Hello, and welcome to the Kids Academy chess course! My name is Robert Lazorczyk, and I’m excited to be your guide as we explore the amazing game of chess. Let’s dive into learning about the chessboard and how to name its squares!
Did you know that every square on a chessboard has its own special name? It’s true! The chessboard is made up of rows called “ranks” that go from side to side and columns called “files” that go up and down.
To name a square, we combine the letter of the file with the number of the rank. For example, the square in the top left corner is called a8. We say the letter first, so it’s a8, not 8a. The square two spaces over is c8 because it’s on the c file and the 8th rank.
Let’s practice finding some squares! Can you find the square b3? Look for the letter ‘b’ and then find the number ‘3’. That’s b3, and it’s a light-colored square.
Now, what about g7? It’s on the g file and the 7th rank, and it’s a dark square. See how easy it is to find square names?
Knowing the names of the squares is super important because it’s like learning a new language for chess. When you read a chess book or follow a game on the computer, you’ll see these square names used in something called “algebraic notation.”
Algebraic notation helps you keep track of your moves. If you play in a chess tournament, you’ll need to write down your moves. This is called “notation,” and it’s required in tournaments. It helps you remember your games and share them with friends and family!
To get better at chess, practice naming the squares as you play. Set up your board with a light square in the bottom right corner. The ranks 1 and 2 should face you if you’re playing as white, and ranks 7 and 8 should face you if you’re playing as black.
As you move your pieces, say the names of the squares out loud. This will help you become more familiar with the chessboard and improve your game.
Thank you for joining me in this chess adventure. Keep practicing, and soon you’ll be a chess master! Don’t forget to subscribe to our channel for more fun and educational videos. See you next time!
Chessboard Treasure Hunt: Create a treasure map on a chessboard! Use a chessboard or draw one on paper. Hide a small object or a treat on a specific square without telling anyone. Give clues using square names, like “The treasure is on a square that is two squares to the right of e4.” Let your friends or family members guess the square and find the treasure. This activity will help you practice naming squares and understanding their positions.
Chess Square Art: Draw or paint a picture using the chessboard as your canvas. Choose a few squares and color them in different colors to create a pattern or picture. As you color each square, say its name out loud, like “I’m coloring square d5 blue.” This will help you remember the square names while having fun with art!
Square Name Storytime: Create a short story using chess square names. For example, “Once upon a time, a knight traveled from b1 to c3 to rescue a pawn on e5.” Share your story with a friend or family member and see if they can follow the moves on a chessboard. This will help you practice using algebraic notation and make learning chess more exciting!
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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Welcome to Kids Academy! Hi, and welcome to the Kids Academy chess course. My name is Robert Lazorczyk, and I’m a certified teacher with international and national chess teaching certifications. I will be your guide as we begin to master this great game. Now, let’s get to the chess!
Hi, it’s Coach Rob from Kids Academy, and today we’ll be building upon board geography and begin to talk about chess notation. Did you know that every square on the chessboard has a name? It’s true! The names of the chessboard combine the ranks, which are the rows that go side to side, and the files, which are the columns that go up and down.
To find the names of the squares, we combine the number of the rank with the letter of the file. This is a simple formula: combining the letter with the number. For example, the square in the top left corner is a8. I know it’s a8 because I can look down and see the letter ‘a’ and look across to see the number ‘8’. So, I put them together, and I have a8. We always say the letter first, so this square is called a8, not 8a.
The square two over is c8. I look down and see the letter ‘c’ on the c file, and it’s still on rank 8, so that square is called c8. This one over here is h2; it is the h file and the second rank. The square’s name is h2, and it’s important to name these squares correctly, as there is only one of each on the board.
What is the name of the square in the middle? If you look down, you see the letter ‘e’, and if you look across, you see the number ‘5’. So, this square’s name is e5, one of the most important squares in the game.
Can you find the square b3? Look at your letters; most chessboards will have the letters going across the bottom and numbers along the side. Find the ‘b’, and then you can either count up three from the white side or look across to find the number three on the edge of the board. b3 is right here; it is a light square.
Now, is g7 light or dark? If we look at g7, we see that it is a dark square. Here is g7, the seventh rank and the g file. You put them together, and we have g7.
Right about now, you’re probably asking yourself why square names are important. Well, square names are the building blocks for chess language, which is important for several reasons.
First, if you want to study chess on your own, read a book, or follow a game on the computer, it’s all displayed in algebraic notation using these square names we just learned. If you want to follow a game or study on your own, you need to be able to see the pieces’ shorthand letters, as well as the names of the squares.
Practically speaking, one of the best ways to improve at chess is to go to a tournament, record the moves, and then analyze the game afterward with a coach or a stronger player to look for missed opportunities or mistakes. This is called game analysis and is one of the better ways to improve at chess.
Additionally, if you play a good game and are really proud of it, you want to keep it and show it to friends and family. It’s hard to remember a game you played a week later, a month later, or especially a year later. But if you write your moves down, you will have a written record of the game that you can keep for as long as you like.
Finally, an important reason to notate games is that it is required at every chess tournament. If you ever want to get the tournament director’s attention and make a claim or lodge a report, you need a score sheet—a written record of what happened during that game. Writing your moves down is essential for that skill.
So, we need to be able to record our moves for a number of reasons. Later in the video, we will learn about special notation for special moves and more in-depth moves. But right now, it’s very important for you to practice with the square names.
In conjunction with setting up your board with a light square in the right corner and ranks one and two facing white and ranks seven and eight facing black, start familiarizing yourself with the squares. As you make your moves, you can start calling out square names and get better acquainted with the chessboard.
Thank you, and I’ll see you soon! Bye-bye!
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This version removes informal language and maintains a professional tone while preserving the educational content.
