Setting Up on the Center of the board

Most chess players are aware of the positional setup that happens before any player makes a move in the game. It is when we position each chess piece in the initial formation on the board. But few players are aware of the setup necessary on the chess board's center.

Positional setup in the beginning of the game is the official formation of pieces. In summary, it is placing a rook on the extreme left space on the last row. This square is a white square, which is the same whether we occupy the white or black side of the board. Then after the rook comes a knight, then a bishop, and then a king or a queen—depending on what color of the pieces we're playing—and then another bishop, knight, and another rook. Pawns are all lined up on the second row next to where the major and minor pieces are. There are 8 major and minor officials and 8 pawns.

After the positional setup, which is important, we proceed to the most important setup of all—the center board setup. This means we need to form a base on the center of the board. The chess board's center is initially made up of the 4 adjacent squares in the very center of it. The 4 form a bigger center square. If we refer to the chess board coordinates located at the edges we have the 4 squares on D-4, E-4, D-5, and E-5. The immediately surrounding squares may also be counted.

The idea is to control these central squares. It would be conducive for us to have our knights, bishops, pawns and perhaps the queen occupying these squares. From there we can safely and quickly launch assaults on enemy territory and retreat safely to it. It acts like a satellite where some of our strong pieces or an elite assault team is stationed. The team is near both to home base and to enemy territory; very strategic for defense and offense without confining the pieces to an obscure corner.

Setting up chess pieces at the center does not depend on any official ruling. It depends on how we see a developing game situation. It centers on how we read the enemy's game plan.

How we manage the chess board's center reveals our wit and skill in the game. We should gain control of the center and use it as a launching pad of attacks against the enemy.