One word for chess player

Chess wasn’t invented, it was discovered. Rick Yancey, ‘The Infinite Sea’

Чтобы играть в шахматы с иностранными соперниками, совсем не обязательно знать шахматные термины на английском. Но если вы увлекаетесь этой удивительной игрой, вам будет интересно узнать, как называются на английском шахматные фигуры, части партии, основные тактические приемы. К тому же некоторые шахматные термины вошли в язык и используются в переносном значении. Например, патовой называют ситуацию, из которой нет выхода, а цейтнотом — острую нехватку времени.

Основные шахматные термины на английском и русском

Шахматы (chess) — это настольная игра (board game), в которую играют два игрока (players) на специальной шахматной доске (chess board) фигурами (pieces) и пешками (pawns). Отмечу, что на русском языке пешки не принято называть фигурами. Фигуры — это король (king ♔, ♚), ферзь (queen ♕, ♛), слон (bishop ♗, ♝), конь (knight ♘, ♞), ладья (rook ♖, ♜), а пешки (pawns ♙, ♟) — это пешки. На английском и те, и другие называют pieces. Шахматная доска состоит из 8 вертикальных рядов (files) и 8 горизонтальных (ranks), которые образуют 64 поля (squares).

Партия делится на три этапа. На русском языке их традиционно называют немецкими терминами, а вот на английском — английскими.

• Начало игры: дебют — opening. Дебют, в котором одна сторона жертвует пешку ради достижения преимущества называется гамбит (gambit), от итальянского gambetto — подножка.
• Середина игры: миттельшпиль — middlegame.
• Конец игры: эндшпиль — endgame.

Цель игры — поставить королю соперника мат (checkmate), то есть нанести королю удар (шах — check), от которого нельзя защититься. Другим итогом игры может быть ничья (draw). Стороны могут согласиться на ничью (to agree the draw) либо ничейная позиция может возникнуть в процессе игры, например — пат (stalemate), ситуация, при которой одна сторона не может сделать ход, но ей не нанесено поражение, не поставлен мат.

В большинстве случаев неизбежное поражение одной из сторон заметно уже за несколько ходов то того, как оно должно произойти. У шахматистов считается неприличным продолжать игру, если в этом нет смысла, поэтому проигрывающая сторона, как правило, сдается (to resign). По этой причине среди опытных игроков партии обычно заканчиваются сдачей одной из сторон или ничьей.

На соревнованиях в шахматы играют с ограничением времени. Если у игрока закончилось время, ему тоже засчитывают поражение. Ситуацию, когда у игрока остается мало времени называют «цейтнот» (от нем. Zeit (цайт) — время и нем. Not (нот) — нужда), по английски: time pressure, time pressure или тоже Zeitnot.

Игра заключается в том, что стороны, их называют «белыми» (White) и «черными» (Black) делают ходы (moves). Большинство ходов заключаются в перемещении фигуры или пешки на другое поле либо во взятии фигуры или пешки противника (capture).

Также есть три нестандартных хода:

• Рокировка (castling) — при определенных условиях король и ладья могут одновременно сменить позиции. По сути это два хода в одном.
• Взятие на проходе (en passent, от фр. «на проходе») — когда пешка «прыгает» через поле, находящееся по ударом пешки противника, ответным ходом она может быть взята этой пешкой противника. На практике взятие на проходе случается довольно редко.
• Превращение пешки (promotion). Пешка, дойдя до восьмой горизонтали, может превратиться в любую фигуру по выбору. На практике ее превращают либо в ферзя, либо в коня, так как иногда в конце партии конь бывает нужнее, а ферзь не умеет ходить, как конь. На английском превращение пешки не в ферзя называют underpromotion.

Примечание: произношение слова ‘en passent’ приведено в видео в конце статьи.

В противоборстве двух шахматных «армий» игроки применяют различные тактические приемы (tactics), такие как вилка (fork), связка (pin), и придерживаются общей стратегии (strategy). Один из наиболее красивых вариантов развития игры — комбинация (combination). Комбинацией называют форсированный вариант с жертвой. Иначе говоря, игрок приносит жертву (sacrifice), то есть отдает фигуру, пешку, после чего проводит форсированный (от которого уже нельзя защититься) маневр, приносящий бОльшую выгоду, иногда даже победу.

Карточки с шахматными терминами на английском

Все термины, приведенные выше, а также некоторые другие можно выучить с помощью карточек ниже. Для удобства я разделил слова на две группы. В первой — названия фигур, общие термины. Во второй — все, что относится к шахматной партии, приемам.

chess	шахматы
player	игрок
board game	настольная игра
chess board	шахматная доска
piece	фигура (или пешка)
ranks	горизонтали
files	вертикали
diagonals	диагонали
square	поле
White	белые
Black	черные
pawn	пешка
king	король
queen	ферзь
rook	ладья
knight	конь
bishop	слон
chess clock	шахматные часы
chess notation	шахматная нотация

Скачать PDF

move	ход
check	шах
mate	мат
checkmate	шах и мат
stalemate	пат
resignation	сдача партии
to resign	сдаться
draw	ничья
to offer the draw	предложить ничью
to agree the draw	согласиться на ничью
time pressure (time trouble)	нехватка времени (цейтнот)
opening	дебют
middlegame	миттельшпиль
endgame	эндшпиль
strategy	стратегия
tactics	тактика
position	позиция
combination	комбинация
promotion (underpromotion)	превращение пешки
sacrifice	жертва
exchange	размен
castling	рокировка
capture	взятие
en passant	взятие на проходе
fork	вилка
pin	связка
skewer	сквозное нападение (линейный удар)
discovered attack	вскрытый удар

Скачать PDF

Примечание: французский термин en passent принято произносить на французский манер. В карточках выше термин озвучен неправильно. Как произносит это слово носитель английского языка, вы можете узнать из этого видео:

---

Здравствуйте! Меня зовут Сергей Ним, я автор этого сайта, а также книг, курсов, видеоуроков по английскому языку.

Подпишитесь на мой Телеграм-канал, чтобы узнавать о новых видео, материалах по английскому языку.

У меня также есть канал на YouTube, где я регулярно публикую свои видео.

Англо-русский глоссарий по теме «Шахматы» (Chess)

Chess	[ tʃes ]	Шахматы
chessboard	[ ˈtʃesbɔːd ]	шахматная доска
chessboard square	[ ˈtʃesbɔːd skweə ]	клетка шахматной доски
piece	[ piːs ]	шахматная фигура
space	[ speɪs ]	поле / клетка (на доске)
king	[ kɪŋ ]	король
queen	[ kwiːn ]	королева
bishop	[ ˈbɪʃəp ]	слон
knight	[ naɪt ]	конь
rook / castle	[ rʊk ] [ ˈkɑːsl̩ ]	ладья
pawn	[ pɔːn ]	пешка
move	[ muːv ]	ход
check	[ tʃek ]	шах
checkmate	[ ˈtʃekmeɪt ]	шах и мат
stalemate	[ ˈsteɪlmeɪt ]	пат
to take / to capture	[ tə teɪk ] [ tə ˈkæptʃə ]	забрать фигурку противника
to castle	[ tə ˈkɑːsl̩ ]	рокироваться
сastling	[ˈkɑːsl̩ ɪŋ ]	рокировка
forking	[ ˈfɔːkɪŋ ]	вилка — положение, когда две или более фигуры одного игрока находятся под боем одной фигуры другого игрока (сделать вилку)
to move	[ tə muːv ]	ходить
diagonally	[ daɪˈæɡənəli ]	по диагонали
to resign	[ tə rɪˈzaɪn ]	сдаваться
your move!	[ jə muːv ]	твой ход!
good move!	[ ɡʊd muːv ]	хороший ход!
novice	[ˈnɒvɪs ]	начинающий, новичок
open file	[ˈəʊpən faɪl ]	открытая позиция
en passant	[ ən ˈpæsənt ]	взятие на проходе – пешка может ударить пешку соперника, если та перепрыгнула через битое поле.

Learn what each piece is and how it moves

Every type of piece moves differently. Here are the names of every piece and how they move (with one or two exceptions, that we’ll cover in a bit):

• The pawn: The most basic piece in the game (you have 8 of them). On its initial move, it can move forward one or two spaces, but it is only allowed to move forward by one space afterwards. Pawns are only allowed to attack other pieces one space diagonally from it, and cannot move backwards.

• The rook: It looks like a castle tower. It can move horizontally and vertically as many spaces as are available. It can attack pieces in its path.

• The knight: It’s represented by a horse and is the most complicated unit. It moves in an ‘L’ shapes that consist of two spaces horizontally then one space vertically, or one space horizontally then two spaces vertically, in any direction. The knight is the only piece that can jump other pieces. He attacks only the pieces that are in the spaces he settles.

• The bishop: It can only move diagonally, but it can move an unlimited amount of spaces until it attacks. It’s shaped like a bishop’s hat.

• The queen: She is the most powerful piece (usually has a more feminine crown). She can move either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally by any number of spaces and attack from any of those directions.

• The king: He can only move one space each turn in any direction and attacks in the same manner. He is the unit you do not want to lose at all costs, as it will make you lose the game.

• Remember the strong points of the pieces.

• The king is invaluable and must be protected.

• The queen is the most versatile piece and is the most useful for supporting pieces, and often used for forking. The queen combines the power of a bishop and a rook in one piece. She is considered to be the most valuable, next to the King.

• Knights are excellent for surprise attacks and forks. Their pattern of movement is often missed and confusing to novice players.

• Bishops tend to be an excellent in an open position. However many novice players often underestimate bishops and do not make full use of them.

