To set up a chessboard correctly, follow these steps:
- Orient the board : Place the board so that a white (light) square is at the bottom-right corner from each player’s perspective. This is often remembered as "white on the right"
- Place the pawns : Line up all eight pawns on the second rank (row) in front of each player’s main pieces
- Set the rooks : Place a rook on each corner square of the first rank (closest row to the player)
- Place the knights : Position the knights next to the rooks on the first rank
- Place the bishops : Put the bishops next to the knights on the first rank
- Place the queen : The queen goes on the square that matches her color—white queen on a light square, black queen on a dark square—on the first rank
- Place the king : The king takes the remaining square next to the queen on the first rank
- Ready to play : White moves first in the game
This setup ensures the pieces are correctly positioned for a standard chess game.
