Rules & Basics
Learn the rules of chess, key terms, and how basic concepts like castling and stalemates work.
17 articles
How do I castle on Chess.com?
What is 'En Passant'? It’s not an illegal pawn move!
What is stalemate?
What does ‘insufficient mating material’ mean?
I got a draw by repetition. How did that happen?
How do draws work?
Checkmate with a pinned piece? What's going on?
What are PGN & FEN?
What does "ECO" mean?
What do the numbers and letters like 'Nc3' mean?
What is the number next to my name? What does it mean?
How can I turn my pawn into a queen?
Can I take back a bad move?
What are chess openings?
Computer evaluation numbers on Chess.com (like +2.25)
How can I learn the rules of chess?
Where can I look up chess terminology?