♟️ Chess Rules & Regulations

Master the ancient game of strategy with complete rules and guidelines

🏁Basic Rules

🎯 Objective

The goal is to checkmate your opponent's king. This means placing the enemy king under attack in a way that it cannot escape capture on the next move.

⚡ Turn Order

  • • White always moves first
  • • Players alternate turns
  • • You must move when it's your turn (except in stalemate)
  • • Only one piece can be moved per turn (except castling)

📐 Board Setup

  • • 8x8 board with 64 squares
  • • White square in bottom-right corner
  • • Queens start on their own color
  • • Kings start next to queens

⏰ Time Controls

Each player gets 5 minutes for the entire game. If you run out of time, you lose!

Piece Movements

King

  • • Moves one square in any direction
  • • Cannot move into check
  • • Most important piece to protect
  • • Can castle under specific conditions

Queen

  • • Most powerful piece
  • • Moves any distance horizontally
  • • Moves any distance vertically
  • • Moves any distance diagonally

Rook

  • • Moves any distance horizontally
  • • Moves any distance vertically
  • • Cannot move diagonally
  • • Used in castling maneuver

Bishop

  • • Moves any distance diagonally
  • • Cannot move horizontally/vertically
  • • Stays on same color squares
  • • You have one light and one dark bishop

Knight

  • • Moves in "L" shape: 2+1 squares
  • • Only piece that can "jump" over others
  • • Always lands on opposite color square
  • • Can be tricky for beginners

Pawn

  • • Moves forward one square
  • • Can move two squares from starting position
  • • Captures diagonally forward
  • • Can promote when reaching end

Special Moves

🏰 Castling

Purpose: Protect your king and develop your rook

Requirements:

  • • King hasn't moved
  • • Chosen rook hasn't moved
  • • No pieces between king and rook
  • • King not in check
  • • King doesn't pass through check

How: King moves 2 squares toward rook, rook moves to square king passed over

👻 En Passant

Purpose: Special pawn capture move

Requirements:

  • • Enemy pawn just moved 2 squares
  • • Your pawn is beside it
  • • Must capture immediately

How: Move your pawn diagonally behind the enemy pawn, remove the enemy pawn

👑 Pawn Promotion

Purpose: Transform pawn into powerful piece

Requirements:

  • • Pawn reaches opposite end of board

How: Choose Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight (usually Queen)

Note: You can have multiple queens!

🏆How Games End

✅ Ways to Win

♔ Checkmate

Enemy king is under attack and has no legal moves to escape capture. This is the ultimate victory!

⏰ Time Out

Your opponent runs out of time on their clock. Quick thinking wins the day!

🏳️ Resignation

Your opponent gives up. Sometimes the position becomes hopeless and resignation is the honorable choice.

🤝 Draw Conditions

🚫 Stalemate

A player has no legal moves but their king is not in check. The game ends in a draw.

🔄 Threefold Repetition

The same position occurs three times with the same player to move. Either player can claim a draw.

📏 50-Move Rule

50 moves pass without a pawn move or piece capture. Either player can claim a draw.

🤝 Mutual Agreement

Both players agree to a draw. This often happens when the position is equal or repetitive.

ChessChamp Platform Rules

🎮 Game Format

  • Time Control: 5 minutes per player (Blitz)
  • Rating System: ELO-based ranking (starts at 1200)
  • Matchmaking: Paired with players of similar skill
  • Fair Play: Computer assistance is strictly prohibited

🏆 Scoring & Rankings

  • Win: +16 to +32 ELO points (depends on opponent rating)
  • Draw: +/- 0 to 8 ELO points
  • Loss: -16 to -32 ELO points
  • Ranks: From Novice (800) to Grandmaster (2200+)

Ready to Play? 🚀

Now that you know the rules, learn how to use the ChessChamp platform!