You do not need a library of openings to enjoy your first chess game. Learn how the pieces move, keep your king safe and ask what your opponent is threatening before you make a move.

The pieces and the goal

Two players share a board of 64 squares, with White moving first. Each side begins with a king, queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns. Rooks move along straight lines, bishops along diagonals and the queen combines both. Knights jump in an L shape. A king moves one square in any direction.

Pawns move forward and capture diagonally. From their starting square they may advance two squares if the way is clear. Your goal is checkmate, a threat to the enemy king that cannot be escaped. The king is never physically captured.

Check is a warning

When your king is attacked, your next move must remove the threat. You might move the king, capture the attacker or block the attacking line where possible. A move that leaves your own king in check is illegal.

If a player has no legal move but their king is not in check, the game is drawn by stalemate. Trapping a king in a corner can therefore turn an expected win into a draw.

Three special moves

Castling moves the king and a rook together. Neither may have moved before, and the squares between them must be clear. You cannot castle out of check, through an attacked square or into check.

A pawn reaching the far end of the board promotes to a queen, rook, bishop or knight. En passant is another pawn rule. If an opposing pawn advances two squares beside yours, you may be able to capture it as though it had advanced only one. That opportunity lasts for your next move only.

Draws and the clock

Ryvo supports draw offers and valid claims based on threefold repetition or the fifty-move rule. Fivefold repetition and the seventy-five-move rule trigger automatic draws when applicable. If you chose a timed match, keep an eye on the clock as well as the board.

For your early games, develop your minor pieces, protect your king and avoid moving the same piece repeatedly without a purpose. Before confirming a move, take a moment to check whether you are leaving a piece undefended.