• Rooks are strong and have a long range of movement. They work best on open files.

• Pawns may seem insignificant, but they can be great for trapping an opponent when sacrificed to capture a more valuable piece. If played right, a pawn can even checkmate the King!

Источник: wikihow.com

En Passant

The last rule about pawns is called «en passant», which is French, meaning «in passing.» If a pawn moves out two squares on its first move, and by doing so lands to the side of an opponent’s pawn (effectively running past the other pawn’s ability to capture it), that other pawn has the option of capturing the first pawn as if it only moved one space. This special move must be done on the very next move after the first pawn has moved past, otherwise the option to capture it is no longer available.

Castling

One other special rule is called castling, the only time you can move two pieces in one move. This combination move allows you to do two important things all in one turn: get your king to safety (hopefully), and get your rook out of the corner and into the game. On a player’s turn he may move his king two squares over to one side and then move the rook to the other side of his king. In order to castle, however, the following conditions must be met:

• It must be that king’s very first move

• It must be that rook’s very first move

• There cannot be any pieces between the king and rook

• The king may not be in check or move through check

Draws

Occasionally chess games do not end with a winner, but with a draw. There are 5 reasons why a chess game may end in a draw:

• The position reaches a stalemate where it is one player’s turn to move, but his king is NOT in check and yet he does not have another legal move

• The players may simply agree to a draw and stop playing

• There are not enough pieces on the board to force a checkmate (example: a king and a bishop vs. a king).

• A player declares a draw if the same exact position is repeated three times (though not necessarily three times in a row)

• Fifty moves in a row have been played by each player, without anyone moving a pawn or capturing a piece. This means no progress is being made!

Источник: chesskid.com

List of chess terms: in alphabetical order.

Contents	Top — 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A[change | change source]

Adjournment[change | change source]

When the game is paused temporarily. Less common today, as most games are played to a finish. If a game is adjourned, a sealed move is necessary so the player to move does not have any advantage.

Adjudication[change | change source]

Method to decide the result of an unfinished game. It is done by an expert who judges the position on the board. The expert is often appointed before the tournament or match starts. The method is only used if games are not played to a finish, and there are no adjournments.

Adjust piece[change | change source]

See J’adoube

Algebraic[change | change source]

System of chess notation in which each square has one name. From White’s left to right, each file is labelled from a to h. From White’s bottom to top, each rank is labelled 1 to 8. Thus the left bottom square is a1, and the right top square is h8.

Annotation[change | change source]

Commentary on a game using a combination of written comments and chess notation.

Attack[change | change source]

An assault on part of the opponent’s position. May be short-term (e.g., after 1.e4 Nf6, Black attacks White’s pawn on e4), or long-term. Examples of long-term attacks: a sustained mating attack against the enemy king or a minority attack against the opponent’s queenside pawn structure. See also: defence and initiative

B[change | change source]

Backward pawn[change | change source]

Pawn on an otherwise open file, on the 2nd or 3rd rank, which cannot be supported by another pawn, or advanced.

Bad bishop[change | change source]

Bishop blocked long-term by pawns on squares of its own colour.

Basic endings[change | change source]

Endgames with few pawns or pieces. Set positions and ideas which can be taught to learners, and which every player should know.

• Examples: doing checkmate with
  • a queen
  • a rook
  • two bishops
  • a bishop and knight.
  • a rook and pawn versus an opponent rook

Bind[change | change source]

A bind is a hold on the opponent’s position which stops him from freeing it. Usually by means of pawns; a severe type of restraint.

Bishop pair[change | change source]

The term used to describe the retention of both bishops. This term is usually used after one of both knights has been exchanged for one of both bishops. The player with the ‘bishop pair’ theoretically has the advantage over an opponent with two knights, or a bishop and a knight.

Blindfold chess[change | change source]

Chess played by a strong player without being able to see the board. The player is not blind, but sits with his back to the boards, or wears a blindfold. Moves are called out in notation.

Blitz chess[change | change source]

Defined by FIDE (Appendix C) as a game where all the moves must be made within a set time of less than 15 minutes for each side. They are always played with clocks. Some special rules are required. Players need not write down the moves; touch & move does not apply. Instead, a move is completed only when the player starts the opponent’s clock. There is usually a provision for a player to stop the clock and claim a draw when there is no way for the opponent to win. Wins on time must be claimed by the player; games are drawn if both flags fall.

Blockade[change | change source]

The obstruction of an enemy pawn by placing a piece in front of it so that it cannot move.

Also, more generally, the severe restraint of an opponent’s position so that it is difficult for him to find active play.

Bughouse[change | change source]

A type of chess played by four players on two boards. Pieces can be moved from one board to another. A checkmate on either board wins the game.

C[change | change source]

Castling[change | change source]

A simultaneous move (the only one in chess) whereby king and rook move past each other. See page for details.

Chaturanga[change | change source]

The earliest form of chess. See History of chess.

Cheating at chess[change | change source]

Any deliberate violation of the Laws of Chess. The most frequent accusations of cheating include violations of the touch and move law (Article 4) and ‘no outside help’ (Article 12) rules.

Check[change | change source]

A move which attacks the opposing king.

Checkmate[change | change source]

A move which attacks the opposing king, and which the opponent cannot get out of.

Chess clocks[change | change source]

Clocks control the timing of chess games. They show separately the time taken by each player. Electronic clocks can also count the moves made, and apply the set time limits for a game.

Chess960[change | change source]

Chess960, also called Fischer Random Chess, is a variant of chess invented and advocated by former world chess champion Bobby Fischer, announced publicly on June 19, 1996, in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Combination[change | change source]

A forcing sequence of moves, usually has a sacrifice, to gain the advantage. In the diagram White wins with 1.Nh6+ Kh8 2.Qg8+ Rxg8 3.Nf7#. This is both a combination and a smothered mate.

Correspondence chess[change | change source]

Chess with moves sent by mail. Once popular, especially in remote areas, but now not so popular. It has been hurt by the invention of computer chess engines.

Counter-attack[change | change source]

Where a player defends by attacking his opponent instead of making defensive moves. Example: when players castle on opposite wings, both attack each other’s king, making as few defensive moves as possible.

D[change | change source]

Dark square bishop[change | change source]

A bishop which moves on the dark squares.

Defence[change | change source]

• An opening played by Black, e.g. Sicilian Defence.
• A move or series of moves taken to protect a piece or position which is under attack.

Descriptive Notation[change | change source]

An older form of notation, each half of the board describes its squares based in relevance to prices of the board. An E4 opening could be described as King’s Pawn 4 or Queen’s Knight to queen’s Bishop 3. Although this method is very uncommon and superseded by Algebraic Notation, it is still encountered in several chess books.

Development[change | change source]

A fundamental concept of opening theory. The number of pieces in active play. Can be assessed comparatively, by counting the number of active pieces developed by each side. To some extent, development is reactive. What one player does is affected by what the opponent does. Therefore, development proceeds differently in different openings.

Diagonals[change | change source]

The squares on which bishops move, at 45^o to the ranks and files.

Discovered check[change | change source]

A check given by a line-piece when a shielding piece or pawn is moved out of the way.

Double attack[change | change source]

The basis of all tactics. It occurs when one move attacks two places at the same time, as might happen with a discovered check, or a fork.

Doubled isolated pawns[change | change source]

Two pawns of the same colour on the same file which do not have a pawn of the same colour on either of the adjacent files.

Doubled pawn[change | change source]

Two pawns of the same colour on the same file. Can only happen after a capture by one of the pawns.

Draw[change | change source]

One of three potential outcomes of a chess game, the others being Win and Loss. Draws may occur by agreement, by stalemate, or by the expiration of a player’s time when the opponent does not possess sufficient material to cause checkmate, i.e. a lone king. In tournament play, a draw results in a score of 0.5 for each player; otherwise the players score 1.0 for a win, and 0.0 for a loss.

Dynamic[change | change source]

A style of play which is «double-edged». Typically, long-term pawn weaknesses may be counterbalanced by piece activity. Dynamism stemmed from the teachings of the ‘Hypermodern movement’, which challenged the dogma found in more classical teachings, such as those of Wilhelm Steinitz and Siegbert Tarrasch.

E[change | change source]

ELO rating[change | change source]

The rating system invented by the late Professor Arpad Elo, and used by FIDE since 1970. The system gives a four-figure number which shows how well a player has scored in those games which have been entered into the database. It is an estimate of strength based on results, and is widely used to place players into categories. 2500 and above is grandmaster level.^[1]p123

Endgame[change | change source]

The stage of the game with few pieces or when queens are exchanged and the middle game is over.

En passant[change | change source]

A special method of capturing, only available to a pawn on its fifth rank. See En passant rule.

Equality[change | change source]

When neither player has an advantage.

Exchange[change | change source]

May mean:

• Simple capture of material by each player.
• Specifically, the exchange of a rook for a minor piece (bishop or knight).

F[change | change source]

Fianchetto[change | change source]

Developing the bishop at the squares b2, g2, b7 or g7. Also, moving a pawn one square forward to allow this. It is a hallmark of the hypermodern openings: the bishops there do not occupy the centre, but influence it.

FIDE[change | change source]

Fédération Internationale des Échecs: the International Chess Federation. The overall governing body of the game.

Fifty-move rule[change | change source]

The game is drawn if 50 moves are played with no captures and no pawn moves. This is to prevent a player forcing his opponent to play on in a position where no win is possible, yet where three-fold repetition has not happened. The rule is ancient: the Arabic version of the game, Shatranj, had a 70-move rule.

