The rules of women’s chess in India are consistent with the regulations set by the Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the international governing body for chess. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is the national body that oversees chess in India, and it adheres to FIDE rules for all competitions. Here are the key rules and regulations:

Game Setup

Board: The chessboard is an 8×8 grid with alternating light and dark squares. The bottom-right square should be a light square.

Pieces: Each player starts with 16 pieces: 1 king, 1 queen, 2 rooks, 2 bishops, 2 knights, and 8 pawns.

Basic Rules

Objective: The main objective is to checkmate the opponent’s king, putting it in a position where it cannot escape capture.

Starting Position: Pieces are arranged in the same starting positions for both players. From left to right on the first rank (for White) or eighth rank (for Black): rook, knight, bishop, queen, king, bishop, knight, rook. Pawns are placed on the second rank (for White) or seventh rank (for Black).

Movement of Pieces

King: Moves one square in any direction.

Queen: Moves any number of squares in any direction (vertically, horizontally, or diagonally).

Rook: Moves any number of squares vertically or horizontally.

Bishop: Moves any number of squares diagonally.

Knight: Moves in an L-shape: two squares in one direction and then one square perpendicular. Knights can jump over other pieces.

Pawn: Moves one square forward but captures diagonally. On its first move, a pawn can move two squares forward.

Special Moves

Castling: A move involving the king and a rook. The king moves two squares towards the rook, and the rook moves to the square next to the king. Conditions for castling:

• Neither the king nor the rook involved has moved previously.
• No pieces between the king and rook.
• The king is not in check, does not move through a check, and does not end in check.

En Passant: A special pawn capture. If a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands beside an opponent’s pawn, the opponent’s pawn can capture it as if it had moved only one square forward.

Pawn Promotion: When a pawn reaches the opponent’s back rank, it must be promoted to any other piece (except a king), typically a queen.

Game End

Check: A king is in check if it is under threat of capture. The player must make a move to remove the threat.

Checkmate: The king is in check and cannot escape capture. The game ends, and the player delivering checkmate wins.

Stalemate: The player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves and their king is not in check. The game ends in a draw.

Draw: A game can also end in a draw by agreement between players, threefold repetition, the fifty-move rule, or insufficient material to checkmate.

Conduct and Discipline

Fair Play: Players must adhere to principles of fair play and sportsmanship. Cheating is strictly prohibited.

Time Control: Games are often played with time controls, where each player has a specific amount of time to make all their moves. If a player runs out of time, they lose the game unless the opponent has insufficient material to checkmate, resulting in a draw.

Touch-Move Rule: If a player touches a piece, they must move it if it has a legal move. If a player touches an opponent’s piece, they must capture it if possible.

Recording Moves: In official competitions, players are required to record their moves using standard chess notation.

Domestic Competitions

Tournaments: Various national tournaments are organized by the AICF, including the Women’s National Chess Championship, state-level championships, and other rating tournaments.

Team Competitions: Events like the National Team Championship and the National Club Championship.

Rating System: Players are rated based on their performance in rated tournaments, using the Elo rating system.

These rules ensure that women’s chess in India is played fairly and consistently, promoting the sport’s development and competitive integrity.