Chess Rules at chessmail

This page describes the basic rules of chess as they apply at chessmail. The rules are based on the generally accepted international chess rules, adapted for online play.

The Board and the Pieces

The Board

The chessboard is an 8 x 8 grid of 64 equal squares, alternating between light and dark (the "white" and "black" squares). The board is oriented so that each player has a white square in the near-right corner.

The eight vertical columns are called "files" (a-h), the eight horizontal rows are called "ranks" (1-8). A straight line of same-coloured squares touching at corners is called a "diagonal".

The Pieces

Each player starts with 16 pieces — one with the light ("white") pieces, the other with the dark ("black") pieces:

Piece Description Piece Description
White King one white King Black King one black King
White Queen one white Queen Black Queen one black Queen
White Rook two white Rooks Black Rook two black Rooks
White Bishop two white Bishops Black Bishop two black Bishops
White Knight two white Knights Black Knight two black Knights
White Pawn eight white Pawns Black Pawn eight black Pawns

The Starting Position

This is how the pieces are arranged at the beginning of every game:

Chess Starting Position

How the Pieces Move

A basic principle: No piece may move to a square occupied by a friendly piece. If a piece moves to a square occupied by an opponent's piece, that piece is captured and removed from the board.

The Bishop

The Bishop moves any number of squares diagonally. It may not jump over other pieces.

The Rook

The Rook moves any number of squares horizontally or vertically. It may not jump over other pieces.

The Queen

The Queen combines the movement of the Rook and Bishop: it moves any number of squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It may not jump over other pieces either.

The Knight

The Knight moves in an "L" shape: two squares in one direction and one square to the side (or vice versa). It is the only piece that may jump over other pieces.

The Pawn

The Pawn moves straight forward to the next free square. From its starting square, it may optionally advance two squares, provided both are free. The Pawn captures diagonally forward onto a directly adjacent square.

En passant capture: If an opponent's Pawn has just made a double step and now stands next to your Pawn, you may capture it as though it had advanced only one square. This capture is only possible on the very next move.

Promotion: When a Pawn reaches the last rank, it must immediately be replaced by a Queen, Rook, Bishop, or Knight of the same colour. The choice is not limited to previously captured pieces.

The King

The King moves one square in any direction — horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. It may not move to a square that is attacked by an opponent's piece.

Castling is a special move involving the King and a Rook. The King moves two squares towards a Rook, and the Rook jumps to the square the King crossed. Castling is only allowed under the following conditions:

  • Neither the King nor the involved Rook may have moved previously.
  • There must be no pieces between the King and the Rook.
  • The King must not be in check, and neither the square it crosses nor its destination square may be attacked by an opponent's piece.

Check, Checkmate, and Stalemate

Check: A King is in check when it is attacked by an opponent's piece. The player must deal with the check on the next move — by moving the King, blocking the attack, or capturing the attacking piece. No move may place or leave your own King in check.

Checkmate: If the King is in check and the check cannot be dealt with, it is checkmate. The game ends immediately and the player who delivered checkmate wins.

Stalemate: If a player has no legal move but the King is not in check, the game is a stalemate and ends in a draw.

How a Game Ends

Win

  • Checkmate: A player checkmates the opponent's King.
  • Resignation: A player resigns the game.
  • Timeout: A player exceeds the agreed time limit. (However, the game is a draw if the opponent could not possibly deliver checkmate with any sequence of moves.)

Draw

  • Stalemate: The player to move has no legal move but is not in check.
  • Dead position: No sequence of moves can lead to checkmate (e.g. King vs. King).
  • Agreement: Both players agree to a draw.
  • Threefold repetition: The same position occurs for the third time with the same player to move and the same available moves (including castling and en passant rights).
  • 50-move rule: 50 consecutive moves by each player without any Pawn move or capture.

Algebraic Notation

At chessmail, all moves are recorded automatically. The notation used works as follows:

Each piece (except the Pawn) is represented by a letter: K = King, Q = Queen, R = Rook, B = Bishop, N = Knight. Pawns have no abbreviation — a move without a piece letter is always a Pawn move.

Each square is named by its file (a-h) and rank (1-8), e.g. "e4" or "d7".

Additional symbols: x = captures, + = check, ++ or # = checkmate, 0-0 = kingside castling, 0-0-0 = queenside castling, e.p. = en passant.

Example: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 O-O 5.e4 d5 6.exd5 exd5 7.cxd5 Bxc3 8.Bxc3 Nxd5 etc.

Playing Chess at chessmail

There are two game modes at chessmail: correspondence chess and live chess. In both modes, chessmail automatically checks whether a move is legal — illegal moves cannot be made.

Correspondence Chess

  • Time control: The thinking time ranges from one to several days per move, depending on the game invitation. The remaining time is shown with each move.
  • Aids: The use of chess books, databases, and your own analysis is expressly allowed. The use of chess engines that calculate moves is not allowed — unless this has been agreed upon by all participants for a specific tournament or game.
  • Communication: Players may not discuss the position or possible moves with other people during an ongoing game.

Live Chess

  • Time control: Both players have a fixed total time (e.g. 5 or 10 minutes). A player's clock runs while it is their turn.
  • Aids: In live chess, the use of any aids — including books, databases, and chess engines — is not allowed.
  • Communication: Players may not discuss the position or possible moves with other people during an ongoing game.

Further Information

You can find further information about chessmail in our

Help section