Chess Strategies

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2009-04-23T12:12:00.002-04:00

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Chess - How To Move The Pieces

2007-04-25T14:26:00.000-04:00

Chess - How To Move The Pieces

Now that you have a general idea of the object of the game and the pieces involved, the next step is to learn how to move these pieces around the chess board. Learning how to move the chess pieces is actually not very difficult. Learning how to move them strategically is another thing altogether. Strategic movement will be covered in another article. For now we'll just concern ourselves with moving them legally.

Starting with the lowest ranked piece and moving up, we have the pawn. Pawn's move one square at a time with one exception. On the first move for each individual pawn, that piece may move 2 squares. After its first move it can only move one square at a time. Pawns have a special ability that no other piece has. If it should happen to make its way to the other end of the board it can be promoted to any piece that the player chooses. Sometimes being just a pawn ahead can mean the difference between winning and losing.

One of the strangest moving pieces in the game of chess is the knight. The knight is the only piece in the game that doesn't move in a straight line in some direction. The knights moves are in what they call an L shape. The movement is a total of 3 squares, which can either be 2 squares to the left, right, front or back and 1 square either left or right or front or back afterwards, or 1 square to the left, right, front or back and 2 squares either left or right or front or back. One thing the knight cannot do is retrace its steps. If it goes 2 squares forward it cannot then go 1 square back. Also, the knight cannot go 3 squares in one straight direction. After moving its first 2 squares it must then turn either left or right, if moving forward or backward, or it must go forward or backward if it moved to the right or left. If it sounds confusing, don't worry. You'll get the hang of it fast.

The bishop is easy to follow. Bishops move on diagonals. One bishop starts on the red squares and the other bishop starts on the black squares. So whichever color the bishop starts on, it must stay on that color for the entire game. Bishops can move any number of squares in a turn as long as they don't run off the board.

Rooks are also very easy to follow. Rooks move either forward or backward or left or right. Rooks can also move any number of spaces. The only way a rook can't move is diagonally. Rooks also have a special move with the king which is called castling. Rooks, which are placed at the far left and right of the board in the rear row (we'll go over piece placement later) can move in conjunction with the king to castle provided that the king and the rook you want to move has not already been moved in the game and there are no pieces between them. To easily remember how to castle, simply do the following. To castle king side, move the king all the to the left of the rook on the king side and then place the rook to the left of the king after you have moved the king. To castle queen side, you move the king 2 squares to the left and then move the rook to the right of the king that you just moved.

The final piece is the queen. The queen can move diagonally like the bishops or forward and backward or right and left like the rooks. In other words, the queen can move any way possible except in a knight movement. Queens are the most powerful piece in the game as these moves should show.

Now that you know how the pieces move it's time to get into more advanced instruction. That's coming in our next instalment.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Chess

Understanding The Game of Chess

2007-02-14T16:36:00.001-05:00

Understanding The Game of Chess

Chess is an interesting game and learning it is not difficult. There are three phases of the game. The first ten to fifteen moves make the opening phase, then there's middle game and lastly the end game. However it is not necessary that the game lasts through the three phases. It can end before hand also if someone makes big blunders initially. All the three phases are played differently. One needs to develop the forces in the opening phase. This is done so that the player becomes ready for the middle game. To make yourself perfect in the game, you need to follow some basic steps. These steps are offered by the world class chess players. Of course you need a lot of experience to master the art of playing chess.

When you move a piece from one position to another, it is said to have developed. So, development is the most essential principle that is applied initially. When a piece is developed, its mobility as well as the number of squares it controls increases. You must complete the development before you put any plan to work. Development is essential as it may also develop pressure on your opponent by threatening one of his pieces. Complete the development for it can lead to bad times ahead!

Controlling the centre is very important as this is the place where most of the strategic battles take place. A piece which is placed in the centre exerts big pressure as it controls a number of squares, so it has to be nicely placed. Central pawn moves are preferred in comparison to side pawn moves because the centre is controlled by the movement of the pawn. Regular piece development may also help in controlling the centre.

You should never postpone castling because king safety is very important. It increases the safety of the king and also helps in development of the rook. To be on the safer side, you should go for short castling. You are giving an opportunity to your opponent to attack your king in case you don't castle. However there are cases, when you should not castle.

