The Chess Ladder

The Chess Ladder

Rules & Basics

Everything you need to sit down and play your first real game. We start at the very beginning — how the board is oriented, where each piece stands, and how every piece moves and captures — then cover the special moves that trip up newcomers: castling, en passant, and pawn promotion. From there it is on to check, checkmate, and stalemate, the difference between winning, losing, and drawing, and the handful of rules (like touch-move and the draw conditions) that decide real games. No experience assumed and nothing skipped.

Rules & Basics

5 guides
Rules & Basics

En Passant Explained: Chess's Most Confusing Pawn Rule

En passant lets you capture a pawn that just moved two squares, as if it only moved one. Here's exactly how it works and when you can use it.

August 17, 2026
Rules & Basics

Castling in Chess: The Rules, and When You Can't Do It

Learn exactly how castling works in chess, the 5 conditions that must be met, and when the rules prevent you from doing it.

August 3, 2026
Rules & Basics

How to Set Up a Chess Board the Right Way

Learn exactly where every chess piece goes before a game, including the queen-on-her-color rule and which direction the board faces.

July 20, 2026
Rules & Basics

How the Chess Pieces Move: A Beginner's Guide to All Six

Learn exactly how each chess piece moves, from the powerful queen to the tricky knight, with clear rules and practical tips for beginners.

July 6, 2026
Rules & Basics

How to Play Chess: The Complete Rules for Absolute Beginners

Learn how to play chess from scratch. This guide covers the board, every piece's moves, check, checkmate, and special rules — all in plain English.

June 22, 2026

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