You can learn to play chess in different ways: with a self-teaching book, with the help of apps or websites, or with the help of a mentor (a friend or acquaintance). Regardless of the option, you should start with the basics – remember how many pieces there are in chess (32 in total), how to arrange them correctly on the board and, of course, how to move. Having mastered this part, you can proceed to the strategy. But first, let’s deal remember how many pieces there are in chess.
How many white and black pieces are on the board
Chess pieces are the basic elements of any chess game. A standard set of chess pieces consists of 32 pieces: 16 units of white, 16 units of black pieces. It is also worth noting that there are chess sets of 34 pieces.
Queens are usually placed as additional pieces, so that it is possible to put a second queen on the board during the game. But beginners are better off honing their skills on sets of 32 pieces. Each player has six types of pieces of the same color in his arsenal. Each type of piece has a different “weight” and features. 
How many pawns are there in chess?
There are 8 pawns on the chessboard, which is half of all the player’s pieces. Pawns start on the second row. White pawns occupy the second horizontal, and black pawns – the seventh. They move only one square forward, except for the first turn, when they are allowed to move two squares. The pawn is the weakest of the pieces. Its value is taken for one point. To capture an opponent’s piece, a pawn must be positioned diagonally from it. Although pawns have limited capabilities, they can transform into another piece by reaching the opposite end of the board. A pawn can become a bishop, rook, knight or queen. It is theoretically possible to turn all 8 pawns into queens, in which case there would be 9 queens on the board.
How many rooks are there in chess?
Each player has 2 rooks. The rook is considered a major piece (like the queen) and is valued at 5 points. These pieces can move the maximum number of squares while remaining in a straight line: any number of squares left and right horizontally and any number of squares up and down vertically (if no other pieces are in the way). The possible moves of a rook positioned in the center of the board form a “+” sign.
How many knights are there in chess?
Also, each player has 2 knights: one on the kingside and one on the queenside. The white knights occupy the b1 and g1 squares, and the black knights occupy the b8 and g8 squares. These are the only pieces that can jump over other pieces, but their moves are limited to the shape of the letter “G”.
How many bishops are there in chess?
There are 2 bishops for each player on the chessboard. The bishop is considered a minor piece (like the knight) and is worth three points. At the beginning of the game, white bishops occupy c1 and f1, and black bishops occupy c8 and f8. These pieces can only move diagonally, but are not limited in distance.
How many queens are there in chess?
At the beginning of the game each opponent has one queen. The white queen stands on the d1 square and the black queen stands on the d8 square. It is the queen that is the strongest piece in a chess game. The queen, like the rook, is a major piece and is worth nine points. The queen moves as a rook and a bishop at the same time.
How many kings are there in chess?
There is only one king of each color in each set. The king is the most important chess piece. The white king occupies the e1 square and the black king occupies the e8 square. Remember that the goal of the game is to give checkmate to the king. When the opponent declares “Check”, it warns of possible danger to the king. If the king is hit by “Checkmate”, the game is over. Kings can only move one square at a time, but in any direction, as long as the path is not blocked.
When preparing for a match, you might find yourself wondering how many pieces are there in chess exactly. Ultimately, the total depends on the manufacturer, as well as the agreement between the players (whether additional queens will be used). However, the most popular and standard option is 32 chess pieces plus a chessboard.
