Rules & Basics
9 guides
What Happens When You Make an Illegal Move in a Chess Game
What counts as an illegal move in chess, why moving into check is never allowed, and how casual games, tournaments, and online chess handle the mistake.
September 14, 2026
How a Chess Game Can End in a Draw: All the Draw Rules
Learn every chess draw rule: stalemate, threefold repetition, fifty-move rule, insufficient material, draw by agreement, and dead position.
July 1, 2026
Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate: How a Chess Game Ends
Learn the difference between check, checkmate, and stalemate in chess, and understand exactly when a game ends and why.
June 27, 2026
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
Pawn Promotion: How a Pawn Becomes a Queen
Learn how pawn promotion works in chess, when to pick a queen vs. another piece, and why underpromotion is sometimes the smarter move.
June 20, 2026
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.
June 17, 2026
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.
June 12, 2026
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.
June 8, 2026
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.
June 4, 2026