Planning is the most important step. Make a plan in your mind and play accordingly. You plan should include where the development of pieces will take place. How the pawn moves should also be included in your plan. Importance should also be given to Move Order. Usually, the pawn moves first, so that the centre is controlled properly. The knight moves next as they have a less number of squares to develop. Bishop moves last as they can be developed at a number of squares. Castling should not be postponed. Do not move your queen initially. By doing this, you are actually giving a chance to your opponent to threaten your queen. Develop the heavy pieces also.

When playing the opening game, you should keep certain things in your mind. Let's take an example if White moves first. In total there are 8 pawns, and they can advance up to 2 squares. Other than the two knights, the rest of the pieces cannot be moved. The knights can advance to two squares each. White needs to remember the basic principles- first the development, then controlling the centre and finally formulating a plan. To start the development one may also move the knight. 1.Nc3 and 1.Nf3 are also good moves. However do not place your knight on h3 or a3 as it is far away from the centre. Move the pawns first, so1.e4, 1 .d4 and 1.c4 is good choices. Though 1.f4 move is suitable but it weakens the king slightly. Don't move the pawns a, b, g or h as they do not control the centre. Moves like 1.d3 and 1.e3 are acceptable but they should not be usually made.

White has more options if white plays with 1.e4 and BLACK respond with 1.e5. The White's queen and its bishop that is placed at f1 can also move now. Next, White should include all the basic moves like 2.d4, 2.Nf3, 2.Nc3, 2.Bc4. though there are some other good moves also; these are considered the best ones! White should not move 2.Bd3 as it has some limitations. It prevents the pawns from making advances and bishop's mobility is not increased. The pawn needs to move so 2.Bd3 should not be moved. This is just an example to show as to how you can play chess by following some basic rules and using your own logic and judgment. These basic principles are not universal but you can use them to be on the safer side!

George Wood is a successful webmaster of many popular sites including niche and coaching site. If you want to read more about chess, click over to George's chess site.

Win At Chess With These Special Moves

2007-02-11T00:54:00.000-05:00

The game of chess has many interesting moves and some that can only happen under certain circumstances. In order to play the best game you can, it is wise to know about all the moves so that you can best outwit your opponent.

In order to effectively talk about chess a special method of notation has been devised. This helps identify the squares and positions without having to have a board and pieces always in front of you to illustrate. In this notation the columns (or files as they are called in chess) are identified with a letter and the rows (or ranks) are identified with a number. If you are looking at a chessboard from the perspective of the white player, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The back or closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one (the one the pawns are on) is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. See how easy that is?

Now that you know how chess notation works and you have a chess board visualized in your head, we can talk about some of the special chess moves.

En Passant

If you have played even only 1 game of chess you know that pawns have some special rules. For example, they can only capture a piece that is placed diagonally in front of them. Also, on it's initial move, a pawn can move up two squares instead of just one. However, there is a special case for this - if an enemy pawn could have captured it had it only moved 1 square, the enemy is still able to capture.

This move is called 'en passant' and can only be used on the very next move after the pawn is advanced 2 spaces - if you do not capture then, you cannot do it at a later move.

Here's an example - BLACK has a pawn at d4; WHITE moves his e2-pawn to e4; had WHITE moved to e3m the BLACK d4 pawn would have been able to capture so now he can capture en-passant on his next move. But if BLACK decides to make another move instead, he gives up his right to capture.

Castling

The King can make a special chess move called 'castling' and it is, in fact, recommended that you do this during the opening phase of the game. This is a defensive move which increase thesafety of the King. Castling has two forms - 'short' and 'long'. Here's how it works:

Say the white King is on e1 with the white Rook on h1 (this is the initial setup at the start of the game). You can make the move called short castling by moving the King to g1 and the Rook to f1. This move does have some restrictions - the squares in between the Rook and King must be empty, neither the Kind or Rook can have been moved before and the King cannot be in check. Note that even though you move two pieces, this is considered to be one move.

Long castling has the same rules and is a similar move but uses the Rook on the a file instead. In this scenario, the King ends on c1 and the Rook ends on d1.

Promotion

You might think the pawns are not very useful but if you can get your pawn to the other side of the board he can be promoted. This means the you can replace the pawn with any same colored piece you want with the exception of a king or pawn. Needless to say most people choose to replace the pawn with a queen.

There are some other situations in chess that novice players might not be aware of. For instance, a game can very easily end in a draw. This can happen when neither side has enough material to checkmate the opponent. This would happen if one player had a Bishop and King while another had only a King - no matter how many times you try you cannot get the opponent into checkmate so the game ends in a draw.