There is an exception to the 50-move rule. There are some positions which require more than 50 moves to win, yet have no captures or pawn moves. They are rare, and many players never see such an event in their lifetime. The circumstance is as follows. Suppose a computer study has shown that a particular position can be won in 58 moves (without pawn moves or captures), but not fewer. This is proved because a computer can try out every alternative. Then the case is published (so FIDE can list it for arbitrators). The cases listed by FIDE in 1988 were:

Q v B+B; Q v N+N; B+B v N; N+N v pawn; Q+pawn one square from promotion v Q; R+B v R. In all cases, no other pieces except the kings are on the board.^[1]p134

What FIDE did for these cases was to extend the 50-move rule to 75 moves. However, still more cases were found, many with far more moves needed. At that, FIDE decided to cancel the extension. Now the 50-move rule applies to all games without exception.

Figurines[change | change source]

Little images of pieces used in diagrams and printed chess scores (moves). Software is available which permits chess authors to compose text with diagrams and figurines. Together with standard symbols, this makes texts available for international sale. For this to apply, the text should have little or no prose, or use a widely understood language like English.

File[change | change source]

The eight vertical columns on the board, numbered a to h. The phrase open file is used when no pawn blocks a file. The phrase semi-open file is used when only one pawn blocks a file.

Fork[change | change source]

A double attack when one piece, such as a knight, attacks two or three pieces at once.

Forsyth notation[change | change source]

A method for recording positions. The board is read from a8 to h8, and rank by rank from the black side to the white side. Then the result is written down by hand, putting numbers for blank squares.
Upper case letters (capitals) are used for white pieces; lower case letters for black pieces.
* rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR is the starting position.

G[change | change source]

Gambit[change | change source]

A chess opening in which a player offers a pawn (or more) for fast development and an attack. Examples:

King’s Gambit: 1e4 e5 2f4: Black can take the pawn and keep it.

Queen’s Gambit: 1d4 d5 2c4: Black can take the pawn, but cannot keep it. It is not really a gambit, but called so by tradition.

Grading[change | change source]

Grading or rating: a number which indicates how likely one player is to beat another. A competitive ranking list based solely on results.

H[change | change source]

Hanging[change | change source]

The situation where a player, in error, moves a piece to where it can be captured without an exchange. For instance, player A. just hung his or her bishop.

Hypermodern[change | change source]

A group of players in the early 1920s who had new ideas on openings; and any of the openings they promoted.

I[change | change source]

Initiative[change | change source]

The situation where one player is making threats, and his opponent must respond to them. The attacking player is said to «have the initiative» and can often dictate the way the game develops.

Isolated pawn[change | change source]

Isolated pawns do not have a pawn of the same colour on either of the adjacent files. An Isolated Queens Pawn, or ‘IQP’ for short, is one of the most common types of Isolated Pawns. Openings with an IQP lead to distinctive [[middlegame]] strategies.

J[change | change source]

J’adoube[change | change source]

Means ‘I adjust’; said before adjusting a piece on the board during a game. Usually occurs when a player has made a move, and carelessly left the piece overlapping the square.

K[change | change source]

Kriegspiel[change | change source]

Kriegspiel (‘War game’) is an unorthodox chess game in which the players only know for certain the moves of their own pieces. They have to deduce where the opponent’s pieces are by questioning an umpire. It is played on three boards with partitions between them. The umpire sits with the middle board with the true position. Players are permitted to ask two kinds of question. «Can I move here?» and «Are there any?» (meaning pawn captures). The umpire replies accordingly. Checks and captures are announced by the umpire, and provide more clues. The game was invented by Henry Michael Temple (1862–1928).^[1]p211[2]

L[change | change source]

Living chess[change | change source]

Chess played with human beings as pieces on a giant board. A spectacle which has been performed since the 15th century. Usually, masters or other celebrities decide the moves, and a steward with a stick instructs the ‘pieces’ where to move.^[1]p230

Luft[change | change source]

Luft, the German word for «air» (sometimes also «space» or «breath»), is sometimes used for a space made by a pawn move. Especially it means a space made for the king to avoid a back rank checkmate. 

M[change | change source]

Major piece[change | change source]

Queen or rook.

Match[change | change source]

Not a game, but a series of games. Used of team events or a series of games between two players.

Material[change | change source]

Material refers to the chess pieces other than the king, and their respective values. Traditional material values given to the pieces are: Queen (9); Rook (5); Bishop and Knight (3.0); Pawn (1.0), although the values are the subject of substantial discussion.

Middlegame[change | change source]

The part of the game which follows the opening. Plans are formed, based on the position, and put into action.

Minor piece[change | change source]

Bishop or knight.

N[change | change source]

Notation[change | change source]

The method of writing down chess moves. See also Forsyth notation.

O[change | change source]

Opening[change | change source]

The start of the game, about a dozen moves. Openings have names, and extensive theory has been worked out by masters. Traditionally, the opening ends when minor pieces (knights and bishops) have been developed, and players have castled. However, modern openings go much further, into the early middlegame. See development.

Opening variation[change | change source]

A line in a particular opening. For example, in the Sicilian defence there are many different lines which are called variations.

Outpost

A position on the chess board where a piece is close to the enemy but difficult for the opponent to remove. There is no reason it has to be a knight, nor does it have to be protected by a pawn.

Overworked/Overloaded[change | change source]

Overworked, also known as overloaded, is a tactical weakness in chess where a piece is tasked to defend multiple threats at the same time. In many cases, this results in the overworked piece being unable to move and/or being forced to prioritize which task it can preform in order to mitigate loses.

P[change | change source]

Pawn storms[change | change source]

A situation arising from opposite-side castling. One, or both players, advance their pawns towards their opponent’s king. This is usually not done on same-side castling, as advancing the pawns in front of one’s own king is generally unsafe.

Perpetual check[change | change source]

Checking someone seemingly infinitely, forcing a draw by checking someone indefinitely with no way of avoiding the checks.

Pin[change | change source]

When a piece does not move because to do so would expose a more valuable piece to capture. Pins against the king are absolute because it is illegal to move the pinned piece.

Positional play[change | change source]

Play dominated by long-term manoeuvring, not short-term attacks and threats. It needs judgement more than calculation. The term is contrasted with tactics.

Problems[change | change source]

A chess problem is an artificial construction, not part of the game, but using a board and pieces. It is a separate intellectual activity. Chess problems have a history as long as the game itself, and their own terminology. The Arabs (9th/10th centuries) used specially composed positions (mansurbat) as teaching devices; the idea of specifying a set number of moves to mate is European. Problem solving tournaments are held, and there is a World Championship for problem solvers. There are also international prizes for problem composers.^[1]p319

Promotion[change | change source]

Promotion is what happens when a pawn reaches the other side of the board (that is, the 8th rank) and cannot move further. Then it becomes any other piece on the board, except the king. Players usually promote their pawns to a queen (called queening) because it is the most powerful piece on the board. There are cases where a player might want to promote a pawn to a knight, rook, or bishop instead. This is called an underpromotion, but they almost never happen, as almost all promotions are made to a queen.^[3]

Prophylaxis[change | change source]

A key concept of positional chess. It is a move, or sequence of moves, to deal with an opponent’s plan before it starts. Sometimes one can completely stop the threat; sometimes one just makes the plan relatively harmless. The idea was spelled out in detail in Nimzovich’s books My system and Chess praxis. Prophylactic moves are often seen in games by Capablanca, Petrosian and Karpov.

R[change | change source]

Randomized chess[change | change source]

The idea of choosing the layout of the pieces on the back row at random. The point is to avoid opening knowledge. White picks the pieces out of a bag and places them left to right; Black places his pieces on the corresponding squares. Alternatively, each player places his own pieces at random, producing two different arrays. The idea has been tried several times in the last 200 years, but has never caught on. There are problems. Usually special rules are needed for the king (castling?) and the bishops (no two bishops on the same colour squares). More serious is the great difficulty players experience in getting the pieces to work together.^[1]p331

Rank[change | change source]

The horizontal eight lines on the board, labelled 1 to 8.

Rapidplay[change | change source]

Rapidplay (FIDE Laws, Appendix B) is a game where each player has a set time for all the moves. That time can be from 15 to 60 minutes. Players need not record the moves. The touch & move rule is usually put aside by the organiser; if so starting the opponent’s clock is the official end of a move. In other words, a player can change his mind so long as his own clock is running.

Removing the Defender/Removing the Guard[change | change source]

Removing the Defender, also known as removing the guard is a chess tactic where a chess piece is either captured or forced to move in order to eliminate the protection of an opponent’s piece.

Resign[change | change source]

To concede loss of the game. A resignation is usually done by stopping the clock, and sometimes by offering a handshake or saying «I resign».

S[change | change source]

Sacrifice[change | change source]

The intentional loss of material to get a more important result. Often the start of a combination.

Sacrifice the exchange[change | change source]

The intentional exchange of piece of greater value for a piece of smaller value in order to get a more important result. For instance, the exchange of a rook for a minor piece (bishop or knight), or the exchange of a queen for a rook.

Score sheet[change | change source]

The sheet of paper used to write down the moves of a game in progress. During formal games both players must record the game using a score sheet.

Sealed move[change | change source]

Made when a game is adjourned. Score sheet with move and position are placed in an envelope, and played on the board when the game is resumed.

Simultaneous display[change | change source]

When a master plays a number of opponents at the same time. Usually arranged as a ring of tables, with the master moving round inside, and the opponents outside. Players move when the master arrives at their board, master replies and moves on.

Skewer[change | change source]

Like a pin, but the valuable piece is in front. So black B, white K and white R on a diagonal in that order wins the rook.
Unlike the fork, a skewer only works with a line piece (B, R, Q).

