Free Printable Chessboard Templates & Pieces
Chess has been dubbed the most popular game in the world, and for good reason. Not only can it provide you with hours of entertainment, but a game of chess also brings a number of significant benefits – from giving your cognitive skills a boost to improving your confidence and teaching you a patience (an essential trait for any parent!).
If you’re keen to get your family involved and while away a rainy afternoon with a thrilling game of chess, but you don’t currently own a board of your own, never fret – we’ve got you covered here at Mandy’s Printables. Our free printable chessboard templates provide an instant hassle-free solution, allowing you to get your board set up in no time.
Read on to find out more and discover how our printable chessboards can revolutionise family game time!
What’s Included: Your Chess Set Essentials
Our printable chess game templates provide everything you need for a thrilling game of chess, including the board itself and the cut-out pieces. Best of all, our templates are available in different colours to suit your preference, adding a dash of extra flair to your playing!
Black & White Chessboard Template
For those who prefer the classic monochrome chessboard, don’t hesitate to print out our black and white template for some time-honoured sophistication.
Coming complete with cut-out chess pieces, this elegant black and white printable provides the perfect solution for those who want to tap into the ancient traditions of the game and immerse themselves in its crisp black and white simplicity.
Blue Chessboard Game Template
If you’re feeling in the mood for some added colour and vibrancy, our free blue chessboard template could be the perfect solution! With its rich blue hue, this eye-catching printable chessboard will soon lift your spirits and have you absorbed in an exhilarating game of strategy.
Yellow Chessboard Template
There’s probably no hue better designed to give your mood a welcome boost than the colour yellow. Print out our sunny yellow chessboard template with its stress-free cut-out pieces and, before you know it, you and your loved ones will be well on your way to making some happy chess memories.
How to Prepare Your Printable Chess Set: A Step-by-Step Guide
Getting your printable chessboard ready to play is as simple as can be.
Step One: Choose the colour template you’d most prefer to use, whether it’s classic black and white, yellow, or blue. Download the template and print it out.
Step Two: Cut out the chess pieces that come with your selected chessboard and set them in their places.
Step Three: You may want to consider laminating your printable chessboard to ensure its durability; however, if your printable board does suffer any damage, it’s nothing to worry about, as you can easily print out a free new version! We also offer a wide range of other printable board game templates for you to consider, so you’ll never be stuck for fun ways to keep the kids entertained!
How to Play Chess: A Quick Guide for Beginners
If you have never played chess before, or if it’s been a long time since you last played and you’re a bit foggy on the rules, never fear – here’s a quick beginner’s guide to get you started.
- Place the board between you and your opponent, ensuring that the bottom right-hand square is a light colour.
- Put your cut-out pieces in the correct places. On the first row, place your rook, your knight, your bishop, the queen, the king, and then another bishop, knight, and rook. On the next row, lay out your pawns.
- Familiarise yourself with how each piece can move:
Pawns: Pawns can move forward one square at a time (unless it’s the first move, when it can move forward two squares); however, they can also capture diagonally.
Rooks: Rooks can move forward or backward for any distance.
Knights: Knights are unique in that they can move in an ‘L’ shape, two squares one way and then one more square at a right angle. It’s also the only player that can leap over other players.
Bishops: Bishops can move for any distance, but only diagonally.
King: The king can move one square at a time, in any direction. You must guard this piece at all costs, as if he is ‘checked’ then the game is over!
Queen: The most powerful piece at your disposal, the queen can move in any direction as far as she is able.
- As mentioned above, the aim of the game is to keep your king safe from being captured. At the same time, you need try and back your opponent’s king into a corner where you can checkmate him and win the day!
- Don’t forget the special moves at your disposal. There are two in particular to familiarise yourself with.
Castling: you can move your king and your rook at the same time if you need to protect your king. To castle, move the king two squares closer to your rook and allow the rook to jump over the king.
En passant: this popular move is when one person’s pawn moves two squares forward at the start of the game, and you use your pawn to capture it.
Enjoy the Game!
Now you have the fundamental layout and rules of chess mastered, it’s time to start playing! So, what are you waiting for? Print out your free chessboard template, cut out and position your pieces, and let the games begin!