CHESS GAME AND ITS ORIGIN
Playing chess for the first time can be very difficult because the game is not a simple one if you have not done it before. Though chess is not popular in Nigeria, some people still have it and enjoys the thinking-abilities associated with the Chess game. The origin of Chess can be traced to India many centuries ago and has become a popular game played across all the continents.
Chess has simple rules that makes it easy to learn within few hours, all you need to do is to put your opponent’s king on threat of being captured. To enjoy chess you need its strategy when playing with an experienced opponent. The more you play, the more strategy you will learn, thus making you to become an expert in Chess game.
Here are procedures you need to follow when you are about to play Chess game:
PREPARATION OF THE BOARD
The beginning of the Chess starts with the Chessboard preparation. During the preparation each player has the white-colored square in the right-hand side bottom. during the preparation the second row which is also known as rank carries the pawns, the next are the rooks arranged in the corners, while the kings occupy the next position followed by the bishops and lastly the queen. the queen always on on her matching color on the board. a white queen goes on white board, while black queen goes on the black board. the king goes on the remaining square.
There are two rows in either sides of the chessboard, the back row and the front row. The back row contains all the special chess such the two rooks on either ends, the knights beside the rooks on the first row (back row), the bishops beside the knights on the same row, and finally the king and the queen in the center of the two bishops.
The front row (second row) contains all the eight pawns.
The image below shows how to arranged the chessboard:
Chessboard arrangement and movements
RULES FOR CHESS GAME
THE PAWNS
Pawns are the shortest pieces among all the chess. They are positioned in such a way that their movement can only be in the forward direction just along the part it has been placed and must move only one-square at a time. However, pawns can move diagonally only when another pawn has come close to its path on either sides and such movement means catching the opponent’s pawns. The image below illustrates the movements of pawns.
Allowed Movement of the pawns; It only moves straight but can change path to catch opponent’s pawns when the Pawn is near
THE ROOKS
Rooks are one of the special pieces of chess positioned at the both ends of the back rows. The movements of rooks are restricted to vertical and horizontal axis only. However, rooks can jump as many squares as it wish along its vertical or horizontal paths. The Image below illustrates the movement of the Rooks on the chessboard.
Rooks position and movement
THE KNIGHTS
The knights are the horse-head pieces. Two knights will be positioned beside the rooks on either sides on the white-square sections of the board back row. The movements of the knights are restricted to L-shape paths. One knight can only move three-squares at the vertical direction and one-sqaure at the end of the three-square, the direction has to be towards the Bishops vertical axis. Knights movement are not restricted by other pieces on its path, in other words, knights can jump a piece of chess on its path and enter the next empty space. Knights are the only pieces of chess that can jump other pieces on its paths. The image below illustrates the allowed movement of the knights on the chessboard.
The Knights move in L-shape as indicated by the arrow in the diagram
THE BISHOPS
The Bishops has pointy ends on the top and are placed beside the knight on the back row. The Bishops can only move diagonally but can cross as many squares as possible along its allowed diagonal paths. The image below shows the direction of movements for the Bishops.
The Bishops can only move Diagonally but can jump other chess
THE QUEENS
The Queens are only two pieces of chess and are positioned beside the king on the left side of the king. The queen has the crown sign on its top. The queen can move horizontally, vertically or diagonally and can cross as many empty squares as possible along its allowed paths. The image below illustrates the allowed paths of movements for the queen.
Allowed Movements of the queen chess
THE KINGS
The kings are only two pieces of chess, one for you and one for your opponent. The knigs have the cross sign on its top and is usually positioned on the right side while the queen will be positioned beside it on the left side. The king can move in any direction i.e. vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. However, the king can only move from one square to another at a time, meaning the king does not cross any square along its path. The image below illustrates the allowed movement paths of the king.
The above rules are the bases of the chess game.
Chessboard arrangement and movements
HOW TO CONTROL THE CHESS GAME AND WIN POINTS
In terms of points, you earn a point each time you win a piece from your opponent and the value of the point is determined by the piece of chess you won. The king cannot be captured therefore it has no point attached to it, however, the queen has 9point, the Bishop has 3 point, the knight has 3 point the rook has 5 point, and the pawns have 1 point each. From the value of the points, the winner will be determined.
1. Target to dominate the center of the board by positioning your pawns in advantage positions instead moving around the walls of the board.
2. Center of the board provide options for movements and easy to catch opponent’s pieces that comes close.
3. Repeat the process until the last pieces remaining. Once all the piece of your opponent has been captured except the king you have won the game.