QRD on chess.
-- The board is 8x8
-- Rows are called "ranks"
-- Columns are called "files"
-- The bottom-right corner is a white square (helps you orient the chessboard)
-- The kings are directly opposite each other
-- Queen goes on her own color.
The white side of the chessboard has the pieces on this order, on the back rank:
| Rook | Knight | Bishop | Queen | King | Bishop | Knight | Rook |
The black side is the same, with the king and queen switched. That's so the two sides don't start with the queen directly opposite the king, which would be brutal in a chessgame. Notice that this arrangement leaves all the pawns defended.
-- The Rook moves horizontally or vertically, as many spaces as it can.
-- The Bishop moves diagonally, as many spaces as it can.
-- The Knight moves one vertically, two horizontally. Or two vertically, and one horizontally (Knights are tricky). Knights can also leap over other pieces, the only piece that can do this.
-- The Queen moves in any direction, horizontally or vertically.
-- The King moves only one space in any direction.
-- Pawns move forward one square, and take diagonally. But cannot move backward.
If you capture the king, you end the game. Technically the game ends when the king can no longer escape capture, a position called "checkmate". Putting the king in "check" means that you will take the king next turn. Chess forces the player to move out of check as a mandatory move.
There are a few special-moves in Chess.
-- Double-pawn move.
The pawn can move 2 spaces on its first move, this is to speed up games.
-- En passant
The ability to move 2 spaces means you can leap past another pawn. In order to correct this, En passant was invented. A pawn may take another pawn that double-moves past it.
-- Castling
Threatening the king is extremely powerful in chess. The king often needs to shelter near the corner of the board. Because of this, castling was invented. This allows the King and Rook to swap places into the center, but only if neither of them has been moved. You also cannot castle through check.
Why does the knight move like that? Because it's the only move that can threaten the queen without being threatened.
Why do pawns take sideways? So they can defend each other.
The general point-values of the pieces are:
King: priceless
Queen: 9 pawns
Rook: 5 pawns
Bishop: 3 pawns
Knight: 3 pawns
Although these point-values fluctuate throughout the game. A well positioned knight is worth WAY more than 3 pawns. And the bishop-pair is worth way more than just 6 points, especially in the end-game. Also, the general strategy is to control the center. Because piece in the center have many more options, and thus you have better combinations to play against your opponent.
A good introduction to chess is this playlist here:
>https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQsLDm9Rq9bHKEBnElquF8GuWkI1EJ8Zp 