How To Win In The Chess Openings

A chessboard consists of 8 rows and 8 columns of squares arranged in two alternating colors, with a total of sixty four squares. The colors used nowadays are black and white. However the actual colors used for boards used in tournaments are dark green and buff. One can also find natural shades of light and dark woods for boards that are commonly used. Some boards may have other colors as well, such as red and black. The size of a chessboard is usually designed such that it is appropriate for the chess pieces used. The size of the squares on the board is approximately 1.25 - 1.3 times more than the diameter of the base of the king. The board is always designed such that the rightmost square on the row nearest to each player is a white/lighter colored square. In modern chess commentary, the columns (called files) are labeled by the letters 'a' to 'h' from left to right from the white player's point of view. The rows (called ranks) are labeled by the numbers 1 to 8, with 1 being closest to the white player, thus providing a standard notation called algebraic chess notation. In older English chess commentary, the files were labeled by the piece originally occupying its first rank. The ranks were labeled by the numbers 1 to 8 from each player's point of view, depending on the move being described. This is called the English Chess Notation. This notation is no longer used nowadays. When setting up a chessboard, players should make sure that the light queen is positioned on a light square and the dark queen is positioned on a dark square. The other pieces should be the mirror images of each other. The light side always moves first. A player can choose which side he wants to play from. As in the case of chess pieces, chessboards are also of different types - cheap plastic, expensive woods, cardboard, leather, stone, glass, precious materials, etc. There are nice Decorative Chess Sets out there.