Chess is a two-player strategy board game that is played on an 8×8 grid called a chessboard. Each player begins with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The objective of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, which means putting it under threat of capture in such a way that it cannot escape.
The game involves a combination of tactics and strategy, as players must anticipate their opponent’s moves, plan their own, and make use of their pieces’ unique movements. Each piece has its own way of moving: for example, rooks move in straight lines either horizontally or vertically, bishops move diagonally, and knights move in an L-shape.
Chess has a rich history and has been played for centuries in various forms. It is recognized not only as a game of skill and intellect but also as a cultural phenomenon that has inspired literature, art, and competition worldwide. Chess is often associated with concepts of war, strategy, and foresight, and it is played both casually and competitively, with numerous international tournaments and a governing body, FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), overseeing the rules and organization of the game on a global scale.