As for tabs and chords, if I read you right:
These are like top down views of the guitar neck. Thick string/deep note left, thin string/high note right. The higher up on these tabs, the closer to the tuning screws on top. A thick or double line is the _nut_, the bar at the top of the neck.
Then there's the other kind of tabs. Those long lines like note lines with numbers on them. What you do is, rotate those chords up there _counter clockwise_ so that the leftmost string is the bottom string and the nut is to the left. The numbers on each line (string) are straight forward. 0 is open string, 1 is the first fret from the nut (place the tip of your finger just behind the first fret), 2 is the second fret from the nut (tip of finger just behind the 2nd yeah yeah yeah you've got it now
)
As for placing your fingers: Some tabs give you additional numbers for which finger to place on which string. 1 is index finger, 4 is pinky. Thing is, try to be "economic" when placing your fingers. You want to move each finger the minimum distance between chords and notes. Know which chord is coming next and learn by practice how to be most economic. You will find that the positioning of your fingers will depend on the _next_ chord. Only practice will show you.
I'll try to keep an eye on this topic, so keep them questions coming and good luck!
EDIT:
Just to add the notes on each open string:
From left to right (6th to 1st string/deepest to highest/thickest to thinnest):
E A D G B E
Each fret is a semi tone, so the fifth string (A) is
open: A
1st fret: Bb
2nd fret: B
3rd fret: C
4th fret: Cb
5th fret: D
and so on. Notice how the fifth fret on the fifth string (D) is the same note as open 4th string (D). Same applies to all strings, each fret is a semi tone. 12th fret will then be the octave (12 semi tones in an octave).
The first 3 notes here (C - D - E) can thus be played 5th string (A) 3rd fret (C)
5th string (A) 5th fret (D) OR 4th string (D) open.
5th string (A) 7th fret (E) OR 4th string (D) 2nd fret (E)
to name a couple of ways.