The chess game might also end in a draw if you have to repeat the same move 3 times as their are no other choices, if no advance or pawn capture has happened in the last 50 moves or stalemate. Stalemate can happen when a player who is not in check has no valid moves. If a player can continuously checkmate another player any time he wishes then he can claim a draw by "continuous check".

Lee Dobbins writes for many online publications. Visit chess-moves.info to learn more about the game of chess and see this article in more detail and with diagrams of the special moves.

Chess Clock - How We Use One In A The Modern Game Of Chess

2007-02-01T18:27:00.000-05:00

An increasingly popular variation on the standard 'International' chess is known as speed chess. The game involves the use of a chess clock to measure a set period of time in which each player has to make their move, and if the chess clock runs out on a player, they automatically forfeit the match. Not for the feint hearted, speed chess is only recommended for advanced players with an in-depth knowledge of the game, etiquette and strategy of chess.

Speed Chess takes its origins in standard chess, and is a more convenient way of squeezing in a game in your coffee break, or whenever you have spare moment. All you need is a standard chess board and set, a chess clock (which will have two independent clocks and the ability to singularly stop each clock as they count down) and a willing opponent. All the normal rules of chess apply, except in a few specific instances when they are overridden by new rules to regulate such speedy play.

An interesting twist on the rules of speed chess as opposed to standard International Chess rules, is that it is the players obligation to watch both his and his opponents chess clock. If the either clock runs out, the player with the active clock automatically wins, although it is up to him to call his victory, and if he fails to take notice, the game may continue until he does take notice. Having said that, the status of the clocks outweighs any positioning on the board, so even if a player would have won a standard game, if his clock runs out he forfeits. Additionally, in speed chess, if a player makes an illegal move at any stage in the game, regardless of the chess clock, he again forfeits to his opponent.

In speed chess, the chess clock may be set to either 3 or 5 minutes, although rarely other timings can be used. It is a fast-paced, entertaining game, which is both riveting and inspiring to watch, and arguably would draw more attention than an ordinary standard match. Before learning or playing speed chess as a separate entity, it is vital to master the fundamentals of standard International chess, as many of the same foundational rules apply, as well as allowing you to get a grip on the various pieces and their uses. Speed chess is only really recommended for the more accomplished player, as it demands lightening fast reactions to avoid the chess clock, although for the beginner to intermediate, it is also great fun. It is also advisable to get a full run down on the rules which can easily be located online, to avoid the potential for any disputes which may arise from this great variation on the standard game of chess.

So if you have the time, why not give speed chess a go? There's a fair chance if you go to your local chess club, someone will be game for a match, or why not try teaching a friend how to play? The best idea for improving at speed chess is practice, and in no time at all, you'll realize a startling improvement to both your speed chess and your understanding of the game as a whole.

Clive Jenkins recommends the Chess Clock website which provides comprehensive information on all aspects of the game of Chess. To find articles, tips and free information and advice check out the site here: http://www.chessclocksite.com

Learn To Play Chess Today

2007-01-27T18:49:00.000-05:00

Have you ever watched a chess game and wondered how the heck the game works?

On one level it looks kind of like checkers, but not all the pieces are shaped the same and they move in strange and mysterious ways. If you've ever wanted to be one of those intelligent looking folks sitting on either side of the chess table, then this guide can help you learn how to play. It's not that difficult and you can even be playing your first game by the end of the day!

To make it easier to talk about chess pieces and moves on the board, a special method of notation has been devised. In chess the rows on the board are called ranks and the columns are files. In this notation the files are identified with a letter and the ranks are identified with a number. So when looking at a chessboard from the "white" side, the leftmost file is 'a', the one next to it 'b' and so on until the last file which is 'h'. The closest rank for white is 'rank 1', the next one is 'rank 2' and so on until the last rank, which is the back row for black and is 'rank 8'. So the when using chess notation, the leftmost back square for white would be called 'a1', the square directly above 'a2' an so on. Isn't that easy?

A game of chess has 3 basic phases - the opening, midgame and endgame. The opening begins the game and is the first 10 or 15 moves. During the opening you should concentrate on getting your pieces into a good position (called promotion). But what is a good position? Typically it is good to control the center of the board and of course you want to be sure your king is protected. You should have some sort of general plan in mind when promoting your pieces - don't worry as you get more experience playing it will be easier to come up with these "plans". The middlegame is when you play your battles and try to take more of the opponenets pieces than he takes of yours. The endgame comes when there are only a few pieces left to play with and eventually ends in either a draw or checkmate.