Stalemate[change | change source]

Where a player is not in check, but has no legal moves. It is a draw in modern chess.

Study[change | change source]

A chess or endgame study is a position which is made to show an interesting point. It is usual for studies to be endgame positions. Unlike chess problems, studies are connected to the game.

Squeeze[change | change source]

A term in positional chess, where a player loses ground because he/she has to make a move. See Zugzwang.

Symbols[change | change source]

A series of symbols are in wide use. They help annotate games of chess.

! good move

!! very good move

!? deserves consideration

?! doubtful move

? bad move

?? blunder

+/= White has a small advantage

=/+ Black has a small advantage

± White has advantage

–/+ Black has advantage

+– White has a winning advantage

–+ Black has a winning advantage

∞ unclear position

=/∞ with compensation for sacrificed material

Δ with the idea of

↑ with initiative

→ with attack

T[change | change source]

Tactics[change | change source]

Short-term attacks requiring exact calculation, sometimes called ‘forcing sequences’. It is contrasted with positional play, which is long-term strategy.

Tempo[change | change source]

In chess, a single move. A loss of a tempo would be taking two moves where one would do. This may, or may not, be critical in the early stages of a game.

Touch and move law[change | change source]

Article 4 of the Laws of Chess. If the player to play touches a piece, it must be moved if possible. If there is no legal move, then the player may make any legal move. See also J’adoube, which permits adjustment of pieces without penalty.

Transposition[change | change source]

To arrive at the same position from different move orders. Common in certain openings, such as the Modern defence.

Trebuchet[change | change source]

A trebuchet is a type of reciprocal zugzwang occurring in pawn endgames, where each King is attacking the others pawn and whoever it is to move loses.

Z[change | change source]

A position, usually in an ending, where the player to move loses because he/she must move. A more complex definition is given by Hooper:

«Zugzwang… is a position in which whoever has the move would obtain a worse result than if it were the opponent’s turn to play».^[1]p458 See Squeeze.

Zwischenzug[change | change source]

An «in between move», where a player, instead of playing the expected move, first inserts a move which the opponent must answer, before making the expected move.

References[change | change source]

A

• Adjournment

  Stopping a game to finish it at a later date — this practice almost disappeared in the early 1990s

• Advanced pawn

  A pawn that has reached the fifth rank or higher, i.e. entered enemy territory, and especially one threatening to promote to a queen

• Alekhine’s Defence

  A hypermodern chess opening where Black replies to 1.e4 with 1…Nf6 — it was named after the 4th World Chess Champion Alexander Alekhine

• Arbiter

  A referee who ensures the chess and tournament rules are follows and handles any disputes

• Armageddon

  Not the end of the world as we know it but a deciding game that must have a winner — White is given more time but a draw means victory for Black

B

• B

  The letter used to represent the bishop when recording chess moves in English

• Back rank

  The 1st or 8th rank of the chessboard where the kings and other pieces start the game

• Back-rank mate

  Mate given by a rook or queen going to the back rank (1st or 8th rank) of the chessboard, usually when a player’s own pawns prevent his or her king from escaping

• Back-rank weakness

  When a player’s position is vulnerable to a back-rank mate

• Backward pawn

  A pawn that is potentially weak because it’s behind pawns on adjacent files so no other pawn can support its advance

• Bad bishop

  A bishop whose movement is severely restricted, usually by its own pawns blocking the colour of squares on which it can move

• Benoni Defence

  A chess opening beginning 1.d4 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. d5 e6, which is popular with players who enjoy sharp, tactical battles. The name means «son of sorrow» and comes from a chess book published in Hebrew in 1825 by Aaron Reinganum

• Bishop

  A chess piece worth roughly 3 pawns that can move any number of squares diagonally

• Bishop pair

  Having two bishops is usually considered an advantage in open positions when your opponent doesn’t have the same

• Bishop pawn

  A pawn on a file where the bishops start the game, i.e. the c or f-files

• Black

  Refers to the second player to move in a game of chess — he has the black pieces

• Blindfold chess

  Chess played without sight of the board, though not necessarily wearing a blindfold!

• Blitz

  Chess played with each player typically having only 3-5 minutes to make all his or her moves

• Blunder

  A very bad move

• Book

  A term used in chess to refer to home prepared moves in the opening — computer chess programs have «opening books» of moves they make automatically and a player is said to be «out of book» when he encounters a move he hadn’t prepared for in advance

• Brilliancy

  A spectacular move or game — sometimes rewarded with a «brilliancy prize»

• Bughouse

  A variation of chess played by four players on two adjacent boards — when a player captures a piece they give it to their partner, who can at any time place the piece on the board rather than moving a piece

• Bullet

  Chess played with each player having under 3 minutes (and often only 1 minute) for all of his or her moves

C

• Caissa

  The chess goddess

• Calculation

  Working out the exact consequences of your possible moves rather than relying on intuition

• Candidate move

  One of a small number of plausible options that a player will analyse in greater depth before making his move

• Candidates Tournament (or Matches)

  An event held to determine the player who will challenge the World Champion in a match

• Caro-Kann Defence

  A popular chess openings where Black responds to 1.e4 with 1…c6 — it was named after the English master Horatio Caro (1862-1920) and Austrian Marcus Kann (1820-1886)

• Castling

  A special option you can play once in a game where you move your king and rook simultaneously

• Centre

  The four squares in the centre of the chessboard — d4, e4, d5 and e5

• Cheapo

  A simple trap that will radically alter the result of a game if a player falls for it

• Check

  A move that attacks the enemy king

• Checkmate

  When a king is in check and has no way to get out of check — the checkmated player loses the game

• Chess960

  A variation of chess where the starting line-up of the pieces is randomly (or semi-randomly) chosen from one of 960 possible alternatives

• Chessboard

  The 64-square board where a chess game takes place, with 8 vertical files (a-h) and 8 horizontal ranks (1-8)

• Chop wood

  A colloquial term for exchanging pieces

• Classical game

  A game played at a long time control in contrast to rapid, blitz or bullet chess

• Classical School

  The traditional understanding of chess that emphasises the importance of occupying the centre of the board with pawns or pieces — it was later challenged by the Hypermodern School

• Closed file

  A file of the chessboard on which both sides have at least one pawn

• Closed game

  A game of chess that starts with any move other than 1.e4

• Closed tournament

  A tournament for which a player needs a personal invitation to take part

• Coffeehouse

  A style of chess characterised by bold and risky but often inaccurate play of a kind popular in coffeehouses in the 19th century

• Combination

  A forced sequence of moves that usually involves sacrifices and is seen in advance by a player

• Compensation

  Advantages a player gains by sacrificing material, such as an attack on the enemy king or a strategic (positional) edge

• Correspondence chess

  Chess played by opponents in different locations who slowly exchange moves — the games can last days, weeks or even years, and used to be mainly played by post

• Countergambit

  A gambit played by the player with the black pieces

• Counterplay

  Active moves and threats which give a player compensation for weaknesses or problems elsewhere on the board

• Cover

  To control a square with another pawn or piece that could capture on that square

D

• Dark squares

  The 32 squares on the chessboard of a darker colour (e.g. a1, b2, c3)

• Dark-squared bishop

  A bishop that can only move on dark squares i.e. White’s bishop that starts on c1 and Black’s that starts on f8

• Decoy

  A chess tactic where an opponent’s piece is lured to a bad square

• Defence

  As well as the normal meaning of defending against an attack this also refers to a sequence of opening moves for Black e.g. the Sicilian Defence

• Deflection

  A chess tactic where an opponent’s piece is lured away from a square where it was performing an important task

• Desperado

  A piece that insists on sacrificing itself, usually to force perpetual check or stalemate

• Development

  The process of bringing out («developing») pieces at the start of a game of chess

• Diagonal

  A diagonal line of squares on the chessboard e.g. a1 to h8

• Discovered attack

  Attacking an enemy piece by moving a pawn or piece that was blocking an attack on it by one of your pieces

• Discovered check

  Giving check by moving a piece that was blocking another of your pieces from giving check

• Double check

  A check by two pieces at the same time — this always involves a discovered check and forces the opposing king to move

• Doubled pawns

  When one player has two pawns on the same file — this is usually considered a weakness

• Draw

  A game that ends with neither player winning — possible causes are agreement by the players, stalemate, threefold repetition, perpetual check, the fifty-move rule and insufficient material

• Dutch Defence

  An opening where Black responds to 1.d4 with 1…f5 — it got its name after Elias Stein, who lived in the Netherlands, recommended it in a book published in 1789

E

• ECO

  Short for Encyclopedia of Chess Openings, this is a code used to classify openings in a range from A00 to E99 — e.g. all variations of the Sicilian Defence are covered by B20–B99

• Elo

  The Elo rating system, invented by Arpad Elo, is a system that since 1970 has been used to rate the strength of chess players based on their results against each other

• En passant

  The rule allowing a pawn to capture an opponent’s pawn that moved two squares as if it had only moved one — this is only possible immediately after your opponent’s move

• En prise

  When a piece is left undefended and liable to be captured

• Endgame

  An endgame (or ending) is the final stage of a game of chess when queens have usually been exchanged and there are few pieces left on the board

• Engine

  The chess-playing part of computer chess programs

• English Opening

  A chess opening where White starts the game with 1.c4 — it was named after 19th-century English player Howard Staunton, who regularly employed the opening although it didn’t really catch on until the 20th century

• Exchange

  1) swapping a piece for one of your opponent’s (usually of equal value), 2) the advantage of a rook over a minor piece — a player who swaps his knight or bishop for a rook «wins the exchange»

