Each player begins with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights and eight pawns (Art. 2.2); One player controls the light-coloured pieces (White), the other the dark-coloured pieces (Black); The initial arrangement places White on ranks 1 and 2 and Black on ranks 7 and...
Why people argue about this
People often assume that the initial arrangement of pieces is purely aesthetic, deciding which side gets lighter-colored squares. However, the actual reason for placing White's pieces on ranks 1 and 2, and Black’s on ranks 7 and 8, is to ensure each player controls their own light or dark-colored squares from the very start, a crucial aspect that affects strategic play throughout the game.
