What you will learn

  • Explain every legal piece move and the special rules.
  • Escape check and finish simple checkmates.
  • Control the center, develop safely, and castle early.
  • Build a habit that prevents one-move piece losses.
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Curriculum

1

Read the board and move every piece

Learn coordinates, board orientation, and the movement of pawns, knights, bishops, rooks, queens, and kings. · 15 min

Files run from a to h and ranks run from 1 to 8. From White’s side, the lower-right corner is always a light square, and White begins on ranks one and two.

Rooks move in straight lines, bishops move diagonally, and queens combine both patterns. Knights can jump over pieces, while kings move one square. Pawns are unusual: they move forward but capture one square diagonally forward.

  • A piece cannot move onto a square occupied by a friendly piece.
  • Moving onto an enemy piece captures it.
  • A move that leaves your own king in check is illegal.
The starting position. Each queen begins on a square matching its own color: White on d1 and Black on d8.
Key pointSay the starting and destination coordinates aloud before moving a piece.
PracticePicture an empty board and point to a1, d4, and h8 without counting every square.
2

Piece values and safe development

Use relative piece values and understand why early development matters more than repeated moves with one piece. · 15 min

A useful guide is pawn 1, knight or bishop 3, rook 5, and queen 9. The king has no exchange value because losing it ends the game. These values are a starting point, not a fixed price list.

In the opening, move a central pawn, develop knights and bishops, and castle. An early queen often becomes a target for less valuable pieces, giving the opponent free development.

  • Occupy or control e4, d4, e5, and d5.
  • Knights often develop naturally to c3 and f3 or c6 and f6.
  • Bring more pieces into the game before moving the same piece again.
White uses e4 and Nf3 to influence the center, while Black answers with e5 and Nc6. Both sides are developing naturally.
Key pointThe early goal is not an immediate attack; it is placing more pieces on useful squares.
PracticePlay ten moves against the beginner AI and develop at least three minor pieces before moving your queen.
3

Check, checkmate, and stalemate

Separate the three ways to answer check from the two different no-move endings. · 15 min

When checked, move the king, capture the attacking piece, or block the attack line. If none of these is legal, it is checkmate and the attacking side wins.

If the king is not checked but the side to move has no legal move, the game is a stalemate and therefore a draw. Even a huge material advantage can disappear if you trap the king without giving check.

  • You may not ignore check to create a threat elsewhere.
  • A knight check cannot be blocked; move the king or capture the knight.
  • The difference between mate and stalemate is whether the king is currently attacked.
Black is in check and cannot escape or capture the queen. This is a famous early mating pattern.
Key pointBefore asking whether you can give check, confirm that your own king is safe.
PracticeWhenever you are checked, name all three response types—move, capture, block—before choosing.
4

Castling, en passant, and promotion

Learn the exact conditions for the three special chess rules. · 15 min

Castling moves the king two squares and places the rook next to it in one move. Neither piece may have moved, the path must be empty, and the king may not castle out of, through, or into check.

En passant is available only immediately after an enemy pawn advances two squares from its starting rank to land beside your pawn. Promotion occurs when a pawn reaches the last rank and becomes a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.

  • An attacked rook does not prevent castling, but an attacked king transit square does.
  • The en passant opportunity lasts for one reply only.
  • You may promote to a second queen even if your original queen remains.
If the path is safe and both pieces are unmoved, White can castle kingside with O-O.
Key pointIn most beginner games, castling within the first ten moves improves king safety and connects the rooks.
PracticeStart a fresh game and make castling your first structural goal with either color.
5

Prevent one-move blunders

Use a short pre-move scan to stop giving pieces away for free. · 15 min

Beginner games are usually decided by a piece lost in one move, not by a deep strategy. After choosing a move, pause and inspect every check, capture, and direct threat available to your opponent.

Also notice what the moving piece was protecting. A piece that attacks something new may uncover your queen or rook behind it.

  • Find every opponent check first.
  • Identify your pieces that can be captured.
  • Imagine the opponent’s strongest reply to your intended move.
  • If you cannot explain the purpose of your move, reconsider it.
Key pointA five-second checks-captures-threats scan changes more games than another opening line.
PracticeCount five seconds before every move against the beginner AI and name one possible opponent check.
6

Basic checkmate with a queen or rook

Restrict the enemy king, bring your king closer, and deliver the final protected check. · 15 min

A queen or rook can restrict the enemy king, but it can still be captured if it is not protected. First reduce the king’s space, then approach with your own king, and only then finish the mate.

For rook mate, confine the king to one rank or file and bring the kings into opposition. A sideways rook check then removes the final escape squares.

  • Do not place the major piece next to the enemy king without protection.
  • When making a non-checking move, verify that the enemy still has a legal square.
  • Your king becomes an active attacking piece in the endgame.
White can approach with the king, confine Black to the edge, and finish with a protected rook check.
Key pointThink in three phases: reduce space, approach with the king, deliver the final check.
PracticeUse the diagram above to name the three rook-mate phases: reduce space, approach with the king, deliver the final check.

Suggested practice routine

  1. Read one lesson and summarize its key sentence aloud.
  2. Play one 10–15 minute game against the beginner computer.
  3. Find the first move where you lost material and write one alternative.
  4. Turn that mistake into one goal for the next game.

Common mistakes

  • Bringing the queen out early and losing time when it is attacked
  • Sacrificing a piece simply because the move gives check
  • Pushing too many pawns before castling
  • Ignoring the threat created by the opponent’s last move

Frequently asked questions

Must I memorize exact piece values?

The rough relationship—pawn 1, minor piece 3, rook 5, queen 9—is enough to guide early exchange decisions.

Should a beginner play White or Black?

White is slightly easier for practicing a plan because it moves first, but alternating colors builds a more complete understanding.

How do I know I have finished the beginner level?

Move on when legal moves feel natural, you castle in most games, and one-move piece losses have become noticeably less frequent.

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