• Exchange sacrifice

  Exchanging a rook for a bishop or knight

F

• FEN

  FEN (short for Forsyth–Edwards Notation) is a concise way of representing a chess position in a single line of textMore

• Fianchetto

  Developing your bishop on the long diagonals, i.e. to g2, b2, g7 or b7, usually after moving a pawn to g3, b3, g6 or b6

• FIDE

  The World Chess Federation (Fédération internationale des échecs) is the official chess governing body. Composed of over 150 national federations, its roles include running the World Championship system

• Fifty-move rule

  Either player can claim an automatic draw if no capture or pawn move has been made in the last fifty moves

• File

  One of the eight columns of a chessboard, often labelled a-h

• Fischer Random

  Another name for Chess960More

• Flag

  Although modern chess clocks often don’t have a real flag or indicator to show when time has run out the word has survived in people talking about their «flag falling» or «flagging an opponent» — moving fast to try and win on time

• Flank

  The left or right side of the chessboard (the a-c or f-h files)

• FM

  Short for FIDE Master, a chess title which usually requires an Elo rating of 2300

• Fool’s mate

  The fastest possible checkmate, requiring only four moves: 1.f3 (f4) e6 (e5) 2. g4 Qh4#

• Forced move

  A move which is the only possible (or at all reasonable) one in a particular position

• Fork

  A move that attacks two or more enemy pieces at the same time

• Fortress

  A position where the side with less material is able to hold a draw because the stronger side is unable to break through

• French Defence

  A chess opening where Black responds to 1.e4 with 1…e6 — the name comes from its use by the French team in a correspondence match between Paris and London in 1834

G

• Gambit

  An opening where the player with the white pieces gives up a pawn to develop his pieces quickly and gain attacking chances

• Gens una sumus

  The motto of FIDE, the World Chess Federation — literally «we are one people», it’s usually translated into English as «we are one family»

• GM

  Short for grandmaster, the highest official chess title — to gain it an Elo rating of 2500 and three 2600+ performances are usually required

• Good bishop

  A mobile bishop, often because a player’s own pawns are on the other colour of squares from the bishop

• Greek gift

  The sacrifice of a bishop on h7 (or h2 for Black), usually with the aim of delivering checkmate

• Grünfeld Defence

  A sharp chess opening beginning with the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 — it was named after Austrian Ernst Grünfeld who used it to beat the World Champion Alexander Alekhine in the Vienna 1922 tournament

H

• Half-open file

  A file on which only one player has pawns

• Hanging

  If a piece or pawn is «hanging» it’s unprotected and liable to be captured

• Hanging pawns

  Two pawns of the same colour side-by-side with no other pawns of the same colour adjacent to them — sometimes a dynamic strength but at other times a static weakness

• Holdable

  A «holdable» position is one that can be «held» i.e. drawn by the weaker side with correct play

• Hypermodern

  A school of chess or style of opening based on allowing your opponent to occupy the centre in order to then attack that centre with pieces from the flanks

I

• Illegal move

  A move not allowed by the rules of chess

• IM

  Short for International Master, the second highest chess title granted by the World Chess Federation — it usually requires a rating of 2400 and three performances at a 2450 level

• Increment

  Time added to a player’s clock before or after each move

• Insufficient material

  A position with insufficient material is one which is drawn because neither side has any pawns or enough pieces to give checkmate

• Interference

  A chess tactic where a piece is sacrificed to block an opponent’s piece from defending a more valuable piece

• Intermezzo

  An «in-between» move where instead of making an obvious move (usually recapturing a piece) you do something else first which forces your opponent to respond

• Isolani

  Another term for an «isolated queen’s pawn» (IQP) this is a pawn on the d-file with no friendly pawns on the c or e-files — usually a dynamic strength but a static weakness

• Isolated pawn

  A pawn with no friendly pawns on the files adjacent to it

• Italian Game

  A chess opening starting with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 — mentioned in sources dating back to the 15th century, it was named after Italian players who investigated it, particularly Gioacchino Greco

J

• J’adoube

  A French phrase universally accepted as a way for a player to say he simply intends to adjust a piece (e.g. to put it in the centre of a square) without being compelled to move it

K

• K

  The letter used for the king when recording chess moves in English

• Kibitzer

  Someone who watches and usually comments (kibitzes) on a game in progress

• KID

  The King’s Indian Defence — one of Black’s most aggressive openings

• King

  The chess piece each player tries to attack and trap (checkmate) to win a game of chess — although vulnerable early in the game it becomes powerful in the endgame when its ability to move one square in any direction is a strong asset

• King pawn

  A pawn on the file where the kings start the game, i.e. the e-file

• King’s Gambit

  A chess opening where White offers a pawn on the second move by playing 1.e4 e5 2.f4 — it’s one of the oldest and most «Romantic» openings, but rarely seen at the top level nowadays

• King’s Indian Defence

  A chess opening beginning 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 which is considered an aggressive choice for the player with the black pieces

• Kingside

  The e, f, g and h-files on a chessboard — i.e. the right-hand side for White and the left-hand side for Black

• Knight pawn

  A pawn on one of the files where the knights start the game, i.e. the b or g-files

• Kriegspiel

  A chess variant (German for «war game») where you can see your own pieces but not those of your opponent

L

• Light-squared bishop

  A bishop that can only move on light squares, i.e. White’s bishop that starts on f1 and Black’s that starts on c8

• Line

  A series of moves, often in the opening or when analysing a position

• Luft

  Making «luft» (German for «air») is moving a pawn in front of your castled king (most often by playing h3 or h6) to avoid a back-rank mate

M

• Maróczy Bind

  Putting pawns on c4 and e4 to gain a grip on the centre of the chessboard — named after Hungarian player Géza Maróczy

• Mate

  Short for checkmate

• Material

  All the pieces a player has — material can be won, lost, exchanged or sacrificed, and a player can be «up» or «down» material i.e. have more or less pieces than his opponent

• Mating attack

  An attack aimed at delivering checkmate to the enemy king

• Middlegame

  The second phase of a game of chess after pieces have been developed in the opening — players usually aim to attack the enemy king or gain an advantage they can exploit in a future endgame

• Miniature

  A decisive game of chess that usually lasts no more than 20-25 moves

• Minor piece

  A bishop or knight

• Minority attack

  Pushing pawns on the side of the board where you have fewer with the aim of provoking weaknesses in your opponent’s position

N

• N

  The letter used for the knight when recording chess moves in English

• Nimzo-Indian Defence

  A hypermodern chess opening starting 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4, named after Aaron Nimzowitsch, one of the top players in the early 20th century

• Norm

  A performance at a chess tournament that is sufficient to count towards the requirements for gaining chess titles such as «Grandmaster» or «International Master»

• Notation

  A record of the moves made in a game of chess — algebraic notation (e.g. 1.e4 e5) has almost completely replaced the older descriptive notation (e.g. 1.P-K4 P-K4)

• Novelty

  The first move in a game of chess that has never been played before — at a professional level such moves are often backed up by deep analysis and aimed at surprising your opponent

O

• O-O

  Chess notation for castling kingside (short)

• O-O-O

  Chess notation for castling queenside (long)

• Olympiad

  The chess Olympics — a team event held every two years with all national members of FIDE eligible to submit a men’s and women’s team

• Open file

  A file of the chessboard on which there are no pawns

• Open game

  A game of chess which begins 1.e4 e5

• Open tournament

  A tournament that isn’t restricted to invited players

• Opening

  The first stage in a game of chess in which the players develop their pieces from the starting position

• Opposite-coloured bishops

  A situation when one player has a dark-squared bishop and the other a light-squared bishop — in the middlegame that improves the chances for an attacking player, but in the endgame it greatly increases the chances that a player with a weaker position can draw

• Opposition

  An important endgame situation where the two kings stand on the same rank, file or diagonal with one empty square between them — the player whose turn it is may have to move his king to a worse squareMore

• Outside passed pawn

  A passed pawn at or near the edge of the board and some distance from other pawns — sometimes a crucial advantage in endgames

• Overloading

  A situation where one piece is performing too many defensive functions and can be exploited by the other player

• Overprotection

  A term Aron Nimzowitsch coined for protecting a piece or square more times than strictly required by the current situation on the chessboard

P

• Passed pawn

  A pawn that has no enemy pawn ahead of it on the same or adjacent files, and therefore can’t be stopped from queening by other pawns

• Passer

  Another word for a passed pawn

• Patzer

  A bad chess player (often a relative term!)

