First lets find out what those numbers and letters mean on the edge of the board..
Well, the letters and numbers are called coordinates, they represent ranks and files. The ranks are the horizontal rows of squares labeled '1' through '8'. The files are the vertical columns of squares labeled 'a' through 'h'. Each square on the chessboard can be identified by a unique combination of file and rank. For example, the square marked with an 'X' is called "f4" because it lies on the 'f' file and the '4th' rank.
Each square has one and only one name (whether you are looking from white's side of the board or black's). You always say the letter first, then the number. "f4" is correct, "4f" isn't correct and everyone will laugh at you.
Using these coordinates is called 'Algebraic Notation' and widely used throughout chess. Algebraic notation goes much more in depth when recording moves taken in a game and we will study this in a later section.
See, quite easy so far...
Now that you all understand how each square is named (we hope so), let's now move a piece. We'll choose a rook to start with.
Lets assume that it's white's turn to play and he/she wishes to move their rook. White's rook can clearly be seen on square "b2" and wants to move it to the blank square on "b7" marked with an 'X'. The move would simply be: "b2" to "b7".
This is how all moves on here are played. It's just very important to remember that a square will always be the same coordinate whatever way you view the board from, be it white's side or black's.
Next lets look at the actual playing pieces and how they are moved...
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