How to Set Up a Chess Board
Get every piece in the right place - the essential first step before any game.
Published 2026-02-01 | Last verified 2026-02-12
Professor Archer says: I have watched countless beginners set up the board with the queen and king reversed, or with the board turned the wrong way. There is no shame in it - everyone starts somewhere. But I always say: the setup is the foundation. If your board is wrong before the first move, everything that follows is built on a mistake. Take thirty seconds to get it right. It matters.
Board Orientation
Before placing any pieces, make sure the board is oriented correctly. The rule is simple: each player should have a light-colored square in the bottom-right corner. If the corner square on your right is dark, the board is turned the wrong way.
A useful mnemonic is "light on right" - the light square should always be in the right-hand corner from each player's perspective. This applies regardless of whether you are playing White or Black.
Why does this matter? Because the entire coordinate system of chess - the notation we use to record moves - is based on a specific board orientation. Files are labelled a through h from left to right (from White's perspective), and ranks are numbered 1 through 8 from White's side. If the board is turned, every square has the wrong label, and any notation becomes meaningless.
The Starting Position
Here is the correct starting position for a game of chess. White's pieces are on ranks 1 and 2. Black's pieces are on ranks 7 and 8. The arrangement is mirror-symmetric - each piece faces its counterpart across the board.
On the back rank (rank 1 for White, rank 8 for Black), the pieces are arranged from the corner inward: rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook. The entire second rank (rank 2 for White, rank 7 for Black) is filled with pawns.
The standard chess starting position. Every piece in its correct place.
Setting Up Step by Step
- Orient the board - Ensure there is a light square in the bottom-right corner for both players. Remember: "light on right." If the corner is dark, rotate the board 90 degrees.
- Place the rooks in the corners - Put a rook on each corner square of your back rank. For White, that is a1 and h1. For Black, a8 and h8. The rooks always go in the four corners.
- Place the knights next to the rooks - The knights go immediately next to the rooks. For White: b1 and g1. For Black: b8 and g8. Think of the knights as the rooks' bodyguards standing right beside them.
- Place the bishops next to the knights - Bishops go next to the knights: c1 and f1 for White, c8 and f8 for Black. Each player has one bishop on a light square and one on a dark square, and they will stay on those colours for the entire game.
- Place the queen and king in the center - The queen goes on the remaining square that matches her colour - "queen on her own colour." The white queen goes on d1 (a light square), and the black queen goes on d8 (a dark square). The king takes the last remaining square: e1 for White, e8 for Black.
- Fill the second rank with pawns - Place all eight pawns on the rank directly in front of your pieces. For White, pawns go on rank 2 (a2 through h2). For Black, pawns go on rank 7 (a7 through h7). Every square on that rank gets a pawn.
Common Setup Mistakes
The most frequent mistake is swapping the queen and king. Remember: the queen always starts on her own colour. White queen on the light d1 square, black queen on the dark d8 square. If both queens are on the same colour, something is wrong.
Another common error is placing the board with a dark square in the bottom-right corner. Always check the corner colour before placing pieces.
A third mistake involves the knights and bishops. Some beginners swap them, placing bishops in the knight positions and vice versa. Just remember the order from the corner inward: rook, knight, bishop - and the queen and king claim the center.
Finally, some beginners place pawns on the first rank or scatter them randomly. Pawns always form a complete row on the second rank, standing like a wall in front of the more powerful pieces.
Board Setup Questions
Does it matter which side is White?
In casual games, either player can take either colour. In tournaments, colours are assigned by the pairing system. White always makes the first move, which is considered a slight advantage, so tournament pairings alternate colours.
What if I am missing a piece from my chess set?
In casual play, you can substitute with a coin, button, or piece from another set. In tournament play, you would ask the arbiter for a replacement. The key is that both players know which piece the substitute represents.
Do the rooks, knights, and bishops have specific sides?
The pieces on the kingside (near the king) and queenside (near the queen) are sometimes referred to as the "king's bishop" or "queen's rook," but physically the pieces are identical. You can place either rook in either corner.
Professor Archer says: The phrase I use with every new student is "queen on her own colour." The white queen goes on a light square, the black queen goes on a dark square. If you remember nothing else about board setup, remember that. It is the most common error I correct, and the simplest to fix.
Quick Quiz
When setting up the chess board, where does the white queen go?
- On d1, a light-colored square (Correct) - Correct. The white queen goes on d1, which is a light square. The rule is "queen on her own colour" - the white queen on a light square, the black queen on a dark square.
- On e1, next to the king - The king goes on e1, not the queen. The queen and king occupy the two center squares, but the queen goes on d1 (matching her colour) and the king goes on e1.
- On d1, a dark-colored square - The d1 square is actually a light square, and that is where the white queen belongs. Remember: "queen on her own colour" - the white queen on the light square.
- It does not matter which central square the queen occupies - It absolutely matters. The queen must start on the square matching her colour. Swapping the queen and king is one of the most common setup errors in chess.