Chess Rule Book Pdf
Starting positionChess is played on a, a square board divided into 64 squares (eight-by-eight) of alternating color, which is similar to that used in (checkers). No matter what the actual colors of the board, the lighter-colored squares are called 'light' or 'white', and the darker-colored squares are called 'dark' or 'black'. Sixteen 'white' and sixteen 'black' pieces are placed on the board at the beginning of the game.
The board is placed so that a white square is in each player's near-right corner. Horizontal rows are called and vertical rows are called.Each player controls sixteen pieces:PieceNumber112228Symbols. At the beginning of the game, the pieces are arranged as shown in the diagram: for each side one, one, two, two, two, and eight. A game in a public park in, using aThe player controlling the white pieces is named 'White'; the player controlling the black pieces is named 'Black'.
White moves first, then players alternate moves. Making a move is required; it is not legal to skip a move, even when having to move is. Play continues until a king is, a player, or a is declared, as explained below. In addition, if the game is being played under a players who exceed their lose the game.The official chess rules do not include a procedure for determining who plays White.
Instead, this decision is left open to tournament-specific rules (e.g. A or ) or, in the case of non-competitive play, mutual agreement, in which case some kind of random choice is often employed. A common method is for one player to conceal a piece (usually a pawn) of each color in either hand; the other player chooses a hand to open, and receives the color of the piece that is revealed.Movement Basic moves. The pawns can move to the squares marked ' ×' in front of them. The pawn on c6 can also take either black rook.Each type of chess piece has its own method of movement.
A piece moves to a vacant square except when an opponent's piece.Except for any move of the knight and castling, pieces cannot jump over other pieces. A piece is captured (or taken) when an attacking enemy piece replaces it on its square ( is the only exception). The captured piece is thereby permanently removed from the game.
The king can be put in but cannot be captured (see below). The moves exactly one square horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. A special move with the king known as is allowed only once per player, per game (see below). A moves any number of vacant squares in a horizontal or vertical direction. It also is moved when castling. A moves any number of vacant squares in any diagonal direction. The moves any number of vacant squares in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal direction.
Chess Rule Book Pdf Free
A moves to the nearest square not on the same,. (This can be thought of as moving two squares horizontally then one square vertically, or moving one square horizontally then two squares vertically—i.e.
In an 'L' pattern.) The knight is not blocked by other pieces: it jumps to the new location. have the most complex rules of movement:.
A pawn moves straight forward one square, if that square is vacant. If it has not yet moved, a pawn also has the option of moving two squares straight forward, provided both squares are vacant. Pawns cannot move backwards. Pawns are the only pieces that capture differently from how they move.
A pawn can capture an enemy piece on either of the two squares diagonally in front of the pawn (but cannot move to those squares if they are vacant).The pawn is also involved in the two special moves and (:17–19). Positions of the king and rook after (White) and (Black) castlingCastling consists of moving the king two squares towards a rook, then placing the rook on the other side of the king, adjacent to it.
Castling is only permissible if all of the following conditions hold:. The king and rook involved in castling must not have previously moved;. There must be no pieces between the king and the rook;. The king may not currently be in check, nor may the king pass through or end up in a square that is under attack by an enemy piece (though the rook is permitted to be under attack and to pass over an attacked square);. The king and the rook must be on the same (:19).
When a pawn advances two squares from its original square and ends the turn adjacent to a pawn of the opponent's on the same, it may be captured by that pawn of the opponent's, as if it had moved only one square forward. This capture is only legal on the opponent's next move immediately following the first pawn's advance. The diagrams on the right demonstrate an instance of this: if the white pawn moves from a2 to a4, the black pawn on b4 can capture it en passant, moving from b4 to a3 while the white pawn on a4 is removed from the board. Main article:If a player advances a pawn to its eighth rank, the pawn is then promoted (converted) to a queen, rook, bishop, or knight of the same color at the choice of the player (a queen is usually chosen). The choice is not limited to previously pieces. Hence it is theoretically possible for a player to have up to nine queens or up to ten rooks, bishops, or knights if all of their pawns are promoted.
