Learn chess
Rules, openings, and habits that actually make you better.
Castling in chess: the rules, the five conditions, and how to do itCastling explained in plain English — how to castle kingside and queenside, the five conditions that must be true, and when you can and can't do it.Read the guide →Checkmate explained: how a chess game is won, lost, or drawnWhat checkmate really means, the three ways out of check, and checkmate vs stalemate — plus draws, fast mates, and how to finish a winning game.Read the guide →Chess pieces names: every piece, what it does, and what it's worthAll six chess pieces names explained — how to recognize each one, how it moves, its value in pawns, and why it's a rook, not a castle.Read the guide →Chess strategies for beginners: 8 rules that win gamesChess strategies for beginners, explained in plain English — eight simple rules covering the opening, trades, pawns, and the habit that stops blunders.Read the guide →En passant: the strangest legal move in chess, explainedEn passant is a special pawn capture that baffles beginners. Here's exactly what it is, the four conditions, a worked example, and why the rule exists.Read the guide →How do pawns move in chess? Every pawn rule in one placePawn moves in chess explained simply — how a pawn moves, the two-square first move, how a pawn captures diagonally, promotion, en passant, and value.Read the guide →How does the bishop move in chess? The diagonal piece explainedHow does the bishop move? It slides any number of squares diagonally, never changing color. Here's how it captures, why it can't jump, and what it's worth.Read the guide →How does the knight move in chess? The L-shape, explainedHow does the knight move? It jumps in an L-shape — two squares one way, then one square across. The only piece that leaps over others, explained simply.Read the guide →How does the queen move in chess? The most powerful piece explainedHow does the queen move? Any number of squares straight or diagonally — a rook and bishop combined. Her moves, captures, value, and why she can't jump.Read the guide →How to get better at chess: the honest plan for casual playersHow to get better at chess without hours a day — the habits that actually raise your rating, the time budget that works, and what to skip.Read the guide →How to play chess: the complete beginner's guide to the rulesLearn how to play chess from scratch — the rules of chess, how every piece moves, check and checkmate, the special moves, and your first game plan.Read the guide →How to read chess notation, from e4 to checkmateChess notation made simple: how to read and write chess moves in algebraic notation, what every symbol means, and a sample opening translated move by move.Read the guide →How to set up a chess board, step by stepThe correct chess board setup in five steps — which corner is white, where the queen goes, and the two mistakes almost every beginner makes.Read the guide →The best chess openings for beginners (and the ones to skip)The best chess openings for beginners — three for White, three for Black, the exact first moves, and the popular openings worth skipping for now.Read the guide →