Games - Chess Terms

a square board with a grid of 64 alternating light and dark colored squares arranged in an 8x8 pattern, used for playing the game of chess

a chess piece that is the most important and able to move in any direction but one square at a time

the most powerful piece in the game of chess that can move in any direction

a chess piece that is represented by a small tower-shaped object, typically with a pointed top, and is one of the six types of pieces used in the game

a chess piece that is placed next to the king and next to the queen and moves in any direction diagonally

a chess piece that looks like the head of a horse and can either move two vertical and one horizontal squares or two horizontal and one vertical squares in any direction

one of the eight weakest pieces in chess, usually smaller in size compared to other pieces

the player who uses the pieces of the black color, who moves second in the game

the player or side in chess that moves first, typically using the white pieces

a chess move that makes the opponent's king unable to escape, which means that opponent has lost

when neither player is able to win the game, typically because there are no more legal moves available or because both players agree to a draw

a situation in the game of chess where one is unable to make any legal moves while their king is not checkmated, therefore the game ends and no one wins

a rule that occurs when the same position on the board occurs three times with the same player to move, or if the same sequence of moves occurs three times with the same player to move, resulting in a draw or stalemate

the amount of time each player has to make their moves during a game, with various formats and time limits available, such as a fixed amount of time per move or a total time for the entire game, and with additional time increments or time delays added after each move

a rule in chess stating that if no capture has been made and no pawn has been moved in the previous fifty moves by each player, either player can claim a draw

a collection of pieces used to play the game of chess, typically consisting of 32 pieces in total, with 16 pieces for each player

a move in the game of chess that allows the king and one of the rooks to move simultaneously

a special pawn capture move in chess that can occur when a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands adjacent to an opposing pawn on the fifth rank

a term in chess used to describe a situation where a player would prefer to pass their turn and make no move, as any move they can make would put them in a weaker position or lead to an eventual loss

a chess move that puts the opponent's king under the threat of a direct attack by the chess pieces of the other player

a device used to time the moves of players during a game of chess, with two clocks typically used for each player, one with a button that stops their clock and starts their opponent's clock, and vice versa

a type of chess game with a significantly reduced time control compared to traditional chess, typically with each player having only a few minutes or seconds to make their moves

a standardized system used to record and describe the moves made in a game of chess, with each square of the chessboard being assigned a unique letter and number coordinate, and each piece being represented by its first letter

a four-move checkmate sequence in chess that can occur when one player moves their pawn to e4, their bishop to c4, and their queen to h5, threatening to checkmate the opposing king on f7

the highest title a player can achieve, awarded by FIDE to players who have demonstrated exceptional skill and achievement in chess tournaments and matches

the initial stage of the game, where players make their first moves to develop their pieces and control the center of the board

the phase of the game that follows the opening, where players have developed their pieces and are looking to create an advantageous position on the board

the final phase of the game that follows the middlegame, where only a few pieces remain on the board and where the focus shifts to pawn promotion, checkmate, and strategic play with the remaining pieces

a puzzle or challenge in the game of chess that involves finding a specific sequence of moves that leads to a particular outcome, such as a checkmate or a draw

a situation where a player is given a free point without having to play a game, typically due to an odd number of players in the tournament or an uneven number of rounds

a serious tactical or positional mistake that results in a significant disadvantage or loss of material, often leading to a loss of the game

a sequence of moves that involves a tactical sacrifice or exchange of material to gain a positional or tactical advantage, often leading to a decisive advantage or checkmate

a piece that is sacrificed with the aim of achieving tactical gains, especially in a losing or desperate situation

the capture of a rook for a minor piece, such as a knight or bishop, or vice versa

a two-move checkmate sequence in chess that can occur when one player makes an early mistake by moving their f-pawn or g-pawn too far forward, leaving their king vulnerable to attack

a tactic in which a single piece attacks two or more of the opponent's pieces at the same time, forcing the opponent to choose which piece to defend and allowing the attacker to capture the other

(chess) an opening strategy in which a player voluntarily sacrifices a pawn or sometimes a more valuable piece, typically in the early moves of the game

a game that features early pawn exchanges and a relatively open center of the board, often resulting in more active and tactical play

a square on the board that is under the control of one player's pawn and cannot be attacked by the opponent's pawns, making it an ideal position for a knight or bishop to occupy and control important squares on the board

a mathematical problem and a chess puzzle that involves finding a sequence of moves for a knight that visits every square on an empty chessboard exactly once

a type of tournament in which each player or team competes against every other player or team in the tournament once. In a round-robin tournament, participants are organized into a single group and play a series of matches, with points being awarded for wins, draws, and losses

a deliberate move in which a player gives up material, such as a pawn, knight, bishop, rook, or even a queen, in exchange for a strategic or tactical advantage

a chess game that starts with 1.e4, but where Black responds with a move other than 1...e5, often resulting in a closed or semi-closed position

a chess event in which a strong player, usually a grandmaster, plays multiple games at the same time against a group of opponents, moving from board to board and making one move at a time

a situation where the opponent's king is attacked by two pieces simultaneously, and the king must move because it cannot be protected by capturing one of the attacking pieces

a tactic where a player moves one of their pieces, revealing an attack on the opponent's king by another piece that was previously blocked or hidden behind the moving piece

a tactic where moving one piece uncovers an attack by another piece, creating a double threat and putting pressure on the opponent

a chess opening where Black sets up a strong defense and plans to attack the opponent's position later in the game

a player's action of threatening to capture an opponent's piece, control key squares, or put the opponent's king in checkmate

a situation where one player continuously checks the opponent's king with no possibility of reaching a checkmate, resulting in a drawn game due to a stalemate or a threefold repetition

a position where neither player has a realistic chance of winning, typically due to a lack of material or a highly symmetrical and locked position, resulting in an inevitable draw if the players continue to play perfectly

a tactical maneuver where a piece is sacrificed or placed in a vulnerable position to lure the opponent into making a disadvantageous move or to redirect their attention away from a more critical part of the board

a series of sporting games in which teams or players compete against different rivals in different rounds until only one remains and that is the winner

a tactical move in response to a check, where the checked player delivers a counter-check by moving another piece, creating a double threat that must be addressed by the opponent

a potential move that a player considers during their turn as they analyze the possible outcomes and select the best course of action

a rare but elegant checkmate pattern named after Samuel Boden, where a knight and a bishop coordinate to deliver checkmate to the opponent's king

a fundamental rule in chess that requires a player, who touches one of their own pieces, to move that piece if it has a legal move available

a player's move that gains a move or a tempo over their opponent

a pawn that is behind its adjacent pawns on the same file and cannot be easily advanced, making it vulnerable to attacks and potentially weakening the player's pawn structure

a setup where two or more pieces of the same color are aligned along a file, rank, or diagonal, increasing their combined attacking power and potential threats to the opponent's position

a checkmate pattern where the opponent's king is trapped on the back rank of the board and is mated by a rook or queen that delivers the checkmate along the same rank

a situation where one player has no pieces left on the board, and their king is the only remaining piece

the rule that allows a pawn to be promoted to a higher-ranking piece when it reaches the opposite end of the board

a tactical formation where two rooks are stacked on the same file, and the queen is behind them, creating a powerful attacking position

a tactical maneuver where a piece is attacked and unable to move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it to capture

a pin where the pinned piece is the king, meaning it cannot move without putting the king in check, making it illegal to move the pinned piece

the international organization that governs the rules and regulations of chess, as well as organizing and regulating international chess competitions

a chess game that starts with 1.e4, but where Black responds with a move other than 1...e5, often resulting in a closed or semi-closed position