Every game of chess starts with the same setup on an 8x8 grid of alternating light and dark squares. Before placing a single piece, make sure the board is oriented correctly. For each player, the square in the bottom-right corner must be a light-colored square. A simple way to remember this is the phrase "white on the right."

Once the board is set, it's time to place your pieces. The back row closest to you (called the first rank for White, and the eighth rank for Black) is where your most powerful pieces go. Start from the outside and work your way in.

Next to the rooks, place your knights. These are usually shaped like horses.

This leaves two empty squares in the center of your back rank for the most important pieces: the king and queen. This is where beginners often make a mistake. The key is that the queen always goes on the square that matches her color. The white queen goes on the light central square, and the black queen goes on the dark central square.

With your main pieces in place, the final step is to set up your pawns. They form a protective wall, occupying every square of the rank directly in front of your other pieces (the second rank for White, and the seventh rank for Black).

Now you're ready to test your knowledge of the setup.

With the board set up correctly, you're ready to begin the game.