• Pawn

  The most numerous and weakest piece on the chessboard (at least until «promotion») — each player starts with eight of them

• Pawn chain

  A diagonal pawn formation where pawns of the same colour support each other

• Pawn island

  One or more pawns on consecutive files with no friendly pawns on the files adjacent to the island

• Pawn race

  A situation where both players strive to promote a pawn (or pawns) to a queen before the other

• Pawn storm

  An attack spearheaded by pawns, usually on one side of the chessboard

• Pawn structure

  The placement of the pawns on the chessboard — as pawns have very limited mobility and restrict other pieces their placement is often crucial to determining the character of a game

• Performance

  A number indicating the performance of a player in a particular event — it roughly corresponds to the Elo rating a player might have if he continued to perform at the same level over a longer period

• Perpetual check

  A drawing mechanism where one player is able to give a potentially unlimited sequence of checks

• Petrov’s Defence

  Also known as the Petroff or Russian Game, this is an opening for Black starting with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6. A very solid defence, it was associated with Russian masters Alexander Petrov and Carl Jänisch, who investigated the opening in the 19th centuryMore

• PGN

  Short for «portable game notation», this is a standard way of recording the moves and other information about a chess game in a computer file

• Philidor Defence

  An opening starting with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6, which is considered solid but somewhat passive. It was named after Frenchman François-André Danican Philidor (1726-1795), perhaps the best player of his eraMore

• Pin

  A situation where a player’s piece is pinned — unable to move — because his king would be in check (an absolute pin) or a more valuable piece could be captured by his opponent (a relative pin)

• Pirc

  An opening that starts 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 and is seldom seen in top-level games. It was named after Slovenian master Vasja Pirc (1907-1980), although it’s also sometimes known as the Ufimtsev Defence after Kazakh player Anatoly Ufimtsev (1914-2000)

• Playable

  A position, chess opening or move can be described as «playable» as long as it isn’t losing by force with best play from the other player

• Ply

  Used in computer chess to refer to a single move by one player — a full move consists of two ply e.g. 1.e4 e5

• Poisoned pawn

  A pawn that is apparently undefended but whose capture may result in material losses or a positional disadvantage

• Positional play

  Play based around strategic thinking and manoeuvring rather than tactical threats and calculation

• Positional player

  A player who favours positional play over tactical calculation

• Positional sacrifice

  A sacrifice which isn’t immediately justified by regaining the material (or getting a decisive attack) through a forced sequence of moves

• Post-mortem

  Analysis of a game immediately after its over, usually by the players involved

• Preparation

  In chess terms this refers specifically to the home analysis of opening moves to be able to match or surprise your opponent in the early stages of a game

• Promotion

  When a pawn reaches the 8th (or 1st) rank of the chessboard you must «promote» it by changing it into another piece — usually a queen, but you can also choose to make it a knight, bishop or rook

• Prophylaxis

  Defending against your opponent’s potential active plans or threats before he has the chance to implement them

• Protected passed pawn

  A passed pawn supported by another pawn

Q

• Q

  The letter used for the queen when recording chess moves in English

• Queen

  1) The most powerful piece on the chessboard — it can move any number of squares in any straight line and is worth about 9 pawns, 2) To promote a pawn to a queen

• Queen pawn

  A pawn on the file where the queens start the game, i.e. the d-file

• Queen’s Gambit

  A popular opening starting with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4, which can branch into other well-known openings such as the Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA) or the Slav Defence

• Queen’s Indian Defence

  A popular opening starting with the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6, theoretical investigation of which began in the early 20th century

• Queenside

  The a, b, c and d-files on a chessboard — i.e. the left-hand side for White and the right-hand side for Black

R

• R

  The letter used for the rook when recording chess moves in English

• Rank

  A row of the chessboard — usually numbered from 1 to 8.

• Rapid

  Chess played at a quicker time control than classical chess but slower than blitz — often with 15-30 minutes per player per game

• Resign

  To acknowledge defeat, often by offering your hand to your opponent — resignation immediately ends the game

• Reti Opening

  A hypermodern chess opening where White starts with the move 1.Nf3 — it was named after Richard Réti, one of the world’s best players in the early 20th century

• Rook

  A chess piece that can move any number of squares horizontally or vertically — each player starts with two, each worth approximately 5 pawns

• Rook pawn

  A pawn on the files where the rooks start the game — i.e. the a or h-files

• Round-robin

  A common tournament format where each player plays each other player — if they play once it’s a single round-robin, if twice a double round-robin, and so on More

• Ruy Lopez

  A chess opening, sometimes also known as the Spanish Game, which starts with the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5. It was named after the Spanish priest Ruy López de Segura, who published a monograph on it in 1561, and is still one of the most popular openings at all levels

S

• Sacrifice

  Voluntarily giving up material (e.g. exchanging a queen for a pawn) in the hope of gaining an advantage, usually via an attack — «sacrifice» is often shortened to «sac»

• Sandbagging, Sandbagger

  Sandbagging is the intentional act of reducing one’s chess rating by losing games, or drawing with lower-rated players.

  Generally, the objective is to qualify for a lower rating class section in a future competition.

  To combat sandbagging, tournament organizers often impose a rating cutoff substantially higher than the cutoff for a class section.

• Scandinavian Defence

  The Scandinavian Defence or Centre Counter is a chess opening where Black responds to 1.e4 with 1…d5 — now more popular at an amateur level, its use dates all the way back to the 15th century

• Scholar’s mate

  A quick checkmate often seen in beginners’ games where White plays 1.e4 2.Qh5/f3 3.Bc4 and 4.Qxf7 mate

• Score sheet

  A form where players record their own moves and those of their opponent during a game

• Scotch Game

  A chess opening starting 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4, so-named after an Edinburgh team played it against a London team in a match in 1824. Although long considered harmless it was later revived by Garry Kasparov and other players struggling to get an advantage against the Ruy Lopez

• Sealed move

  The final move before a game was adjourned, which a player wrote down and sealed in an envelope rather than making at the board

• Semi-closed game

  A chess opening where White starts 1.d4 and Black replies with a move other than 1…d5

• Semi-open game

  A chess opening where White starts 1.e4 and Black replies with a move other than 1…e5

• Sicilian Defence

  A chess opening where Black responds to 1.e4 with 1…c5. This is the most popular and perhaps exciting chess opening, even if computer analysis has dented its impact at the very highest levels

• Simultaneous display

  Often shortened to «simul», this is an event where a strong player takes on a number of weaker players at the same time

• Skewer

  A chess tactic where one valuable piece (e.g. the king or queen) is attacked and forced to move, exposing another piece behind it to capture — also known as an X-ray attack

• Slav Defence

  A chess opening starting with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. First analysed in the 16th century, it achieved prominence when it was explored by Slav chess players in the 1920s and remains very popular today

• Smothered mate

  A checkmate given by a knight where the king is unable to move due to its own pieces being in the way

• Sofia rules

  Tournament rules that ban players from agreeing draws with each other or limit them to doing so only in special circumstances (e.g. after move 40)

• Spacebarring

  Players using a chess engine on a computer can quickly advance to the next recommended move by hitting the space bar key. «Spacebarring» refers to someone who is just accepting the engine recommendation quickly without taking time to critically evaluate the move on his or her own.

• Stalemate

  A situation where the player to move has no legal move but isn’t in check — the game ends in a drawMore

• Stem game

  The first game which featured a particular opening variation or chess idea

• Swiss tournament

  An open tournament using the Swiss pairings system which tries to pair players on the same or similar score in each round

T

• Tabiya

  An opening position reached by more or less standard moves which is the starting point for various alternative moves or serious investigationMore

• Tablebase

  A special database of all the possible chess positions with limited material on the board (currently 6-7 pieces) which can instantly give the result with perfect play from both players — such positions are considered «solved»

• Tactics

  Play based on the calculation of moves involving threats and attacks rather than on long-term strategic considerations

• Tempo

  An extra move, particularly in the opening when developing pieces as fast as possible is crucial — you can «play a move with tempo» or «gain a tempo» if you make a useful move for yourself while forcing your opponent to make a move he doesn’t want to make

• Threefold repetition

  A draw can be claimed if the same position occurs three times with the same player to move

• Time control

  The time players are allocated for their moves during a game — it can also refer to the individual deadlines during a game, which may include multiple time controls (e.g. at move 40, then at move 60 and so on)

• Time trouble

  When a player struggles to make the required number of moves before his time runs out

• Touch-move

  A rule used for most over-the-board games which states that if you touch a piece and have any legal moves with that piece then you must move it

• Transposition

  Getting to the same position (usually in the opening) by a different order of moves

U

• Underpromotion

  Promoting a pawn to a piece other than a queen — i.e. a knight, bishop or rook

V

• Variation

  A sequence of moves that might be played — in particular this is used for options in the opening, such as the Poisoned Pawn Variation of the Sicilian Defence

W

• WFM

  Short for the Women’s FIDE Master title

• WGM

  Short for the Women’s Grandmaster titleMore

• White

  The player who has the white pieces and moves first in a game of chess

• WIM

  Short for the Women’s International Master title

• Wrong bishop

  A bishop which would win (not draw) or draw (not lose) a game if it could move on the other colour of squares

X

• X-ray attack

  Another name for a skewer

Z

• Zeitnot

  A German word for time trouble that is also common in English chess jargon

• Zugzwang

  When a player is forced to make a move that worsens his positionMore

• Zwischenzug

  Another name for an intermezzoMore

Chess has a lot of technical and non-technical terms. Learn all the terms of chess in detail in this guide.

If you want to further yourself in this beautiful strategy game, having an in-depth knowledge of chess terms will definitely go a long way in turning you into a great chess player.

Every beginner will most likely struggle with the vast array of chess words and expressions in the early days. But as one gets to practice more games and learn, a better understanding comes naturally to the more serious chess players.

Knowing chess terms thoroughly allows a player to progress rapidly in the game. One would then get mentally equipped to analyze one’s game in the aftermath of a chess battle, correct mistakes committed during the game, and consume chess resources available online or otherwise without lingering doubts.

Regarding the terms of chess games, there are too many to cover in one article. However, we have tried our best to include most terms of the chess game to make it easy for you to level up in your game. This glossary of chess terms aims to make the amateur chess player’s entry into the world of chess a comfortable one.

Related Read: Chess Pieces Names and Moves: The Complete Guide

For ease of comprehension and reading, we have followed the alphabetical order to space the glossary of chess terms.

Activity

The first chess term we will talk about is called ‘activity’. This means the amount of freedom and space a chess piece has at any time on the board.

The rule of thumb in chess dictates that if a chess piece is stationary for too long, it loses its ability to make a difference in the game. So, keeping chess pieces in movable positions is a good sign.

Adjournment

This happens to be an archaic chess term that is rarely in use these days. ‘Adjournment’ means that a chess game has been stopped temporarily due to lack of time. In that case, the game gets restarted at a later time.

