Trainings
95 trainings graded 1–10. Log in to track what you complete.
Fundamentals 8
Capture the free piece
An enemy piece is standing on a square nobody protects. Find it and take it for free.
Check, checkmate and stalemate
What check means, how a game is won by checkmate, and why stalemate is a draw and not a win.
How the pieces move and capture
The six pieces, how each one moves, and how capturing works. Start here if you are brand new.
Special moves: castling, en passant, promotion
Three rules that trip up every beginner: castling, the en passant capture and pawn promotion.
Mate in one for absolute beginners
Simple checkmates in one move with the queen, rook and knight. Learn to recognise when the king has nowhere left to go.
Piece values and fair trades
The point values of the pieces and how to use them to decide whether a capture or exchange is good for you.
Reading and writing chess notation
How to read moves like Nf3, Bxc6, O-O and e8=Q so you can study games, books and this site's puzzles.
The three phases of a game
Opening, middlegame and endgame: what each phase is for and the simple goals to pursue in each one.