Not all the chess pieces behave the same. Each one moves in a different way and has different rules. A piece may capture an opponents piece by landing on the square of the opponents piece - the captured piece is then removed from the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponents king so this piece must always be protected. The King can only move 1 square at a time but he can go in any direction, vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The only restriction is that he cannot move into a square that would allow him to be captured (or checkmated) by the opponenet as this would be a huge blunder that would end the game. So, looking at an empty board with a king on e4, he can move to e3,e5, d4, f4, d3, f3, d5, f5.

Th Queen is the most powerful piece and can move in all directions but unlike the King can move any number of square without having to "jump over" another piece. A Queen that is on d4 has 27 possible moves and can move to any square on the d file, any square on the 4th rank all 7 squares on the a1-h8 diagonal as well as all 6 squares on the 'b7-g1' diagonal.

The Bishop is initially placed on either side of the King and Queen and can only move on diagonals but can move as many squares as he wants. Because of this, the Bishops will always stay on same colored squares. He is slightly more valuable than a Knight.

The Knight is placed next to the bishop and is the piece that looks like a horse on a typical chess set. This piece moves in a strange way - the movements form an L. It can move in any direction and is the only piece that can skip over other pieces. Namely it moves two squares horizontally and one vertically or vice versa. Therefore, a Knight on d7 (Nd7) can move to b8, b6, c5, e5, f6 or f8.

The Rook is placed on the end squares next to the Knight which often looks like a castle. It can move along files and ranks as many squares as it wants. The Rook is the second most valuable piece. A Rook placed on b5 can move to all 7 squares on the fifth rank, as well as all 7 squares on the b file.

The Pawns are the smaller pieces that are in the front row and have the simplest moves as they can move only one square forward. There is one exception - on the pawns initial move, it can move two squares forward. Unlike other pieces it cannot capture a piece directly in front of it but can only capture on a diagonal. The pawn is the least valuable piece but it does have the distinction of being able to be "promoted". If a pawn reaches the opposite end of the board it can be replaced with any same color piece of the players choice which is most usually the Queen.

Visit Chess Moves Info to learn more about the game of chess including some special moves and diagrams.

The Real Reason We Buy Theme Chess Sets

2007-01-22T00:40:00.000-05:00

I mean - what's the point exactly? Why would someone buy something that collects dust, takes up interior real estate and - guess what - ya can barely play chess with it? Unless you don't mind checking each time you move that the pawn is the pawn and bishop is the bishop and the other pieces are theother pieces. Ooops - I didn't actually mean to move my queen into a position to be taken by your pawn - I just couldn't distinguish it from the bishop? Errr... could I possibly re-take my move?

A chess set always provided artisans with the perfect medium to express themselves in such a way that their craft would result in something marketable. They could have concentrated on vases or other benign ornaments to satisfy the female need for feathering the nest and for the male need for the female to feather the nest so that they could settle down with a cold beer in a place that didn't resemble prison cell with a single picture placed on the wall as disguise. But no. They had to go for chess, in order to offend the gazillion chess enthusiasts is the world who need to distinguish the pieces from each other in a micro second glance in order to complete our - errr, I mean their... crushing move. They had to invade the space of staunton afficianados with their battle of waterloo' or 'Isle of Lewis' and other designs. If you ask me.., err, I mean most chess players, those Isle of Lewis pieces should have stayed just where they were - in some Scottish Highland cave, away from staunton, away from chess and away from disturbing our staunton peace. Pah!

Protection of a 'gift'
The truth of the matter is, that from a chess retail point of view - theme chess sets have a sort of an inbuilt buffer from being continually rejected as the johnny-come-lately of chess. Think about what actualy happens - most purchases of theme sets are for gifts - they're perfect gifts for someone that wish they could play the game but can't. Perfect. Buying a theme battle of Culloden chess set for someone is like crediting them with the belief that they are a master of the game and don't even have to know which one is the rook and which the pawn - they'll still cane the opposition with a hand tied behind their back. What a gesture! What a politician! As for blemishes, ahhh, it's a gift for Uncle Harold - he'll check it out. As for Uncle Harold - ahhh, it was a gift, didn't cost me anything, that little blemish isn't anything to worry about. And what a wonderful gift (Harold: 'I don't even know how the play the game', but he obiously thinks I'm a master - what a wonderful chap - awwww... family is wonderful!')