Nowadays, chess organizing committees make sure that all games are finished in one session itself. There are standard chess play rates in place these days as well. For example, almost all global chess events mandate that players should complete a minimum of 40 moves within 2 hours.

Advantage

One of the most common terms for chess is an ‘advantage’, which denotes a chess player’s winning chances at any stage of the game. Chess commentators usually use this chess lingo when they notice that one player is in a better position than the other.

They also use similar terms of chess, such as ‘slight advantage’ and ‘clear advantage’, to indicate the level of superiority of one player over the other player.

Attack

One of the most critical terms in a chess game, an ‘attack’ is a coordinated attempt by one player to achieve an overwhelming edge over an opponent.

An ‘attack’ is a great way to impose pressure on an opponent during a chess game. In most instances, attacks are planned out by a player to checkmate the rival king.

Blockade 

Another technical term in chess terminology, a ‘blockade’, occurs when a chess player stops the advance of a rival pawn by placing a piece in front. This method helps gain the upper hand during a chess game.

Backward Pawn

When a single piece of pawn is left stranded at one place while the other pawns next to it have either moved ahead or captured, it becomes a ‘backward pawn’.

In this scenario, this pawn becomes easy prey for the opponent and allows the opponent to orchestrate an attack using the isolated pawn position as a strike point.

Recommeded Read: 50+ Chess Stats that Will Shock Everyone

Bad Bishop

A ‘bad bishop’ is a piece of a bishop whose movement has been blocked by a friendly pawn. This dramatically limits the bishop’s chances of participating in the field of action, thus hindering the player’s options.

Checkmate

Perhaps the most common of all terms of chess is a ‘checkmate’ when a chess player can corner the rival king completely. The rival king is deemed captured when this happens, and the game ends.

Closed

A ‘closed’ situation arises when pawns take centre stage in the game, albeit negatively, by closing down spaces on the board. With the pockets of space obstructed by the ill-positioned pawns, the game’s pace suffers, and players are left to think of a way to open up the areas.

Recommended Read: What New Chess Moves Have Been Invented in the Last Year?

Combination

A ‘combination’ is a technical term in chess terminology. It points to incidents when a player forces the opponent to make moves that are not essential from the opponent’s standpoint but become necessary from the game’s perspective.

Cramped

As the name suggests, ‘cramped’ is when a chess player’s pieces are positioned too close to each other, thus significantly limiting swift movement and options of switch play.

When chess pieces are ‘cramped’, it becomes difficult for the player to make quick decisions with the pieces. Chess pieces placed too close to each are not usually in a safe position.

Development

One of the most essential terms of chess, ‘development’, is a term that means the slow improvement of chess pieces from their original positions to a much stronger place.

Once the chess pieces have become better positioned on the board, it is time to begin going after the rival pieces, with the ultimate objective of nailing the rival king.

Recommended Read: The 10 Best Chess Defences That You Should Know

Doubled Pawns

This refers to when two pawn pieces of the same colour are lined up one after the other on the same column. This is a valuable scenario for the player, as each of the pawns becomes unable to defend the other.

Fianchetto

Derived from the Italian word ‘fianco’, which means ‘flank’, ‘fianchetto’ is a term in chess lingo seen regularly in chess matches. It denotes a bishop’s strong positioning on a chess board. It occurs when a bishop has a clear panel in the diagonal, thus making it one of the most vital pieces at a given time.

File

A file is a column on a chess board on which the chess pieces travel onwards and backwards. All chess pieces at the start of a game are placed on a single file. For example, the kings and queens of two opposing players will be placed on files directly facing each other.

Fish

In the glossary of terms, a ‘fish’ is someone who fares poorly in chess matches. Hence, the term is deemed somewhat derogatory in some chess quarters.

Forced

A ‘forced’ move is something that a chess player is supposed to go for to obliterate a lousy scenario in a game. Sometimes, a player may require more than a single ‘forced’ move to save oneself from an unwanted situation.

Gambit

One of the fancier terms of chess, a ‘gambit’ is a technical move that a player engages in to gain the upper hand over the opponent. A ‘gambit’ involves sacrificing one or more minor chess pieces to lead an attacking onslaught on the rival’s king.

Generally, when a chess game reaches a point when it starts to get stagnant, chess players resort to gambits to bring new life back to the game and make new openings for furthering an attack on the rival.

Recommended Read: How The Popular Netflix Show ‘The Queen’s Gambit’ Introduced The Game To The Current Generation

Grandmaster

A ‘grandmaster’ is a chess player who belongs to the higher echelons of the game’s rankings. Grandmasters are brilliant chess players with very high ratings and regularly fight for the top international honours.

Recommended Read: Hans Niemann Chess Scandal Explained

Horse

‘Horse’ is one of those terms of chess used to denote a knight, and it is an informal word primarily used by amateurs and first-timers in chess.

Howler

A ‘howler’ is often used instead of a chess blunder. Both a howler and a blunder mean almost the same thing, which is a significant tactical error on the part of one chess player that proves very costly in the course of the game.

Mate

Similar to a ‘checkmate’, a ‘mate’ is an instance when a rival king is cornered by pieces of the opposing player. But unlike in a checkmate where the rival king has nowhere to escape, a check can be countered by one or more moves. 

Material

‘Material’, in chess parlance, means the quality of a player’s chess pieces at any given moment in a game. Someone with higher valued pieces will automatically be judged to be in a stronger position to win the game.

Middle Game

The ‘middle game’ is the second part of any chess match. It is named as it falls between the ‘opening’, the first part, and the ‘endgame’, the final part.

The ‘middle game’ ensues once the chess player has completed setting and developing the pieces on the board. This is when the players begin strategizing their games to inflict damage on the opponents.

Recommended Read: 7 Important Middle Game Tips Every Beginner Should Know

Open 

In chess parlance, ‘open’ stands for the situation in a chess match when the pieces are positioned to have enough space to move around the board, and this is the opposite of a ‘closed’ arrangement of pieces on the board.

Opening

The ‘opening’ is the first part of any chess game, and it involves the primary moves made by both players. During this phase, both players engage themselves in developing their individual pieces while also securing their positions.

This is a time when players move their kings to a safe and secure square/tile, having good defensive cover. Players employ a variety of opening moves to experiment with their play.

Recommended Read: 4 Most Aggressive Chess Openings That You Should Know

Over The Board

In the digital age, and especially after the pandemic, more and more chess players are switching to online chess portals to compete against each other. Under these circumstances, some chess terms are becoming more popular.

One among those is the expression ‘over the board’. This means that two players are playing a match on an actual chess board while being physically present on the spot.

Passed Pawn

When it comes to terms of chess, ‘passed pawn’ is an expression used to denote a pawn that has escaped enemy pieces on the board and is safely on its way to the farthest square of the board to get promoted.

From the player’s perspective, this is a very favourable position, as the passed pawn most likely reaches the other side of the board to be promoted to an extra higher valued piece.

Recommended Read:

Promotion

Intricately linked to the previous term, ‘passed pawn’, ‘promotion’ in chess means a situation when a pawn crosses all barriers on the board to reach the last square of the board to be promoted.

When a pawn gets promoted, the player handling the same can opt for any of the higher valued chess pieces, be it a queen, a bishop, a knight, or a rook.

Queening A Pawn

When a pawn gets promoted to a queen, the expression’ queening a pawn’ denotes such an instance. This is a highly advantageous situation in a match, giving players an extra powerful piece at their disposal.

Rank

A ‘rank’ refers to a set of horizontal squares or tiles on a chess board from left to right or vice versa. To give you an example, at the start of any match, all the pawns are stationed next to each other on the second rank of each side.

Rating

A chess ‘rating’ is a number that professional chess players get awarded as per their credibility. The world’s chief international chess governing body, the Federation Internationale des Echecs (FIDE), adheres to the Elo chess rating method to rank players worldwide.

Sacrifice

‘Sacrifice’ is one of those terms of chess that we frequently hear during chess commentary, and it refers to the intentional losing of one or more chess pieces to gain an advantage during a game.

Sealed Move

A rare instance these days, a ‘sealed move’ is a secret move that is not played but recorded in an adjourned match. When the game resumes at a later date, the recorded action is played, and the battle continues.

Space

As can be understood from the word itself, ‘space’ refers to a condition in a chess match when ample room exists for both players to manoeuvre their pieces on the board.

Smothered Mate

A type of checkmate, a ‘smothered mate,’ takes place when an enemy king is barred from making an escape when faced with a mate by its own pieces.

Stalemate

Any chess game that reaches its conclusion with none of the competing players unable to check and mate the opposite king is deemed a ‘stalemate’. A referee calls these types of matches drawn games.

Study

Witnessed during the final part of a chess match, the endgame, a ‘study’ is that moment when both players take time before deliberating moves. This is usually a tense phase of a game when both players have reached a position where the match could go either way.

Sudden Death

When two chess players are left with 30 minutes of official time to finish a game, it is referred to as the ‘sudden death’ period.

Tactics

Integral to the essence of a chess match, ‘tactics’ refers to those sets of moves that players employ to initiate threats and counter-threats at one another.

Tempo

A ‘tempo’ is a term used to signify the speed at which a particular game of chess is played. Every single chess match is played at a different pace, and throughout a game, the tempo does not keep the same and keeps changing according to the strengths and weaknesses of the players.

Next Steps Toward Becoming A Better Chess Player

Now that you have read about the most essential terms of chess, it is time now to look at various online resources to shore up your gaming skills.

If you want to upf=grade your chess playing skills, check out our blog titled Learn All the Rules of Chess Game. Here you will find the rules one must remember before venturing into an amateur or professional career.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is a chess winner called?

