check and checkmate?
Check attacks the king with a legal escape. Checkmate is check with no legal escape and ends the game.