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Castle Gambit
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First Moves · free, start to finish

Learn to play chess, one move at a time.

A short lesson a day for four weeks, from how the pieces move to your first night at a club. Every lesson has you moving pieces in the first minute, every drill deals you a fresh board each time you play it, and a practice game is there whenever you want a whole one.

Start lesson 1Play a practice gameAlready know the moves?

20 lessons, about 15 minutes each.

First Moves level 1, 0 XP

100 XP to First Moves level 2

Arrow keys move between squares; up is towards your opponent. Enter or Space picks a piece up and puts it down. Escape puts it back.
Try it: jump the knight to the star.

The four weeks

A lesson a day is the rhythm we suggest, never a rule: take a week over one, or do three on a Sunday. Missing a day costs you nothing.

  1. Week 1. The pieces

    1. The boardYou’re here. Set up the board and name any square
    2. The rook and the bishopMove and capture along lines and diagonals
    3. The queen and the kingMove both, and never step the king into danger
    4. The knightMake the L, and jump
    5. The pawnPush, capture and promote

    Weekend: Play pawn wars with a friend: it's a real game with only pawns.

  2. Week 2. The rules that decide games

    1. CheckGet out of check by moving, blocking or capturing
    2. CheckmateRecognize mate and find mate in one
    3. Castling and en passantKnow when you can castle, and take en passant
    4. DrawsSpot stalemate and the other draws, and avoid them when winning
    5. What pieces are worthTrade sensibly and never leave a piece hanging

    Weekend: A full game with a friend, start to finish.

  3. Week 3. Playing a game well

    1. Opening principlesTake the center, develop, castle, and don't wander with the queen
    2. Before every moveCheck for checks, captures and threats, and ask what their last move did
    3. The forkFind a fork, knight forks first
    4. Pins and skewersUse a pin, and escape a skewer
    5. Mate with a queenCheckmate a lone king with a queen, and with two rooks

    Weekend: The Climb's first board: real puzzles, mate in one or two.

  4. Week 4. Ready for the board

    1. Mate with a rookCheckmate a lone king with a rook (the box)
    2. Endgame basicsUse your king and push a passed pawn
    3. NotationRead and write moves
    4. The clock and the etiquetteUse a clock and know the manners of a club night
    5. Your first club nightKnow how pairing works, report a result, and know what to bring

    Weekend: Your first club night.

Prefer paper? Print “How the pieces move”, one page for the fridge or the club’s newcomer table.

A whole game, any time

Play a practice game

A full game against our practice bot, at one of three levels: Learner, Club newcomer and Steady. Take a move back whenever you like. Nothing’s rated, there’s no clock, and nobody’s watching.

Play a game

Already know how the pieces move?

Eight quick positions from across the four weeks, about five minutes. We'll tell you where to start. There's no score to keep and nothing to lose.

What's kept

We save which parts of which lessons you've finished and the day you did, your best round in each drill (its stars, slips and, where the drill counts them, moves) and how many rounds you've played, your placement check's score, and how many practice games you've played and won at each level, in this browser, so you can pick up where you left off. Nothing else, and it isn't sent anywhere. Your First Moves XP is worked out here from those, so it adds nothing.

Sign in and it moves to your account, so you can pick up on any device.

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