In a game of chess, a winner is declared when one player is able to corner and capture the rival king. The moment this occurs, one player calls out “checkmate”, and the game ends.

2. What are ‘terms of chess’?

Every single sport that is played around the world has specific terms that define it. Similarly, chess, too, has a set of words and expressions that are strictly associated with the game of chess, and these help people to better understand and follow the game.

3. What is the first move in chess called?

The first move in chess is known as an ‘opening’, and it is actually not just one single move but several moves. This is when both competing players begin moving their individual pieces to good positions, thereby developing them.

4. What is the last move in chess called?

All chess games end with the move called the ‘checkmate’. This is when the victorious player captures the enemy king, thus reaching the final objective of the match.

Recommended Read:

1. What New Chess Moves Have Been Invented in the Last Year?
2. Is Chess a Board Game or a Sport?
3. Take On The Chess Grandmaster Training
4. Is There Anyone Who Can Dethrone Magnus Carlsen As World No. 1?

When learning about the game of chess, we sometimes stumble upon words and phrases which are difficult to grasp. It’s therefore important that we understand the basic terms and phrases of the chess game if we wish to progress any further in our studies. This will allow us to better interpret analysis, chess books, and other resources with little to no hassle. With that said here are 50 important chess terms every beginner must know:

1. Activity

This defines the freedom of movement or the mobility of chess pieces. Each active piece has a better possibility of positively influencing the game’s outcome, compared with an inactive piece (an underdeveloped, blocked, or cramped piece). An active piece is a key way of assessing a chess position.

2. Adjournment

An over-the-board game might get adjourned when it isn’t concluded in a single session. Once the game is adjourned, one player gets to seal their next move inside an envelope to keep it secret. The sealed envelope is only revealed once the game is resumed at the specified time.

An adjournment is a rare occurrence today since tournament organizers prefer concluding even long games in a single session. The play rate required by most international tournaments is 40 moves within 2 hours, 20 moves within an hour, and for the remaining game, players get 30 extra minutes. The last part of time control is sudden death, which doesn’t need any adjournment.

3. Advantage  

This term defines the winning potential of a color (or one side of the chess game). It is typically based on chess piece positions on the board. If one color (or one side) appears to be winning the game, then that side is said to have a plus, pull, edge, or an ’advantage.’

For example, a ‘clear advantage’ is sufficient to win if correctly played, whereas a ‘slight advantage’ simply provides improved practical chances, even though the player may draw the position with a better play.

A judgment of an advantage should take into consideration complex criteria like the king’s safety (one side’s king is more safe compared with the other), activity (the enhanced influence of pieces), space (more room for maneuvering), material (more pawns or pieces), or other major weaknesses (such as a backward pawn).

4. Attack

A coordinating attempt to aggressively gain an advantage. The main aim of the majority of the attacks is to checkmate the opponent’s king. A carefully executed attack usually forces the opponent to sacrifice pieces as a defense or to accept weaknesses that lead to an advantage for an opponent’s attack.

5. Blockade

A tactical method and a special decoy. This term defines a scenario in which the pawn advance is prevented by placing a piece directly in front of the pawn.

6. Backward Pawn

This is a pawn that can’t be protected by the rest of the pawns on its flanks, as they have moved far ahead. The backward pawn is a primary weakness in the chess position since it has more chances of getting attacked. Its defense requires pieces that are better engaged in another plan.

7. Bad Bishop

This is a bishop whose movement has been typically decreased, because of a friendly pawn positioned on the same colored squares.

8. Checkmate 

 A position in which the king has no chances of avoiding capture. This is the objective end of a chess game.

9. Closed

This is a term that defines a position in which pawns block the movement of pieces around a certain area or the whole board. This is the very opposite of an open position.

10. Combination

 This is a position’s tactical exploitation (forced moves) that lead to a player’s advantage.

11. Cramped

This is the quality of the chess position, which prevents freedom of movement or the mobility of pieces positioned behind pawns of the same color. A cramped position means there is a lack of space. If a player’s position is cramped, then the player lacks the freedom to move (compared with its opponent).

A cramped player can’t switch play from a certain part of the board to another, as quickly as the opponent can. The cramped position is one of the major elements in assessing a chess position.

12. Development

This is the method of moving pieces from their original places to a position in which these pieces can better help the player.

13. Doubled Pawns

 This means two same-colored pawns on the same file. This is usually seen as a disadvantage since the pawns can’t defend one another.

14. Fianchetto

 This is a chess position, evolved through developing the bishop on a long diagonal, specifically g2 and/or b2 squares. This is a pretty strong position, as the bishop can exert maximum pressure along its longest diagonal. The term is derived from ‘fianco,’ an Italian word meaning ’flank.’

15. File

 This is the vertical (down and up) row of squares. Both players’ kings start the game on the same file.

16. Fish

This refers to bad chess players.

17. Forced

A set of moves or a single move is needed to prevent a bad result.

18. Gambit 

This is a speculative material sacrifice for some compensation, as an advantage. Gambits typically involve sacrificing a pawn or a minor piece when the game has reached a complex phase (like a middle game or an opening). This move is challenging, but possible to counter. An obvious material sacrifice for an apparent advantage is known as a combination, not a gambit.

19. Grandmaster

 A highly rated and outstanding chess player.

20. Horse

This is an informal word that refers to a knight. This word is typically used by young players.

21. Howler

 This refers to a bad move. It is a mistake that overlooked a clear tactical response. It is also referred to as a blunder.

22. Mate

This is a shortened version of checkmate. It means a king has no chance to avoid capture.

23. Material

This refers to chess pieces. The player who has better-valued pieces left to play with has a material advantage. Material is another main quality used to assess a chess position.

24. Middle Game

This is the second phase of a game, right after the opening and before the end game. In the middle game, pieces have finished developing or are almost complete, and numerous pieces have been traded or captured as players initiate creative plans or strategies.

25. Open

This means a position in which pawns aren’t blocking pieces from moving in certain parts or all of the board. This is the complete opposite of a closed position.

26. Opening

This refers to the initial phase of the game before the middle and end game. In this phase, players attempt to rapidly develop their pieces, try gaining space for the pieces to move around, and start bringing their king to safety. Various interesting opening lines are documented and analyzed extensively in computer databases and texts.

27. Over the board

This refers to playing chess on a chessboard, as opposed to by email or post.

28. Passed Pawn

This is an advantage in a chess game, in which the pawn’s progress isn’t blocked or guarded by enemy pawns.

29. Position

This refers to the arrangement of chess pieces. The player who has a better placement of pieces has a ‘positional advantage.’

30. Promotion

Once the pawn reaches the last rank, the player can replace it with their choice of a knight, bishop, rook, or queen. If a pawn survives and reaches the last rank, it is rewarded with a promotion to a higher valued piece.

31. Queening a Pawn

This is a unique scenario of a pawn promotion to a queen. This term is usually used to define a promotion in general, as a pawn is typically promoted to a queen.

32. Rank

This refers to the horizontal (right to left) row of squares. All pawns start the game from the player’s second rank.

33. Rating

This refers to the ability of the player, usually a numeric score.

34. Sacrifice

Deliberately losing pieces to gain a potential advantage.

35. Sealed Move

This is a way of secretly recording the next move in an adjourned game (till the game is resumed at a later time).

36. Space

This refers to a chess position that enables better freedom of movement or improved mobility for pieces that are positioned behind the pawns. This is the very opposite of cramped.

If a player’s position appears to have more space, then it means that the player has more freedom to move compared with his/her opponent. The player with better space can easily switch the game from one end of the board to another, rather quickly.

37. Smothered Mate

This is a phrase that defines a checkmate in which there isn’t any escape, as its own pieces are blocking its escape routes.

38. Stalemate

This refers to a game that ends in a draw, as there aren’t any legal moves left.

39. Strategy

This term defines a usual thought process needed to plan the chess game. The strategy has more to do with moves that will be performed in the distant future than calculating the next move.

40. Study

This refers to a composed endgame position, in which significant thought and artful play is needed to end the game in a draw or victory. Commentators typically refer to a position as a study if it is unusually artistic and/or difficult.

41. Sudden Death

This is the time duration in a chess game during which all remaining moves should be completed. The usual rate of play in the majority of international tournaments is 40 moves within 2 hours, 20 moves in 1 hour, and 30 minutes for the remainder of the game. The last 30 minutes to finish the rest of the game is called sudden death.

42. Tactics

This is a term that refers to a short sequence of moves, including threats and counter-threats.

43. Tempo

This refers to the turn at the move. This means chess time as opposed to clock time. This is a slight advantage or an initiative in time for pursuing one’s plans. It is also called a half move or a ply in computer chess terminology. It means the characteristic rhythm or rate of a chess game.

44. Time Control

This indicates the time limit that a chess player has to finish a certain number of moves.

45. Time Trouble

This refers to a situation in which a player must finish up a disproportionate number of moves before the time control.

46. Under Promotion

This means a pawn is promoted to a piece other than the queen. A player can under-promote the pawn to gain a better advantage or to avoid a stalemate.

47. Weakness

This means a flaw in a position, for example, a bad bishop, a shortage of space, a blocked pawn, or any other flaw which ups the chance of losing.

48. Win

This happens when the winning player checkmates or accepts the resignation of an opponent before a checkmate. A win usually occurs when an opponent makes a second to last blunder or mistake.

49. Winning Position

This refers to a chess position from which a player should win with correct play. There are numerous challenging winning positions that can still end in a draw or a loss with alert play by the opponent.

50. Woodpusher

This term refers to a bad chess player.

Post you may like: How to get better at chess?