1. How to play chess ?
By Peter Mann
A Beginners Guide

2. Intro to chess
Chess is a methodical game including patience and tactics maybe also a bit of bluff.
But apart from that if you think you have those skills then what are you waiting for read this manual to give you a head start then go down to the library and find someone to play chess with.
Tip:
When asking for someone to play chess with do not ask anyone who is already playing chess as they will accept but they will absolutely thrash you.

3. Layout of the pieces
As you can see this is the layout of the board this is how you should start, all the pieces at including the correct colour opposite you on the left, if you haven’t done this then you are playing wrongly. Also the Queen always goes on her own colour and the King goes on the opponents colour. If you haven’t played like this then the game is not official.

4. How a Pawn moves A Pawn can move and do several different things.
Firstly it can move 2 spaces on its first go but once it has moved once it can only move one space. Remember the pawn can still move one space on its first go it doesn’t have to move 2 spaces.
Secondly if you manage to get a pawn to the other side you may exchange it for another piece this is either a Queen the normal choice, Knight, Rook or Bishop.
Lastly the pawn to take a piece takes diagonal and not straight but this doesn’t mean it can move diagonal it can still only move forwards.

5. How a Knight moves
The Knight is a simple piece but the most effective. Shall we say it is the Queens No.1 enemy.
Firstly it moves in an “L” shape 3 in any direction apart from diagonal then 1 either left or right to the 3.
Secondly the Knight is a valuable piece later in the game so look after it. Obviously if you can take a better piece with it like a rook or Queen then take it.

6. How a Bishop moves
A Bishop is a piece that can only move diagonally on the square it was placed on in the layout (Below). So if the Bishop was on a white square it could only move on the white squares as many times as it wants.

7. How a Rook moves
A Rook is the second most powerful piece in the game being able to move in every direction apart from diagonal. The Rook can move as many times as it wants. This means the Rook can then travel over every square on the board unlike the Bishop. Use your Rooks wisely as you can get caught out when trying to get them out.

8. How a Queen moves
A Queen moves in any direction it wants as many times as it wants. The Queen is your most powerful so look after it because it can mean the difference between winning and loosing. Tip try and get your Queen out as early as possible.

9. How a King moves
Your King is the most important piece in the game this piece decides who wins and who loses so look after it. The King can only move one space in any direction. Tip do not just attack in chess remember to defend as well you can get yourself in a very sticky situation. Also try and make a protective space for your King too stay in as it drives your opponents mad.

10. Special moves In chess there are a number of weird moves you can do.
Firstly there’s castling this can happen when the King and rook haven’t been moved on either side. On both sides it is the same the King moves two spaces closer to the Rook then the Rook jumps over the King onto the other side.
Secondly there is Pawning, this happens when your pawn is on the fifth square down know say your opponent moves his pawn 2 spaces next to yours you can then take his pawn but your pawn doesn’t slide across one it slides diagonal one space.

11. Check and Checkmate
Check-In check your King is able to move out into an unoccupied space or another piece can block it.
Checkmate-Checkmate is when your King is put in a position when it cannot move into an unoccupied space or be blocked by another piece. Below is an example of checkmate

12. Stalemate, Conceding and 21 moves
Stalemate-Stalemate happens when you or your opponent cannot move his King but is not in check, and has no pieces or cannot move his pieces, on his go. This means it is a draw.
Conceding-Conceding happens when you or your opponent feels he cannot win, so he knocks over his King to say he has lost.
21 moves-This happens when you or your opponent has had all there pieces taken. You then have 21 moves to get their King in checkmate or it is Stalemate.

13. Thank you for listening to this presentation I hope you feel comfortable in playing chess now and good luck. If you still feel uncomfortable playing chess well then go into a book shop or online and get yourself one.
The End