If the desired piece is not available, the player should call the to provide the piece (:17–19). Black's king is in check. It can get out of check by moving to an unattacked square.
Black can also parry the check by moving the bishop to e5 or the knight to f4 to block the check, or by capturing the white bishop with the knight. A king is in check when it is under attack by at least one enemy piece. A piece unable to move because it would place its own king in check (it is against its own king) may still deliver check to the opposing player.It is illegal to make a move that places or leaves one's king in check. The possible ways to get out of check are:. Move the king to a square where it is not in check.
Capture the checking piece (possibly with the king). Block the check by placing a piece between the king and the opponent's threatening piece , (:32,103), (:550).If it is not possible to get out of check, the king is and the game is over (see the next section).In informal games, it is customary to announce 'check' when making a move that puts the opponent's king in check. However, in formal competitions check is rarely announced.End of the game Checkmate.
White is checkmated; Black wins.If a player's king is placed in check and there is no legal move that player can make to escape check, then the king is said to be, the game ends, and that player loses (:20–21). Unlike other pieces, the king is never actually captured or removed from the board because checkmate ends the game (:502).The diagram shows an example checkmate position. The white king is threatened by the black queen; the square to which the king could move is also threatened; it cannot capture the queen, because it would then be in check by the rook. ResigningEither player may resign at any time and their opponent wins the game. Players typically resign when they believe they are very likely to lose the game. A player may resign by saying it verbally or by indicating it on their in any of three ways: (1) by writing 'resigns', (2) by circling the result of the game, or (3) by writing '1–0' if Black resigns or '0–1' if White resigns (:21).
Tipping over the king also indicates resignation, but it is not frequently used (and should be distinguished from accidentally knocking the king over). Stopping both clocks is not an indication of resigning, since clocks can be stopped to call the arbiter. An offer of a handshake is not necessarily a resignation either, since one player could think they are agreeing to a draw.
Black to move is in stalemate, since his king has no legal move, and is not in check. The game is drawn.The game ends in a if any of these conditions occur:. The game is automatically a draw if the player to move is not in check and has no legal move. This situation is called a. An example of such a position is shown in the adjacent diagram. The game is immediately drawn when there is no possibility of checkmate for either side with any series of legal moves.
Main article:A game played under will end as a loss for a player who uses up all of their allotted time, unless the opponent cannot possibly checkmate him (see ). There are different types of time control. Hand of doom bass tab. Players may have a fixed amount of time for the entire game or they may have to make a certain number of moves within a specified time. Also, a small increment of time may be added for each move made.Competition rulesThese rules apply to games played ' '.
There are special rules for correspondence chess, blitz chess, computer chess, and for handicapped players.Act of moving the piecesThe movement of pieces is to be done with one hand. Once the hand is taken off a piece after moving it, the move cannot be retracted unless the.
When castling, the player should first move the king with one hand and then move the rook with the same hand (:19–20).In the case of a, if the player releases the pawn on the eighth rank, the player must promote the pawn. After the pawn has moved, the player may touch any piece not on the board and the promotion is not finalized until the new piece is released on the promotion square.Touch-move rule. Main article:In serious play, if a player having the move touches a piece as if having the intention of moving it, then the player must move it if it can be legally moved. So long as the hand has not left the piece on a new square, any legal move can be made with the piece.
If a player touches one of the opponent's pieces then that piece must be if there is a legal move that does so. If none of the touched pieces can be moved or captured there is no penalty (:19–20).When, the king must be the first piece touched. If the player touches the rook at the same time as touching the king, the player must castle with that rook if it is legal to do so. If the player completes a two-square king move without touching a rook, the player must move the correct rook accordingly if castling in that direction is legal. If a player starts to castle illegally, another legal king move must be made if possible, including castling with the other rook (:20).If a player moves a pawn to its eighth rank, it cannot be substituted for a different move of the pawn when the player has stopped touching it. However, the move is not complete until the piece is released on that square.If a player wishes to touch a piece with the intention of adjusting its position on a square, the player must first alert the opponent of this intention by saying J'adoube or 'I adjust'.
Once the game has started, only the player with the move may touch the pieces on the board (:19–20).Timing. Digital chess clockTournament games are played under time constraints, called, using a. Players must make their moves within the time control or forfeit the game. There are different types of time controls.
