How to Set Up a Chessboard Correctly

Set up a chessboard the right way: board orientation, rooks, knights, bishops, the queen on her color and the king, plus common setup mistakes.

Setting up the pieces is the very first thing you do in every game, yet even experienced casual players get it wrong surprisingly often. The two classic mistakes are turning the board the wrong way and swapping the king and queen. This short guide shows the correct setup step by step, with two easy rhymes to remember it.

The finished setup

Here is what a correctly set-up board looks like, from White's side. Notice the light square in the bottom-right corner and the white queen on a light square:

Bàn cờ tương tác: The starting position. The light square h1 is at White's bottom right, and each queen stands on a square of her own color (d1 and d8).

Step 1: Turn the board the right way

A chessboard has 64 squares in 8 rows and 8 columns, alternating light and dark (or 204 squares, if you count every size). Place the board so that each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner.

The rhyme to remember: "Light on the right." (Some people say "white on the right"; it means the same thing.)

If the board has letters and numbers printed on the edge, the letters a to h should run from left to right in front of White, and the numbers 1 to 8 from White's side up to Black's. These coordinates are used for chess notation.

Step 2: Put the rooks in the corners

Each player places a rook on each corner square of their back row (the row closest to them). For White that is a1 and h1; for Black, a8 and h8.

Step 3: Knights next to the rooks

Place a knight next to each rook: White's knights go on b1 and g1, Black's on b8 and g8. Tip: the knights should face forward, toward the opponent. It does not affect the game, but it looks right.

Step 4: Bishops next to the knights

Put a bishop next to each knight: White's bishops go on c1 and f1, Black's on c8 and f8. Each side ends up with one bishop on a light square and one on a dark square.

Step 5: The queen on her color, then the king

Two squares are left in the middle of the back row. The queen goes on the square of her own color: the white queen on the light square d1, the black queen on the dark square d8. The rhyme: "Queen on her color."

The king takes the last square, next to the queen: e1 for White and e8 for Black.

When you are done, the two queens face each other along the d-file, and the two kings face each other along the e-file.

Step 6: A row of pawns in front

Finally, place all eight pawns on the second row in front of the pieces: White's pawns on a2 to h2, Black's on a7 to h7.

That is it: 16 pieces each, 32 in total, with the middle four rows empty.

Common setup mistakes

Who moves first?

White always moves first. In casual games, players often decide who gets White by hiding a white pawn in one hand and a black pawn in the other and letting the opponent pick. In tournaments, colors are assigned by the pairing system.

After that, players take turns making one move each. To learn what to do with your first moves, read how to play chess and our openings for beginners guide.

Setting up for an online game

Online, the board is set up for you and is always shown from your side, so if you play Black, your pieces are at the bottom of the screen. Black's setup is a mirror image: from Black's chair, the light square is still on the right and the black queen is still on her own color (the dark square d8).

Frequently asked questions

Does the queen go on the left or the right of the king?

It depends on your color. The rule is that the queen goes on her own color: the white queen on the light d1 square (to the left of the king from White's view), and the black queen on the dark d8 square (to the right of the king from Black's view). In both cases the queens face each other.

Which corner should the white square be in?

The bottom-right corner, for both players. Remember "light on the right". If the square at your bottom right is dark, rotate the board a quarter turn.

How many pieces does each player start with?

Sixteen: eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen and one king. That makes 32 pieces on the board at the start.

Does it matter which way the knights face?

No. The direction a knight faces has no effect on the game. By tradition, players turn their knights to face the opponent.

Is White always on the same side of the board?

Yes, by convention White starts on ranks 1 and 2 and Black on ranks 7 and 8. Diagrams in books are usually drawn from White's side.

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