The Good Chess & Checkers

How to Set Up a Chess Board and Checkers Board Correctly

A plain beginner guide to board direction, starting squares, chess piece placement, checkers rows, and the setup mistakes that make both games harder than they need to be.

Many first games start with the same quiet problem: the board is turned the wrong way, the queen is on the wrong square, or checkers are sitting on every square instead of only the dark ones. The game can still look close enough that nobody notices until a move feels strange.

Good setup matters because it removes one source of confusion before beginners even make a move. Chess and checkers both use an 8-by-8 board, but they do not use it in exactly the same way.

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Wooden chess pieces and checkers on a shared board, showing a readable combo set for practicing correct setup

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Readable chess and checkers sets Family combo game sets Rule cards and teaching aids

Related: board size guide, beginner combo sets, rule cards.

Two beginner setup diagrams showing chess pieces in starting position and checkers on the dark squares

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Start With the Board Direction

Before placing any pieces, turn the board correctly. For chess, each player should have a light square in the near right corner. A common memory line is “white on right.” That means the right-hand corner square closest to each player should be light.

Checkers uses the same 8-by-8 pattern, and many casual boards are shared between chess and checkers. Keeping a light square on each player’s near right corner is still a helpful habit because it makes the board feel consistent across both games. The biggest checkers issue is not the corner color by itself; it is whether the pieces are placed only on the dark squares.

How to Set Up a Chess Board

Chess starts with all 32 pieces on the two rows closest to each player. Each side has one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns.

Set up the back row from each player’s left to right like this:

Then place all eight pawns in a straight row directly in front of those pieces. Pawns are the small pieces that start as the front line.

Remember: Queen on Her Color

The most common chess setup mistake is swapping the king and queen. A simple check is this: the white queen starts on a light square, and the black queen starts on a dark square. The queen goes on her own color.

If the queens are right and the board has a light square in each player’s near right corner, the kings will naturally be in the correct center squares beside them.

How to Set Up a Checkers Board

In common American checkers, each player starts with 12 checkers. Put them on the dark squares in the three rows closest to that player. Leave the two middle rows empty.

That gives each player four checkers per row for three rows. Checkers move diagonally, so pieces should never begin on the light squares in this version. If a beginner is unsure where a checker can move, ask them to trace the dark diagonal path from the piece.

When a checker reaches the far side of the board, it becomes a king. Most family sets show this by stacking a second checker on top. That is why checkers pieces should stack neatly if the set is used often.

Decide Your Checkers House Rules Before the First Jump

Checkers rules can vary by family, classroom, region, and game type. The setup above fits common American checkers, but players should still agree on a few rules before starting.

For family play and beginner tables, it is fine to use a simple house rule. The important part is saying it before the game starts so a rules argument does not become the first lesson.

If the jump rule is the part people disagree about, use do you have to jump in checkers? as the next guide before the first full game.

Common Setup Mistakes to Avoid

Most beginner setup problems are easy to fix once you know what to look for.

Use the Setup as a Teaching Moment

Setup is a useful first lesson because it gives beginners a reason to notice the board. In chess, they learn that the two armies mirror each other and that each piece has a starting job. In checkers, they learn that the dark squares and diagonals control the whole game.

If you are teaching children, let them help set the board before every short game. For a fuller teaching approach, read how to teach chess and checkers to kids without overwhelming them. For a classroom, library, or club space, pair this setup habit with a beginner-friendly chess and checkers station so pieces, rule cards, and storage all support the same routine.

A Quick Setup Check Before Playing

Before the first move, ask three questions.

If the answer is yes, the game can begin. Beginners will still make normal beginner mistakes, but at least the board will be helping them instead of working against them.

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