Files are letters
The eight columns are files, lettered a to h from White’s left to White’s right. The e-file runs through both kings’ starting squares.
Chess board coordinates trainer
Learn the name of every square on the chess board. Find the square for a coordinate, or name the highlighted square, against a 30-second timer from White’s or Black’s side.
Find
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Correct0Wrong030 seconds left
Find the square
A coordinate such as e4 appears here. Tap that square on the board as fast as you can.
White · 30 seconds
| White | Black | |
|---|---|---|
| Find the square | — | — |
| Name the square | — | — |
Correct answers in a full 30-second round. Saved in this browser only.
On a keyboard, move between squares with the arrow keys and press Enter, or type a file letter and a rank number to name a square.
Put the squares to work in your openings
Opening lines are written square by square. Chessmate trains each opening line on the board with spaced review, so the moves and the squares they land on stay with you.
How to use the coordinates trainer
Pick a mode
Find the square shows a coordinate such as e4 and you tap that square. Name the square highlights a square and you answer with the file and rank buttons, or by typing on a keyboard.
Choose a side
Practice from White’s side, Black’s side, or a random side each round. Games and diagrams from Black’s side turn the board around, so it pays to know both views.
Beat your best score
A timed round lasts 30 seconds. Your best score for each mode and side is saved in this browser, and the squares you missed are listed after the round.
Make it harder
Once the board feels familiar, hide the coordinates and the pieces so you cannot count along the edge or use the pieces as landmarks. Turn the timer off to practice at your own pace.
How chess coordinates work
Every square has one name, and the name does not change when the board turns around. These boards show the same 64 names from each player’s side.
a8b8c8d8e8f8g8h8a7b7c7d7e7f7g7h7a6b6c6d6e6f6g6h6a5b5c5d5e5f5g5h5a4b4c4d4e4f4g4h4a3b3c3d3e3f3g3h3a2b2c2d2e2f2g2h2a1b1c1d1e1f1g1h1
h1g1f1e1d1c1b1a1h2g2f2e2d2c2b2a2h3g3f3e3d3c3b3a3h4g4f4e4d4c4b4a4h5g5f5e5d5c5b5a5h6g6f6e6d6c6b6a6h7g7f7e7d7c7b7a7h8g8f8e8d8c8b8a8
Ranks are numbers
The eight rows are ranks, numbered 1 to 8 starting from White’s side. White’s pieces start on ranks 1 and 2, Black’s on ranks 7 and 8.
File first, then rank
A square’s name is its file letter followed by its rank number: e4, not 4e. In a move like Nf3, the square is where the piece lands.
a1 is a dark square
Each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner: h1 for White, a8 for Black. Set up that way, each queen starts on her own color: the white queen on light d1, the black queen on dark d8.
Black sees the board turned around
From Black’s side, h8 is in the bottom-left corner and a1 in the top-right. The files read h to a from left to right, and the ranks count down from 8.
Work out a square’s color
Turn the file into a number (a = 1 through h = 8) and add the rank. An even total is a dark square and an odd total is light: a1 = 2 is dark, e4 = 9 is light.
The squares openings use most
Opening lines are written in coordinates. Knowing these squares on sight makes a line like 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 easy to follow on the board.
The center: e4, d4, e5, d5
Most openings start by putting a pawn on one of these four squares, as in 1.e4 e5 or 1.d4 d5.
Knight squares: f3, c3, f6, c6
Knights usually develop toward the center: f3 and c3 for White, f6 and c6 for Black.
Bishop squares: c4, b5, e2, g2
White’s light-squared bishop goes to c4 in the Italian Game, to b5 in the Ruy Lopez, to e2 for quiet development, or to g2 after g3 in a fianchetto.
Castling squares: g1, f1, c1, d1
Castling kingside puts White’s king on g1 and rook on f1. Queenside castling puts the king on c1 and the rook on d1. For Black, the same squares are g8, f8, c8, and d8.
Chess coordinates FAQ
What are chess board coordinates?
Every square on a chess board has a name made of a file letter from a to h and a rank number from 1 to 8, such as e4. The letters run from White’s left to right and the numbers count up from White’s side. Chess notation uses these names to record every move.
How can I learn chess coordinates quickly?
Play a few short timed rounds every day in both modes. Finding squares teaches you where each name is, and naming squares teaches you to read a position, which is what following a game needs. Start from White’s side with coordinates showing, then switch to Black and hide the labels.
Is a1 a light or dark square?
a1 is dark and h1 is light. When the board is set up correctly, each player has a light square in the bottom-right corner. You can check any square by adding its file number (a = 1 through h = 8) to its rank: even totals are dark.
Why practice coordinates from Black’s side?
When you play Black, the board is turned around: a1 is in the top-right corner and the files run from h to a. Practicing from both sides means you can read squares in any game or diagram without stopping to count.
Is the coordinates trainer free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no sign-up. Your settings and best scores are saved only in this browser, so they stay on this device.
Try another free chess tool
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Open tool →PGN Viewer & Opening Identifier
Replay a PGN on the board and identify its opening.
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Set up any position, check that it is legal, then copy its FEN or save an image.
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