In some cases each player will have a certain amount of time to make a certain number of moves. In other cases each player will have a limited amount of time to make all of their moves. A score sheet from a game by, inEach square of the is identified with a unique pair of a letter and a number. The vertical are labeled a through h, from White's left (i.e. The ) to White's right.
Similarly, the horizontal are numbered from 1 to 8, starting from the one nearest White's side of the board. Each square of the board, then, is uniquely identified by its file letter and rank number. The white king, for example, starts the game on square e1.
The black knight on b8 can move to a6 or c6.In formal competition, each player is obliged to record each move as it is played in a in order to settle disputes about illegal positions, overstepping time control, and making claims of draws by the fifty-move rule or repetition of position. Is the accepted standard for recording games today. There are other systems such as for international and the obsolete.
The current rule is that a move must be made on the board before it is written on paper or recorded with an electronic device.Both players should indicate offers of a draw by writing '=' at that move on their score sheet (:27). Notations about the time on the clocks can be made. If a player has less than five minutes left to complete all of their moves, they are not required to record the moves (unless a delay of at least thirty seconds per move is being used). The score sheet must be made available to the at all times. A player may respond to an opponent's move before writing it down (:25–26).
Adjournment See. Irregularities Illegal moveA player who makes an must retract that move and make a legal move. That move must be made with the same piece if possible, because the touch-move rule applies. If the illegal move was an attempt to castle, the touch-move rule applies to the king but not to the rook. The arbiter should adjust the time on the clock according to the best evidence. If the mistake is only noticed later on, the game should be restarted from the position in which the error occurred (:24–25).
Some regional organizations have different rules.If is being played (in which both players have a small, limited time, e.g. Five minutes) the rule varies. A player may correct an illegal move if the player has not pressed their clock. If a player has pressed their clock, the opponent may claim a win if he or she hasn't moved. If the opponent moves, the illegal move is accepted and without penalty (:77).According to the FIDE Laws of Chess, the first completed illegal move is penalized by awarding the opponent two additional minutes on the clock.
The second completed illegal move by the same player results in the loss of the game, unless the position is such that it is impossible for the opponent to win by any series of legal moves (e.g. If the opponent has a ) in which case the game is drawn. A move is completed when it has been made and the player has pressed the clock. In rapid chess and blitz chess, the first completed illegal move results in a loss. Illegal positionIf it is discovered during the game that the starting position was incorrect, the game is restarted.
If it is discovered during the game that the board is oriented incorrectly, the game is continued with the pieces transferred to a correctly oriented board. If the game starts with the colors of the pieces reversed, the game continues (unless the arbiter rules otherwise) (:24). Some regional organizations have different rules.If a player knocks over pieces, it is their responsibility to restore them to their correct position on their time. If it is discovered that an illegal move has been made, or that pieces have been displaced, the game is restored to the position before the irregularity. If that position cannot be determined, the game is restored to the last known correct position (:24–25).ConductPlayers may not use any notes, outside sources of information (including computers), or advice from other people. Analysis on another board is not permitted. Scoresheets are to record objective facts about the game only, such as time on the clock or draw offers.
Players may not leave the competition area without permission of the arbiter (:30–31).High standards of etiquette and ethics are expected. Players should shake hands before and after the game. Generally a player should not speak during the game, except to offer a draw, resign, or to call attention to an irregularity. An announcement of 'check' is commonly made in informal games but is not recommended in officially sanctioned games.
A player may not distract or annoy another player by any means, including repeatedly offering a draw (:30–31,49–52).Due to increasing concerns about the use of and outside communication, usage is banned. The first forfeit by a high profile player, for their phone ringing during play, occurred in 2003. In 2014 FIDE extended this to ban all mobile phones from the playing area during chess competitions, under penalty of forfeiture of the game or even expulsion from the tournament. However, the rules also allow for less rigid enforcement in amateur events. Original Staunton chess pieces, introduced in 1849.
