Chess Terminology (F)

Chess Terms Starting With "F"

Family fork, family check: A knight fork that attacks more than two opposing pieces concomitantly.

Fianchetto: The development of the bishop to the second square on the file of the adjacent knight (that is, b2 or g2 for white, b7 or g7 for black).

File: A column of the chessboard. A specific file can be named either using its position in algebraic notation, a-h, or by using its position in descriptive notation. For example, the f-file or the king bishop file comprises the squares f1-f8 or KB1-KB8.
Fifty move rule: A rule stating that the game is drawn after fifty moves without a pawn move or capture.

Fool's mate: The shortest possible chess game ending in mate: 1. f3 e5 2. g4 Qh4# (or minor variations on this).

Forced move: A move which is clearly the only one which does not result in immediate catastrophe for the moving player.

Fork: When one piece, generally a knight or pawn, simultaneously attacks two (or more) of the opponent's pieces, often specifically called a knight fork when the attacker is a knight. Some sources state that only a knight can give a fork and that the term double attack is correct when another piece is involved, but this is by no means a universal usage.

Fortress: A fortress is a position that, if obtained by the weaker side, will prevent the opposing side from penetration, this generally resulting in a draw (which the weaker side is seeking).

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