Rank 1 contains /Rook, /Knight, /Bishop (called "queen's rook", etc.), /Queen, /King, ("king's") /Bishop, /Knight, and /Rook. Rank 2 contains 8 /Pawns. Black's pieces on ranks 7 and 8 are a mirror image of white's. In particular, both kings share the same file (file 5 from white's point of view), as do both queens (on file 4). |
Rank 1 contains /Rook, /Knight, /Bishop, /Queen, /King, /Bishop, /Knight, and /Rook in this order from left to right. The three pieces on the Queen's side are also called "queen's rook", "queen's knight" etc. and the other pieces are "king's rook", "king's bishop" etc. Rank 2 contains 8 /Pawns. Black's pieces on ranks 7 and 8 are a mirror image of white's. In particular, both kings share the same file (file e), as do both queens (on file d). |
In all modern commentary, the columns (called files) are labeled by the letters a to h from left to right from the white player's point of view, and the rows (called ranks) by numbers 1 to 8 from the white player's point of view, thus providing a standard notation called [/Algebraic notation]?.
In older English commentary, the files are labeled by the piece originally occupying the its first rank, and ranks by the numbers 1 to 8 from each player's point of view, depending on the move being described. This is called [/English notation]?, and is no longer commonly used.
The pieces are arranged in rows 1 and 2 (or 8 and 7 for black) as follows:
Rank 1 contains /Rook, /Knight, /Bishop, /Queen, /King, /Bishop, /Knight, and /Rook in this order from left to right. The three pieces on the Queen's side are also called "queen's rook", "queen's knight" etc. and the other pieces are "king's rook", "king's bishop" etc. Rank 2 contains 8 /Pawns. Black's pieces on ranks 7 and 8 are a mirror image of white's. In particular, both kings share the same file (file e), as do both queens (on file d).
If your browser supports Unicode chess piece symbols, the following is a representation of the starting layout of a chess board:
8 | ♜ | ♞ | ♝ | ♛ | ♚ | ♝ | ♞ | ♜ |
7 | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ | ♟ |
6 | ||||||||
5 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
2 | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ | ♙ |
1 | ♖ | ♘ | ♗ | ♕ | ♔ | ♗ | ♘ | ♖ |
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |
Here's the same arrangement with the pieces represented by letters as in standard English algebraic notation:
8 | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
7 | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
6 | ||||||||
5 | ||||||||
4 | ||||||||
3 | ||||||||
2 | P | P | P | P | P | P | P | P |
1 | R | N | B | Q | K | B | N | R |
a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h |