Left to right:, andPieces of the design are the standard and are usually made of wood or plastic. They are often black and white; other colors may be used (like a dark wood or even red for the dark pieces) but they would still be called the 'white' and 'black' pieces (see ). The height of the king should be 85 to 105 millimetres (3.35–4.13 inches). A height of approximately 95 to 102 mm ( 3 3⁄ 4–4 inches) is preferred by most players. The diameter of the king should be 40 to 50% of its height. The size of the other pieces should be in proportion to the king.
The pieces should be well balanced.In games subject to, a is used, consisting of two adjacent clocks and buttons to stop one clock while starting the other, such that the two component clocks never run simultaneously. The clock can be or though a digital clock is highly preferred under both USCF and FIDE rulesets. This is since most tournaments now include either a time (a countdown to when a clock starts again) or (extra time being added prior or after the move) to their time controls. Before the start of the game, either the arbiter decides, or whoever is playing Black, where the chess clock is placed.HistoryThe rules of chess have evolved much over the centuries from the early chess-like games played in India in the 6th century. For much of that time the rules have varied from area to area. The modern rules first took form in during the 13th century, giving more mobility to pieces that previously had more restricted movement (such as the queen and bishop).
Such modified rules entered into an accepted form during the late 15th century (:41,328) or early 16th century. The basic moves of the king, rook, and knight are unchanged. Pawns originally did not have the option of moving two squares on their first move and promoted only to a queen if they reached the eighth rank. The queen was originally the or farzin, which could move one square diagonally in any direction. In European chess it became able to leap two squares diagonally, forwards, backwards, or to left or right on its first move; some areas also gave this right to a newly promoted pawn. In the Persian and Arabic game the bishop was a pīl (Persian) or (Arabic) (meaning 'elephant') which moved two squares diagonally with jump (:13).
In the Middle Ages the pawn could only be to the equivalent of a queen (which at that time was the weakest piece) if it reached its eighth rank (:59–61). During the 12th century the squares on the board sometimes alternated colors, and this became the standard in the 13th century (:146); whence the word 'chequered'/'checkered'. PhilidorBetween 1200 and 1600 several laws emerged that drastically altered the game. Checkmate became a requirement to win; a player could not win by capturing all of the opponent's pieces.
Was added, although the outcome has changed several times (see ). Pawns gained the option of moving two squares on their first move, and the rule was a natural consequence of that new option. The king and rook acquired the right to (see for different versions of the rule).Between 1475 and 1500 the queen and the bishop also acquired their current moves, which made them much stronger pieces (:14–17). When all of these changes were accepted the game was in essentially its modern form (:14–17).The rules for pawn promotion have changed several times. As stated above, originally the pawn could only be promoted to the queen, which at that time was a weak piece. When the queen acquired its current move and became the most powerful piece, the pawn could then be promoted to a queen or a rook, bishop, or knight. In the 18th century rules allowed only the promotion to a piece already captured, e.g.
The rules published in 1749. In the 19th century this restriction was lifted, which allowed for a player to have more than one queen, e.g. The 1828 rules by (:59–61).Two new rules concerning draws were introduced, each of which have changed through the years:. The rule was added, although at some times up to six repetitions have been required, and the exact conditions have been specified more clearly (see ). The was also added. At various times, the number of moves required was different, such as 24, 60, 70, or 75.
For several years in the 20th century, the standard fifty moves was extended to one hundred moves for a few specific (see ).Another group of new laws included (1) the and the accompanying 'j'adoube/adjust' rule; (2) that White moves first (in 1889 ); (3) the orientation of the board; (4) the procedure if an illegal move was made; (5) the procedure if the king had been left in check for some moves; and (6) issues regarding the behavior of players and spectators. The was introduced in 1849 and it became the standard style of pieces. The size of pieces and squares of the board was standardized (:220–21, laws, history of).Until the middle of the 19th century, chess games were played without any time limit. In an 1834 match between and, McDonnell took an inordinate amount of time to move, sometimes up to 1½ hours. In 1836 suggested a time limit, but no action was taken.
At the, Staunton blamed his loss in his match against on Williams' slow play; one game was adjourned for the day after only 29 moves. The next year a match between and used a limit of 20 minutes per move.The first use of a modern-style time limit was in an 1861 match between and (:459).Codification.