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How To Use The Board

Chess is played over a square of Board with 64 alternatively shaded light and dark coloured squares. 

This represents the Battlefield in which all Pieces and Play takes place. 

There are 8 Columns known as Files labeled A to H.

Here the D File is labelled. 

There are 8 Rows known as Ranks labeled 1 to 8.

Here the 5th Rank is labelled. 

This means that each of the Squares themselves have their own designation.

So here Square h1 is highlighted. 

And here Square f5 is highlighted. 

Now that Squares have their assigned designations, it means that Diagonals can be labeled. There are 15 Diagonals spanning end to end across the Board and these are referred to as the lower index starting Square 1st, followed by the higher index ending Square.

So this is the a5-e1 Diagonal highlighted here.  

Each Square, Rank, File and Diagonal have common traits amongst all games. As one becomes more familiar with the Game of Chess, these traits become recognisable and played regularly. A few examples include :-

 

  • Squares f2 & f7 are vulnerable at the Start because only the Kings defends these Squares.

  • In the Opening, Squares e4, d4 & c4 are common Destination Squares for White's Pawns.

  • In the Opening, If Squares b2, g2, b7 & g7 are still occupied by Pawns, they can be vulnerable especially if their defending Bishops on c1, f1, c8 & f8 respectively have been moved away, however these are also common destination Squares for Players who are fianchettoing their Bishops.

  • Diagonals a1-h8 and a8-h1 are the longest diagonals across the Board which run right through the Centre which is why fianchettoing the Bishops is so popular.

  • In the Opening, Squares c3, c6, f3 & f6 are commonly the destination Squares of developing Knights. Not only does this occupy and project power into The Centre, but protect the Rook pawns on a2, a7, h2 & h7 respectively.

  • In the Opening, Diagonals a4-d1 and a5-d8 are frequently used by the Queens to get onto the b file for a Queenside flank attack.

  • During the game, Squares g1 & g8 are the common protected destination squares of the Kings after they have been castled to tuck them safely away.

  • During the game, Files c to f are likely to be opened up as Pawns start capturing each other and Centre Pieces. Rooks are typically placed on Back-Rank Squares to cover these Open Files especially on Squares d1, e1, d8 & e8 to cover Files d & e as these Files run through the Centre.

  • The 7th Rank is the target destination of Double Rooks to start wreaking havoc on the Opponent.

There are other ways to divide up the Board which are not so obvious but are just as important as their concepts are key to understanding the game as Players, Spectators and Analysts.

First is to halve the board horizontally into the two halves of the Player Side and Opponent Side based on the Colour of the Pieces.

The White Side is on Ranks 1-4 and therefore the White Pieces start on Ranks 1 and 2. Conversely the Black Side is on Ranks 5-8 with the Black Pieces starting on Ranks 7 and 8. White plays Up the board and Black plays down the board however from each Player's perspective they are both playing forward up the board.

Here the respective starting position of each side colour is highlighted so it make sense that each half of the board represents each sides territory.

These two halves are important as they represent the psychological impact of the pieces. 
Playing a piece into the Opponent side is an attack and care would be needed to ensure that attack is well supported to succeed or the flexibility to adapt or escape as necessary. In the same way an Opponent piece placed in the player's own half is an attack which needs defending against before it can build and develop to cause serious damage.


The board is also halved vertically between the Kingside & Queenside halves.

The Queenside is on Files A-D and Kingside is on Files E-H. This is so-called because the Kings start on the E file and the Queens start on the D File.

These two halves are important as they represent on which hand, left or right, certain game events such as an attack or piece move take place.


For example, it would be hazardous to castle the King onto the Kingside if the majority of the Opponent's influence is also on the Kingside.


The Centre Squares of the Board are particularly important perhaps even more than attacking the Opponent King.

The 4 key Centre Squares of the Board are d4, e4, d5 & e5.
 
The Squares surrounding them can be just as important.
During the Opening and Middle phase of the game, both sides try to control the Centre of the Board either by Developing the Pieces to  lay influence on those Squares or Outposting Pieces on them.

This is because the value, power and mobility of the Pieces increase the closer to the Centre of the Board they are. Pieces in the Centre can move to more squares and are less likely to have their mobility cut off by the edge of the Board.  The Centre of the Board is also the shortest distance from all locations of the Board.

By denying the Centre to the Opponent, their options & choices are restricted, vastly reducing their likelihood of Victory.  


In contrast, the Squares around the Edge of the board are dangerous because there at least over a quarter of a Piece's mobility has been cutoff and in the case of corners, more than half.

The Edge of the Board is a special case because from a positive point of view, it focusses the action so that the Opponent cannot encircle the Player's Pieces so long as Ranks a & b and g & h are well defended.
 
In many cases the Edge of the Board is essential to cutting off the Opponent King's escape squares enabling Victories such as Back Rank Mates or Smothered Mate without needing so much material.

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