Chess Dictionary

Chessionary^TM - The Online Chess Dictionary

Search Chessionary

#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

Absolute Pin

A piece that is immobilized because moving it would place the King in check. It is illegal to move the pinned piece in an absolute pin. As shown in the figure (diagram in right), there is an absolute pin on the black knight as moving it would illegally expose the black king to check from the white bishop.

Action

A tournament with game times less than 30 minutes per side to complete each game. Also known as a Quick Chess Tournament.

Adjournment

The postponement of an unfinished game. The player "on the move" seals his/her next move in an envelope only to be opened when the game resumes.

Adjust

To touch a piece or a pawn without the intention of making a move. Adjusting the pieces is generally done to move a piece to the center of the square. A player must announce "I adjust", "Adjust", or "J'adoube" (French for "I adjust") before touching his/her pieces. If the player does not announce "adjust", he/she will be bound to move that piece on his/her next turn.

Algebraic Notation

A system of recording the moves of a chess game in which each square has a designated name.It uses a combination of letters and numbers (a to h horizontally and 1 to 8 vertically from White's point of view) to give each square a unique identity.

The Knight is on square g4
The Pawn is on square g5
The Bishop is on square f2
The Black King is on square e6
The White King is on square d3
The Rook is on square c7
The Queen is on square a8.

Amateur

The distinction between professional and amateur is not very important in chess as amateurs may win prizes, accept appearance fees, and earn any title including World Champion. In the 19th century, "Amateur" was sometimes used in published game scores to conceal the name of the losing player in a Master vs. Amateur contest. It was thought to be impolite to use a player's name without permission, and the professional did not want to risk losing a customer.

Annotation

Commentary on a chess game that attempts to analyse the game by giving alternate moves. Annotation is done after the game is played in either the written form or in person.

Attack

A move that threatens to capture a piece.

Back Rank Checkmate

Checkmate that occurs when a player moves his queen or rook onto the opponant's first rank (8th rank for black, 1st rank for white) to deliver check. The King cannot escape check because he is blocked in by his own pawns.

Backward Pawn

A pawn that has no pawns of it's own color on adjacent files to protect it from attack.

Bad Bishop

A bishop that is blocked in by it's own pawns which rest on the bishop's own color.

Battery

An arrangement of two pieces in line with the enemy king on a rank, file, or diagonal so that if the middle piece moves a discovered check will be delivered. The term is also used in cases where moving the middle piece will uncover a threat along the opened line other than a check.

For example: White's knight protecting his king cannot be moved and if Black forms a battery with his black bishop and either a queen or another bishop once the pawn gets promoted in h1, mate is imminent.(See illustration)

Bishop

A minor piece (with the approximate value of 3 pawns) which moves on diagonals. Each player begins with two bishops on opposite colors. Both bishops can never meet. Each bishop controls half the squares on the chess board, therefore, both bishops can control all the squares on the board. A bishop is most effective in an open position where he has room to move.

Bishops of Opposite Color:

A situation where each player has one bishop that rides on the opposite colors on the chess board. In endgames, players with opposite color bishops most often finish the game in a draw.

Blindfold Chess

A chess game played without seeing the board. Blindfolded players can either actually be blindfolded or simply have his/her back to the board. The moves are called aloud and the blindfolded player must remember where each piece is.

Blitz

Another name for "Speed Chess". Games that are played very quickly; typically with 15 minutes or less on each person's clock.

Blockade

A situation where a piece or a pawn is prevented from advancing by an opposing piece or pawn.

Caissa

The Goddess of Chess. Caissa was first mentioned in the 1763 poem "Caissa" by Sir William Jones.

Castling

A single move that involves transposing the King and the Rook to provide King safety. This is the only move of a chess game wherein two pieces can move simultaneously.

Kingside Castling: The King is moved from e1 (white king) to g1. The rook is then moved to f1. For black, the king is moved from e8 to g8 and the Rook is moved to f8.
Queenside Castling: The King is moved from e1 (white king) to c1. The Rook is moved to d1. For black, the King is moved from e8 to c8 and the Rook is moved to f8.

Castling cannot occur if the following situations are present:

The King is in check. The King cannot castle to escape check.
One of the square which the King must cross is under attack by an enemy piece (the Rook can move through an attacked square, however).
The King or the Rook on the side which a player is intending to castle has moved. Even if the King returns to it's original square, it is now permanently prevented from castling on either side. If the King has not moved and one Rook remains unmoved, the player may castle on the side of the unmoved Rook.

Center

The e4, e5, d4, and d5 squares on the chessboard.

Next>>

| Last

Chess Game, World Chess Champions, Best Chess websites, Free Chess Online, Chess Software

Website Design, web solutions, Software Development, SEO company