Lessons
Short lessons, one small step at a time. Nothing is locked: start where you like, or follow your next lesson.
69 lessons in 4 levels. Your next lesson follows the order we recommend when you are starting out.
The basics
The board, how every piece moves, and the rules of the game.
The pieces
Meet the board and learn how every piece moves.
- The chessboard64 squares and their names.8 steps
- The rookStraight lines, as far as it likes.4 steps
- The bishopDiagonal lines, and always the same colour.5 steps
- The queenThe strongest piece: rook and bishop in one.4 steps
- The kingThe most important piece, one step at a time.5 steps
- The knightThe jumper: an L-shape over everything.5 steps
- The pawnForwards only, and capturing diagonally.5 steps
The rules
Capturing, check, checkmate, castling and the other special rules.
- CapturingTake enemy pieces off the board.4 steps
- CheckWhen the king is attacked.4 steps
- Getting out of checkThree ways out: move, block, capture.4 steps
- CheckmateCheck with no way out wins the game.6 steps
- CastlingKing to safety, rook into play, in one move.5 steps
- En passantThe special pawn capture.4 steps
- PromotionA pawn on the last rank becomes a new piece.3 steps
- Draws and stalemateWhen nobody wins.5 steps
- What are the pieces worth?What your pieces are worth, your material.5 steps
- Reading movesHow chess moves are written down.6 steps · Optional
Beginner
Your first checkmates, your first tactics, and how to start a game.
Checkmate basics
Mate in one, the back rank, and the basic mates with queen and rooks.
- Mate in oneSpot the checkmate in a single move.8 steps
- Back-rank mateWhen the king's own pawns become a trap.9 steps
- The ladder mateTwo rooks walk the king to the edge.3 steps
- Queen and king mateCheckmate the lone king, without stalemate.4 steps
- Rook and king mateThe basic technique with a single rook.3 steps
First tactics
Hanging pieces, forks, pins, skewers, the weak f7, runaway pawns, and how to defend.
- Hanging piecesTake what's free, and don't leave your own pieces hanging.7 steps
- The forkOne piece, two targets.7 steps
- The pinA piece that can't move away.8 steps
- The skewerAttack the big piece, win the one behind it.7 steps
- Defend!Not every move is an attack: save what is threatened.7 steps
- The weak point f7Early in the game, f7 and f2 are guarded only by the king.7 steps
- Pawn on the runA pawn close to promotion is worth almost a queen.7 steps
Opening principles
How to start a game: center, development, king safety, and the traps to avoid.
- Control the centerWhy the middle of the board matters.4 steps
- Develop your piecesKnights and bishops out, quickly.5 steps
- King safetyCastle early and keep your queen at home.4 steps
- Opening trapsScholar's mate, fool's mate, and how to avoid them.4 steps
Intermediate
More tactics, classic checkmate patterns and pawn endgames. This is harder: take your time.
Tactics II
Discovered attacks and checks, double checks, deflection, decoys, removing the defender, in-between moves, trapped pieces and the exposed king.
- Discovered attackMove one piece, and unmask another.7 steps
- Discovered checkOne piece steps aside, the piece behind it gives check.7 steps
- Double checkTwo checks at once, only the king can run.7 steps
- DeflectionLure a defender away from its job.7 steps
- AttractionForce a piece onto a fatal square.7 steps
- Removing the defenderTake away the guard, then take the prize.7 steps
- The in-between moveDon't recapture on autopilot.7 steps
- Trapped piecesAttack a piece that has nowhere to go.7 steps
- The exposed kingA king without pawns around it is easy prey.7 steps
Mating patterns
Mate in two, and the classic patterns: smothered, Anastasia's, Arabian, Opera, hook and Pillsbury's mate.
- Mate in twoChecks first, then the finishing blow.7 steps
- Smothered mateA knight mates a king boxed in by its own pieces.7 steps
- Anastasia's mateA knight and a rook or queen against the king on the edge.7 steps
- The Arabian mateRook and knight in the corner.7 steps
- Opera mateA rook mates on the edge, a bishop guards the rook.7 steps
- Hook mateRook, knight and pawn catch the king together.7 steps
- Pillsbury's mateA rook gives mate, and a far-away bishop takes the last escape square.7 steps
Pawn endgames
The rule of the square, the opposition, and how to win with king and pawn.
- The rule of the squareCan the king catch the pawn?4 steps
- The oppositionWhen the kings face each other, whoever has to move gives way.5 steps
- Pawn endgamesCount, calculate, every move matters.7 steps
Advanced
Longer combinations and endgames. Come back to these later.
Master tactics
Mate in three, quiet moves, zugzwang, the only move, clearance, interference, x-rays and underpromotion.
- Mate in threeLonger combinations, check by check.7 steps
- Quiet movesNo check, no capture, and still decisive.7 steps
- ZugzwangWhen having to move is the problem.7 steps
- The only moveUnder pressure, only one move holds. Find it.7 steps
- ClearanceGet out of the way, with tempo.7 steps
- InterferenceCut the line between a defender and what it defends.7 steps
- X-rayAttacks that go through a piece.7 steps
- UnderpromotionSometimes a knight beats a queen.7 steps
Rare mating patterns
Boden's mate, the dovetail, the bishop pair, and mate in four.
- Boden's mateTwo bishops on crossing diagonals mate a king that castled long.7 steps
- Dovetail mateThe queen mates right next to the king, whose own pieces block the way out.7 steps
- The bishop pair matesTwo bishops side by side sweep a whole corner.7 steps
- Mate in fourSeven moves deep: the longest combinations of the course.7 steps
Rook endgames
The most common endgame: active rooks, the Lucena and the Philidor position.
- Rook endgamesActive rooks, and the rook behind the pawn.7 steps
- The Lucena positionWin with rook and pawn: build a bridge.3 steps
- The Philidor positionThe key defence with rook against rook and pawn.4 steps
Queen and minor-piece endgames
Bishops, knights and queens in the endgame: tempo, tactics and runaway pawns.
- Bishop and knight endgamesFew pieces, every move counts: the king joins the fight.7 steps
- Queen endgamesChecks, forks and runaway pawns: queens are fast.7 steps