The Board and Squares

A chess board is a square board with 64 squares. Half of the squares are light and half are dark.

The starting position

White pieces start on ranks 1 and 2. Black pieces start on ranks 7 and 8. The board is set so the light square is at the bottom right.

FEN: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 r n b q k b n r 8
7 p p p p p p p p 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 P P P P P P P P 2
1 R N B Q K B N R 1
  a b c d e f g h

Files, ranks, and diagonals

The e file runs from e1 to e8. The fourth rank runs from a4 to h4. The long diagonal runs from a1 to h8.

FEN: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 r n b q k b n r 8
7 p p p p p p p p 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 P P P P P P P P 2
1 R N B Q K B N R 1
  a b c d e f g h

The center squares

The four squares d4, d5, e4, and e5 form the center. Pieces in the center can reach more squares than pieces at the edge.

FEN: rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 r n b q k b n r 8
7 p p p p p p p p 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 P P P P P P P P 2
1 R N B Q K B N R 1
  a b c d e f g h

Key points

The board has 8 files. A file is a column of squares that runs up and down.
The board has 8 ranks. A rank is a row of squares that runs from side to side.
A diagonal is a line of squares of the same colour that runs at a slant.
Each square has a name made from its file letter and its rank number.
White always sits so that the bottom right square is a light square.

Try it Yourself

Edit the code, then press Run.

Running is simulated · Rust Playground

Exercise

What is the name of the square in the bottom right corner from White's side?

h1 a1 h8 a8