F1 Before a Chess960 game a starting position is randomly set up, subject to certain rules. After this, the game is
played in the same way as standard chess. In particular, pieces and pawns have their normal moves, and each
player's objective is to checkmate the opponent's king.
F2 Starting position requirements
The starting position for Chess960 must meet certain rules. White pawns are placed on the second rank as in
regular chess. All remaining white pieces are placed randomly on the first rank, but with the following
restrictions:
a. The king is placed somewhere between the two rooks.
b. The bishops are placed on opposite-colored squares.
c. The black pieces are placed equal-and-opposite to the white pieces.
The starting position can be generated before the game either by a computer program or using dice, coin, cards,
etc.
F3 Chess960 Castling Rules
a. Chess960 allows each player to castle once per game, a move by potentially both the king and rook in
a single move. However, a few interpretations of standard chess games rules are needed for castling,
because the standard rules presume initial locations of the rook and king that are often not applicable
in Chess960.
b. How to castle
In Chess960, depending on the pre-castling position on the castling king and rook, the castling
manoeuvre is performed by one of these four methods:
1. Double-move castling:
By on one turn making a move with the king and a move with the rook.
2. Transposition castling:
By transposing the position of the king and the rook.
3. King-move-only castling:
By making only a move with the king.
4. Rook-move-only castling:
By making only a move with the rook.
Recommendation
1. When castling on a physical board with a human player, it is recommended that the king be
moved outside the playing surface next to his final position, the rook then be moved from its
starting to ending position, and then the king be placed on his final square.
2. After castling, the rook and king's final positions are exactly the same positions as they would be
in standard chess.
Clarification
Thus, after c-side castling (notated as O-O-O and known as queen-side castling in orthodox chess), the
King is on the c-square (c1 for White and c8 for Black) and the Rook is on the d-square (d1 for White
and d8 for Black). After g-side castling (notated as O-O and known as king-side castling in orthodox
chess), the King is on the g-square (g1 for White and g8 for Black) and the Rook is on the f-square (f1
for White and f8 for Black).
Notes
1. To avoid any misunderstanding, it may be useful to state "I am about to castle" before castling.
2. In some starting positions, the king or rook (but not both) do not move during castling.
3. In some starting positions, castling can take place as early as the first move.
4. All the squares between the king's initial and final squares (including the final square), and all
of the squares between the rook's initial and final squares (including the final square), must be
vacant except for the king and castling rook.
5. In some starting positions, some squares can stay filled during castling that would have to be
vacant in standard chess. For example, after c-side castling (O-O-O), it's possible for to have a,
b, and/or e still filled, and after g-side castling (O-O), it's possible to have e and/or h filled.
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