Chess has a clearly defined rule for determining who moves first: whoever is playing white, gets to move first. End of story.
Deciding Who Plays Which Color
But how is it decided who gets to play white? Or in other words, who gets to go first? The answer varies depending on the setting.
There are many ways to fairly assign colors before a game begins. Understanding these methods will help you to feel more in the know. From casual games between friends to competitive tournaments, let’s see the different ways chess players determine this.
Casual Play
In friendly and unofficial games, players often choose who plays white through informal or traditional methods. If you are just starting out, you will get familiar with these really quickly.
- Mutual Agreement – One player simply offers to play as black, allowing the other to go first. If you are asking to play white, this could be considered a breach of chess ettiquette as there is a minor advantage to having the first move.
You may see this sometimes in parks though, where people are claiming such things as “it is their board,” so they get the right to go first. But that type of competition is a little different. - Holding a Hidden Pawn – One player hides a white pawn in one hand and a black pawn in the other. The opponent picks a hand to determine their color. You will see this happen often at local tournaments and is pretty much the fairest and quickest method.
- Alternating Colors – If playing multiple games, players take turns playing white and black. This can help to keep things pretty even.
- Winner (or Loser) Stays as White – In some friendly circles, the winner (or sometimes the loser) of the previous game gets white in the next game. Not exactly my favorite in situations where one player is clearly stronger at play and each side ends up playing the same color repeatedly.
- Coin Toss or Random Selection – Flipping a coin, rolling dice, or using an app to randomly assign colors.
Tournament Play: Standardized Color Assignments
In competitive chess, official rules govern color assignment to ensure fairness.
Swiss-System Tournaments
- Players are assigned colors dynamically each round, trying to maintain balance between the number of times a player plays as white or black.
- A player who had white in the previous round is more likely to get black in the next round.
- If two players who have played the same color in previous rounds are paired, additional factors like seeding or score adjustments help determine color.
- The first-round color assignment may be randomized or based on player rankings.
Round-Robin Tournaments
- Color assignments are pre-set using a Berger table to ensure fairness.
- Each player receives as close to an equal number of white and black games as possible.
- Colors typically alternate from game to game for each player.
- If an odd number of rounds is played, one player may receive an extra white or black game based on tournament seeding.
Unusual and Fun Methods for Deciding Who Goes First
Beyond standard methods, some players and communities have created unique ways to determine who plays as white:
- Chess Puzzle Challenge – Both players solve a chess puzzle, and the one who solves it faster gets white.
- Blitz Battle – A quick blitz or bullet game is played, and the winner gets white in the main game.
- Arm Wrestling or Rock-Paper-Scissors – A non-chess way to determine color assignment. But an additional game on top of a game can be a treat. I gusee it all depends on who you hang out with.
- Historical Coin Flip – Some events follow historical precedence, such as using a special coin, like in World Chess Championship matches.
- Odd Moves Challenge – Each player guesses the number of total moves in the game, and whoever is closer plays white.
Why Experienced Players Often Let Others Go First
In many teaching settings, experienced players often allow beginners to play as white. This gives new players the advantage of making the first move, helping them learn the opening phase and gain confidence. Chess coaches and mentors frequently use this approach to encourage learning and help with confidence.