Win today: set up a board correctly and name any square
Orient the board
Each player starts with a light square in the bottom-right corner (from their perspective). White sits on ranks 1–2; Black on ranks 7–8.
Starting position — White on the bottom, light square bottom-right
Name any square
Every square has a name: file letter + rank number.
Files (columns): a b c d e f g h — left to right from White's view
Ranks (rows): 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 — bottom to top from White's view
The center — where much of the action happens — is the four squares d4, e4, d5, e5.
Queen on her color
Place the queen on the square that matches her color: White's queen on a light square (d1), Black's queen on a dark square (d8). The king goes on the remaining center square (e1 / e8).
Practice — name that square
Read the question, recall the file and rank, then pick your answer. Feedback is instant.
Next session: Lesson 0002 will cover how the pawn and king move — the two simplest pieces. Come back when you're ready, or ask your agent to continue with /teach.
Stuck on anything? Ask your agent — it has the full teaching context for this workspace and can explain, drill, or adjust the next lesson.