Basics · Lesson 1 of 12 · 2 min read
How to Set Up a Chess Board
By James Dulay · Updated 14 November 2026
A chess board has 64 squares in an 8 by 8 grid, and each player starts with 16 pieces. Setting it up takes a minute once you know three rules: light square on the right, rooks in the corners, and the queen on her own colour.
Try it in 3DTurn the board the right way
Place the board so that each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner. A common memory aid is "light on the right". If the corner square on your right is dark, rotate the board a quarter turn.
The player with the white pieces sits on one side and the player with the black pieces on the other. White always moves first.
Place the pieces
Fill the second row in front of you with your eight pawns. The back row holds the other eight pieces, from the corners inward: rooks in the corners, knights next to them, then bishops.
The queen goes on the square of her own colour: the white queen on the light square d1, the black queen on the dark square d8. The king takes the last square, next to his queen. When the board is set up correctly, each queen faces the other queen and each king faces the other king.
How squares are named
Columns are called files and are lettered a to h from White's left to right. Rows are called ranks and are numbered 1 to 8 starting from White's side. Every square is named by its file and rank, so the square where file e meets rank 4 is e4.
Square names let players write down games and describe moves. Every lesson and guide on Pawnorama uses them.
Taking turns
Players alternate, one move per turn, and you must move on your turn even if you would rather not. The only move that shifts two pieces at once is castling.
Next, learn how each piece moves, starting with the rook.
Interactive lesson
Practise setting up the board on a 3D board
Pawnorama walks you through this lesson step by step. You make every move yourself, with hints when you need them. Free, no account needed.
Start the lessonCommon questions
Which colour square goes in the bottom-right corner?
A light square. Both h1 (White's right) and a8 (Black's right) are light.
Where does the queen go?
On her own colour: the white queen on d1, a light square, and the black queen on d8, a dark square.
How many pieces does each player have?
Sixteen: eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen and one king.