What are Chess Pieces or Chessmen?

Pawn

It is clear that the pawn is so called because it is - a foot soldier - infantry. In other countries, too, the pawn is usually called a soldier. In Germany Pawn called "Bauer", which means not a soldier, but a farmer.

In the beginning of the game each player has eight pawns.

 

Knight

 

In the days of old this piece was depicted as a horseman. Then by simplicity there was only a horse. Many countries continue to call it as knight rider, rider: in French - cavalier, in English - knight. The Germans call it Springer - horse.

In the beginning of the game each player has two Knights.

Bishop

In ancient chess it was a figure depicting war elephant with a rider. In Russia, it has become "an elephant."

In other countries, this piece received more honors: Bishop - in England, runner (Läufer) - in Germany, in Bulgaria and Greece - an officer.  

In the beginning of the game each player has two Bishops.

Rook

In ancient India, Rook was a chariot. In ancient Persia it began to depict a bird. Frenchmen call it “tour”.

In the beginning of the game each player has two Rooks.

Queen

In medieval Europe, Persian "Vizier" has become a "queen". This figure is now a walk in all rows, columns and diagonals over any distance.

The queen, of course, each player has one.

King 

 

Chess king in all languages represents a supreme ruler.
In England – King, in Germany - König, in France – roi.

What is a chessboard?

All in chess begins with a chessboard. Without a chessboard you may not play chess. The chessboard is divided into 64 fields - 64 squares, 32 white and 32 black. These 64 squares together form one large square, a chessboard.

Figure 1 – Empty chessboard

 

The right bottom square of chessboard is always white

It is need to properly position the board in front of you. An important rule - the board should always be positioned so that the rightmost bottom square was white and only white. If the lower right square is black, the game will be wrong. There are often on the boards below written letters and numbers. So, the letter must be on the bottom or top of board, and the numbers - on its sides. These letters and numbers are for chess notation - we'll talk later.

Ranks and files of the chessboard

These 64 squares arrange eight horizontal rows - ranks and eight vertical columns - files. To better focus on chessboard its squares painted alternately in white and black. The words "white" and "black" should be understood as “light” and “dark”: black is often dark brown, and white is light brown or yellow. For example, as it is shown in the diagram below. This is no accident: it is better seen black and white pieces, especially on the charts - in a book or on a computer screen.

Figure 2 – Files of chessboard

 Figure 3 – Ranks of chessboard

Diagonals of the chessboard

In addition to ranks and files on the chessboard there is still diagonals. In contrast to ranks and files diagonals have different lengths - different number of squares. They also have the initial and final squares, usually from the bottom up. For example, in the figure 4 we see two most long diagonals a1-h8 and  h1-a8 and as well as the shorter diagonals c1-a3 and d1-h5. Each diagonal always consist squares of the same color – white or black. The diagonals h1-a8 and d1-h5 are white diagonals, and the diagonals a1-h8 and c1-a3 are black diagonals.

Figure 4 - Diagonals of the chessboard

Chess notation

In order to be able to quickly point to each of the sixty-four cells, you can certainly just number them and give each of them any name. On the chessboard came easier. Each of the eight Latin letters designated verticals - a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h, and each horizontal line (upwards) - numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Now each of the sixty-four fields on the board has its own designation, for example, b5, e1 or h6.

Figure 5 – Chess notation

To understand what chess players talk about, we must first learn how to quickly and accurately locate on the chessboard required fields. If you have may it, you are a real chess player.

Chessboard for white and black

In chess play two players: one person by white, the other by black. The figure 5 shows how sees a chessboard a man who plays white.

Figure 6 – The view of chessboard for white

Figure 7 shows a chessboard as seen from the black’s side - a little bit different. For black letters below the board go from right to left instead of left to right as for whites.  

Figure 7 – The view of chessboard for black