How to set up a chess board correctly
Which way the board goes, where every piece starts, how the a–h and 1–8 coordinates read, and the setup mistakes that even regular players make.
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you buy through them we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. This guide is based on published standards and research; see how we research.
Setting up a chess board takes about a minute once you know it, but two details catch people out again and again: which way round the board goes, and which of the two middle squares the king and queen take. Both are fixed by the official rules, so there’s no house-rule wiggle room.
This guide follows Article 2 of the FIDE Laws of Chess, which defines the starting position.
Step 1: Turn the board the right way
The board is an 8 × 8 grid of 64 equal squares, alternating light and dark. FIDE’s rule is that the board goes between the players so that the corner square nearest each player, on their right-hand side, is light.
The usual memory aid is “light on the right” (or “white on right”). Check it from your side and your opponent’s: if one player has a light square in their right-hand corner, so does the other.
If your board has coordinates printed on the border, there’s a second check. The bottom-right corner from White’s side is h1, and it should be light. The bottom-left, a1, is dark.
Step 2: Place the pawns
Each side starts with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. White has the light pieces and Black the dark ones.
Put all eight pawns on the row (rank) closest to you but one. White’s pawns fill the 2nd rank; Black’s fill the 7th rank.
Step 3: Fill the back row from the outside in
The remaining eight pieces go on the row nearest each player, in mirror order from the corners:
- Rooks in the two corners.
- Knights next to the rooks.
- Bishops next to the knights.
- Queen and king on the two middle squares.
Step 4: Queen on her own colour
This is the step most people get wrong. The queen goes on the square that matches her colour: the white queen on a light square, the black queen on a dark square. The king takes the square that’s left beside her.
Done correctly, the two queens face each other across the board on the same file, and so do the two kings.
The finished position
| Square(s) | White | Black |
|---|---|---|
| Rooks | a1, h1 | a8, h8 |
| Knights | b1, g1 | b8, g8 |
| Bishops | c1, f1 | c8, f8 |
| Queen | d1 (light square) | d8 (dark square) |
| King | e1 | e8 |
| Pawns | a2–h2 | a7–h7 |
How the coordinates work
Every square has a name made of a letter and a number, which is how games are written down and how chess books, apps and coaches describe positions.
- Files are the eight columns running between the players. They’re lettered a to h, left to right as seen from White’s side.
- Ranks are the eight rows running across the board. They’re numbered 1 to 8, starting from White’s side.
So White’s back row is rank 1, Black’s is rank 8, and the queens start on the d-file. Seen from Black’s side, everything reads backwards: the h-file is on Black’s left, and rank 8 is nearest.
Why printed coordinates help
Many boards have the letters and numbers printed on the border. They aren’t required, but they are useful:
- Setup check. h1 in the light corner on White’s right confirms the board is the right way round.
- Learning notation. Seeing the square names on the board makes it easier for beginners to follow books, puzzles and lessons, which all use them.
- Recording games. Tournament players write their moves down, and a quick glance at the border saves mistakes.
If the board will be used from both sides, look for coordinates printed on all four edges, or at least one set facing each player. Our guide to choosing a chess board covers boards with and without them.
Common setup mistakes
| Mistake | How to spot it | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Board turned 90° | Dark square in your right-hand corner | Rotate the board a quarter turn |
| King and queen swapped | White queen on a dark square | Queen goes on her own colour |
| Knights and bishops swapped | Bishop sitting next to the rook | Order from the corner is rook, knight, bishop |
| Queens on different files | Queens not facing each other | Both queens on the d-file |
| Coordinates upside down | “1” printed on Black’s side | Turn the board so rank 1 is on White’s side |
These matter in competitive play. Under FIDE’s Laws, if a game starts with the pieces placed wrongly, the game is cancelled and replayed. If it starts with the board turned the wrong way, play carries on, but the position is moved onto a correctly placed board.
Does board size change anything?
No. The setup is identical on a pocket magnetic set and a full tournament board. What changes is how comfortably the pieces fit: if your pieces crowd their squares, see our chess board size guide or the metric version.
Need a board with coordinates?
Coordinates are common on roll-up vinyl tournament boards and on many wooden boards.
- Search chess boards with coordinates on Amazon
- Browse chess boards at Chess House
- Browse tournament chess sets at Chess House
Roll-up vinyl boards are the cheapest option, often under $10 at specialist retailers; wooden boards run from roughly $50 to several hundred dollars.