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Worksheet: The Board and Setup

Topic: basics | Level: 1 | Start Here branch

Learn the square names, the light-square-on-the-right rule, and where every piece belongs before the game starts.

Why This Matters

  • Every square has a name made from a file letter and a rank number, like e4 or b7.
  • Before you set up the pieces, turn the board so the light square is on the right.
  • Queens start on their own color: the white queen on d1 and the black queen on d8.

Objectives

  • Name files, ranks, and simple coordinates like e4.
  • Use the "light square on the right" rule to orient the board correctly.
  • Set up the kings, queens, rooks, bishops, knights, and pawns in the right starting places.

Practice Tasks

  1. Label the files a-h and the ranks 1-8 on a blank board.
  2. Write the rule that helps you turn the board the right way before you set up the pieces.
  3. Name where the white queen, white king, black queen, and black king start.

Board Walkthrough

Follow the lesson one board at a time. The teacher answer key includes the move list.

Board 1
Board 2
Board 3
Board 4
Board 5
Board 6
Board 7

Practice Positions

Solve each position on paper first. Answers live only in the separate teacher/parent key.

Practice 1

White to move. Push the e-pawn two squares so it lands on e4.

Practice 2

Black to move. Step the king knight from g8 to f6.

Practice 3

White to move. Develop the king knight from g1 to f3.

Practice 4

White to move. Slide the bishop from f1 to b5.

Mini-Game

Play from the normal starting setup. Before every legal move, say the square name you start from and the square name you land on.

Answer Key

The Board and Setup

Teacher/parent key for Worksheet: The Board and Setup.

Worksheet Answers

  1. Prompt: Label the files a-h and the ranks 1-8 on a blank board.

    Files run left to right as a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h. Ranks run from White's side up the board as 1 through 8.

  2. Prompt: Write the rule that helps you turn the board the right way before you set up the pieces.

    The board should be turned so the light square is on the right corner closest to you.

  3. Prompt: Name where the white queen, white king, black queen, and black king start.

    White queen: d1. White king: e1. Black queen: d8. Black king: e8.

Model Line

  1. e4
  2. e5
  3. Nf3
  4. Nc6
  5. Bb5
  6. a6

Practice Position Solutions

The Board and Setup — Practice 1

White to move. Push the e-pawn two squares so it lands on e4.

Solution: e4

The e-pawn starts on e2, so moving it to e4 uses the file letter and rank number exactly.

The Board and Setup — Practice 2

Black to move. Step the king knight from g8 to f6.

Solution: Nf6

Knights start next to the rooks. Black's king knight begins on g8 and hops to f6.

The Board and Setup — Practice 3

White to move. Develop the king knight from g1 to f3.

Solution: Nf3

Reading coordinates helps you find both the starting square (g1) and the landing square (f3).

The Board and Setup — Practice 4

White to move. Slide the bishop from f1 to b5.

Solution: Bb5

Bishops travel on diagonals, so the f1 bishop reaches b5 in one smooth diagonal line.