Tutorials | Imm-Haus PlayBook

Chess Tutorial

Position the Board:
- Place the board so that each player has a white (or light-colored) square on their right-hand side corner. This is crucial for the correct setup.
Arrange the Pieces:
- Rooks: Place the rooks in the corners of the board.
- Knights: Next to the rooks, place the knights.
- Bishops: Place the bishops next to the knights.
- Queens: Place the queen on the remaining square of her own color (white queen on white square, black queen on black square).
- Kings: Place the king on the last remaining square next to the queen.
- Pawns: Place all eight pawns in a single row in front of the other pieces.

Pawns: Move forward one square, but capture diagonally. On their first move, they can move forward two squares.
Rooks: Move horizontally or vertically any number of squares. They are great for controlling rows and columns.
Knights: Move in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicular. They can jump over other pieces.
Bishops: Move diagonally any number of squares. Each bishop starts on a specific color and stays on that color throughout the game.
Queens: Move horizontally, vertically, or diagonally any number of squares. The most powerful piece on the board.
Kings: Move one square in any direction. The game’s objective is to checkmate the opponent’s king.

Check: When a king is under immediate threat of capture, it is in “check.” The player must make a move to remove the threat.
Checkmate: When a king is in check and no legal move can remove the threat, it’s “checkmate,” and the game ends.
Castling: A special move involving the king and a rook. The king moves two squares towards a rook, and the rook moves to the square next to the king.
En Passant: A special pawn capture that can occur immediately after a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position.
Promotion: When a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board, it can be promoted to any other piece (except a king).

Board Layout:
- The Backgammon board consists of 24 narrow triangles called points, divided into four quadrants.
- Each player has 15 checkers, typically two colors (e.g., white and black).
Starting Position:
- White Checkers:
  - Place 2 checkers on the 24-point (far-right corner in the player’s home board).
  - Place 5 checkers on the 13-point (closer to the center in the home board).
  - Place 3 checkers on the 8-point.
  - Place 5 checkers on the 6-point.
- Black Checkers:
  - Place 2 checkers on the 1-point (far-left corner in the player’s home board).
  - Place 5 checkers on the 12-point (closer to the center in the home board).
  - Place 3 checkers on the 17-point.
  - Place 5 checkers on the 19-point.

Objective:
- The objective of Backgammon is to move all your checkers into your home board and then bear them off the board before your opponent does.
Movement:
- Checkers are moved according to the numbers rolled on two dice.
- You can move your checkers to open points or points occupied by your own checkers.
Hits and Blots:
- If you land on a point occupied by a single opponent’s checker (a blot), you hit the blot and send it to the bar in the center of the board.
Bearing Off:
- Once all your checkers are in your home board, you can begin bearing them off the board by rolling the numbers needed.

Opening Move:
- Each player rolls one die to determine who goes first. The player with the higher number starts.
During the Game:
- Players alternate turns, rolling the dice and moving their checkers according to the dice results.
Endgame:
- When all of a player’s checkers are in their home board, they can start bearing off checkers. The first player to bear off all their checkers wins.

Control the Board:
- Try to control key points, especially those that are strategic in blocking your opponent.
Blots:
- Keep your checkers safe to avoid leaving blots that can be hit by your opponent.
Bear Off Wisely:
- Plan your bearing off strategy to avoid leaving checkers vulnerable.

Board Layout:
- The Checkers board is an 8x8 grid with alternating light and dark squares.
- Each player starts with 12 pieces placed on the three rows closest to them.
Starting Position:
- Light Squares: Pieces are placed on the dark squares of the three rows closest to each player.
- Initial Setup:
  - Place each player’s pieces on the dark squares of the three rows nearest to them.

Objective:
- The goal is to capture all of your opponent’s pieces or block them so they cannot move.
Movement:
- Pieces move diagonally forward to an adjacent dark square.
- A piece can capture an opponent’s piece by jumping over it to an empty square directly beyond it.
- Multiple captures can be made in a single turn if possible.
Kinging:
- When a piece reaches the farthest row from its starting position (the opponent’s back row), it is crowned and becomes a "King."
- Kings can move both forward and backward diagonally.
Winning the Game:
- The game is won by capturing all of the opponent’s pieces or trapping them so they cannot make a legal move.

Opening Moves:
- Players alternate moves, starting with the player with the dark pieces.
During the Game:
- Players take turns moving their pieces and capturing opponent pieces by jumping over them.
Endgame:
- The game ends when one player captures all the opponent’s pieces or blocks them so they have no legal moves.

Control the Center:
- Try to control the center of the board to maximize your movement options and limit your opponent’s mobility.
Use Your Kings Wisely:
- Once you have Kings, use their ability to move backward strategically to protect your pieces and capture your opponent's.
Force Captures:
- Try to position your pieces in a way that forces your opponent to make captures that will leave their pieces vulnerable.