How to Set Up a Chess Board — A Beginner's Guide

Whether you've just unboxed your first chess set or you're picking up the game after years away, setting up the board properly is the foundation of every game. Get it wrong and even experienced players will be thrown off.

Here's the complete guide — short, clear, and easy to remember.

Step 1: Position the Board Correctly

Place the chess board between the two players so that each player has a white (or light-coloured) square in the bottom-right corner. This is the single most important rule in board setup.

A useful phrase to remember: "White on right."

If your bottom-right square is dark, rotate the board 90 degrees.

Step 2: Place the Pawns

Line up all eight pawns on the second row from each player's side. This is called the second rank for white, and the seventh rank for black.

Pawns form your front line — your first wall of defence.

Step 3: Place the Rooks

The rooks (the castle-shaped pieces) go in the two corner squares of your back row. One on the far left, one on the far right.

Step 4: Place the Knights

The knights (the horse-shaped pieces) go directly next to the rooks — one space in from each corner.

Step 5: Place the Bishops

The bishops go next to the knights, one space further in. You should now have rook-knight-bishop on each side, leaving two squares in the middle.

Step 6: Place the Queen

This is where most beginners get confused. The rule is simple:

The queen goes on her own colour.

• The white queen goes on the white square
• The black queen goes on the black square

If you place them correctly, the two queens will face each other across the board.

Step 7: Place the King

The king goes on the last empty square next to the queen. The king and queen always stand side by side at the centre of the back row.

A Quick Visual Check

When you're done, the back row from left to right should read:

Rook – Knight – Bishop – Queen – King – Bishop – Knight – Rook

The same applies to both players. If your setup mirrors your opponent's, you've done it right.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

— Queen on the wrong square. This is by far the most common error. Remember: queen on her own colour. — Board rotated incorrectly. Always check the bottom-right corner is light. — King and queen swapped. A symptom of the queen-colour rule being forgotten.

Who Moves First?

White always moves first. After that, players alternate turns.

Ready to Play

Setting up the board is muscle memory after a few games. Soon you'll do it without thinking — the pieces almost falling into place on their own.

The right chess set makes that ritual feel like an event. The cool weight of marble pieces, the soft sound they make against the board, the deliberate way each one settles into its square — it transforms a simple setup into something worth slowing down for.

Browse our Marble Chess Sets — hand-carved, designed in Sweden, and built to be passed on.