Chess Wiki
Chess Rules Wiki
Clear references for legal moves, special rules, notation, draws, and over-the-board play.
Arbiter Draw Claims in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Arbiter Draw Claims from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerHow to Set Up a Chessboard Correctly
Set up a chessboard step by step, orient the board correctly, place every piece, remember where the queens go, and verify the starting position before play.
RulesCapture Notation in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Capture Notation from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerCastling Rules: When and How You Can Castle
Learn every castling rule, which squares must be empty and safe, how kingside and queenside castling work, and the common cases that make castling illegal.
RulesCastling Rights in FEN in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Castling Rights in FEN from castling rights stored in FEN; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesCheck and Checkmate Symbols in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Check and Checkmate Symbols from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerCheck, Checkmate, and Stalemate Explained
Learn the exact difference between check, checkmate, and stalemate, how to find every legal defense, and why similar king positions can produce different results.
RulesCheckmate versus Stalemate in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Checkmate versus Stalemate from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesChess Annotation Symbols in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Chess Annotation Symbols from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesChess Board Coordinate Notation in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Chess Board Coordinate Notation from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesChoosing a Promotion Piece in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Choosing a Promotion Piece from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesDead Position Draws in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Dead Position Draws from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesDisambiguation in Chess Notation in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Disambiguation in Chess Notation from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesDraw by Threefold Repetition in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Draw by Threefold Repetition from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerChess Draw Rules: Stalemate, Repetition, and More
Understand every major chess draw rule, including stalemate, agreement, threefold and fivefold repetition, the 50- and 75-move rules, dead positions, and time.
BeginnerEn Passant in Chess: Rules and Examples
Learn exactly when en passant is legal, where both pawns move, why the capture must happen immediately, how pins affect it, and how to record the move.
RulesEn Passant Legality in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check En Passant Legality from the active en-passant field; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerHow to Play Your First Chess Game
Play your first complete chess game with a simple move routine, basic opening goals, clock guidance, legal-move checks, and a useful way to review afterward.
RulesFivefold Repetition in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Fivefold Repetition from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesFlag Fall and Time Forfeits in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Flag Fall and Time Forfeits from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesGame Result Markers in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Game Result Markers from a position reconstructed from notation; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesHow to Respond to Check in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check How to Respond to Check from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesHow to Test a Legal Chess Move in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check How to Test a Legal Chess Move from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesIllegal Move Penalties in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Illegal Move Penalties from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesIncrement versus Delay in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Increment versus Delay from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesInsufficient Material Draws in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Insufficient Material Draws from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
BeginnerChess Piece Values and Their Practical Limits
Learn the standard value of every chess piece, compare common exchanges, and understand when activity, king safety, pawn structure, or promotion changes the calculation.
BeginnerHow to Read and Write Algebraic Chess Notation
Learn algebraic chess notation step by step, including square names, piece letters, captures, checks, castling, promotion, disambiguation, results, and PGN moves.
BeginnerChess Opening Principles for Beginners
Learn the core chess opening principles: control the center, develop efficiently, protect the king, avoid wasted moves, and know when a rule has an exception.
BeginnerHow Chess Pieces Move: Rules for Beginners
Learn how every chess piece moves and captures, including pawn exceptions, blocked paths, check, castling, and a simple method for testing legal moves.
BeginnerPawn Promotion in Chess: Rules and Choices
Learn when a pawn promotes, which pieces you may choose, how underpromotion works, how to write promotion notation, and how to avoid stalemate or illegal moves.
BeginnerHow to Protect Chess Pieces and Find Loose Targets
Learn how to identify attacked, defended, loose, pinned, and overloaded pieces; count exchanges correctly; and use a practical safety scan before every move.
RulesResignation and Draw Offers in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Resignation and Draw Offers from a bare-king insufficient-material position; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesThe Fifty-Move Rule in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check The Fifty-Move Rule from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesThe Pawn Two-Square Move in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check The Pawn Two-Square Move from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesTouch-Move Rule in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Touch-Move Rule from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.
RulesUnderpromotion Rules in Chess: Rules and Examples
Check Underpromotion Rules from the legal-move test; separate the board state, move history and procedure before deciding.