Cranial one-upmanship
Whether a gift or otherwise, these monstrosities of chess impurity, nay! chess invasion are the consumate one-upmanship. In one master stroke - a theme chess set owner has an item which does two things masterfully. Visitors see immediately - rather like the Mercedes in the driveway - that this man is a man to be given recognition! Look - he appreciates history! He has a Richard the Lionheart chess set! And,... and.. yes, it's a chess set - the man plays chess! Do not meddle with this fellow - he is a man to be accorded honour! This masterful stroke is at once a stroke that is inexpensive, appreciated, honour-giving, king-making and a public declaration that the recipient is nothing short of deserving of high office!

Theme chess sets - they might seem a complete travesty of chess purity and chastity - but look further - they are a politicians gesture, a wise mans act and a chess players Checkmate!

By Baron Turner of ChessBaron - Chess Sets, Chess Boards, Chess Pieces from Canada and Chess Sets from the USA - ChessBaron has over 300 sets, many are theme chess sets including the Isle of Lewis Chess Set, Battle of Waterloo, Battle of Hastings and many more from ChessBaron UK, USA, France or Canada. Or buy Staunton chess from us for real chess for real men :)

Chess Set Choices for the Young, the Old, and the Young at Heart

2007-01-19T22:47:00.000-05:00

Getting a chess set for yourself, or someone else can be a really difficult decision. There are so many different styles, materials and prices. If this is your first experience in buying a chess set you may not really be aware of what is available to you. Or, if the only set you have ever owned is one of those very simple plastic and cardboard sets you may really be in for some sticker shock when you look at the really fancy sets. You can choose from a themed set that has pieces designed from pop culture or sports or you can get a more traditional war themed chess set. You can even buy the pieces and board individually and create your own customized set.

A chess set for a child who is just beginning to show an interest in chess should be fairly simple and inexpensive. This way if the pieces in the chess set get broken or lost, you can replace them without a lot of expense or trouble. They may also lose interest after just a short time and then you don't lose a big investment. But, if they are serious about chess, as many children are today, you may want to get them a better chess set. There are many child-friendly themed sets that are really fun. You can choose from the Simpsons, the Muppets, Star Wars, Cats and Dogs, or the Lord of the Rings among many others.

If none of these types of sets appeal to your more sophisticated adult tastes, you may want to look at some war themed sets. You can find a chess set with a Civil War or Revolution theme or even a theme from a particular battle. There is a set which glorifies the history of the sport of golf and another that is a depiction if the rivalry between the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox teams.

Sets can be purchased in mahogany, marble, or 24 carat gold plating. Before you buy any of these quality sets, check for durability and good construction of the pieces and the board. You may decide that this will become a family heirloom to be passed down from generation to generation.

If nothing else appeals to you, you can always design or even construct your own set with materials, boards, and individual pieces from a specialty store or online dealer.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about choosing a chess set visit http://www.romchess.com

Chess Rules for Kids and Beginners

2007-01-09T20:39:00.000-05:00

If you or your kids want to learn chess rules so that you can start to play one of the greatest games ever invented, you may be intimidated if you try to read a book or manual of instructions. There are many so many different strategies in chess that you may be overwhelmed. Really all you need to know to get started are the chess rules basics. Once you learn how to set up the board, how to move the pieces and what the object of the game is, you can start to play. Here are some chess rules to get you started:

1. The chess board: The board has 8 rows of 8 squares which alternate between black and white (or light and dark) colored squares. To begin according to chess rules, the pieces are in two rows right in front of each player on opposite sides of the board.

2. The pieces: pieces are called "white" or "black" because of traditional chess rules, but they can be any color. Each player has 8 pawns, 2 rooks (castles), 2 knights (horses), 2 bishops, 1 queen and 1 king. The pawns are in the front row and the rooks, knights, bishops, and the king and queen are on the back row.

3. How the pieces move in chess rules: Pawns: They can move straight forward two squares for their first move and forward one square every time after that. If they are going to "capture" the other player's piece they can move forward diagonally one square to the left or right.

Rooks: They can move straight forward, backwards or sideways, but they cannot jump over a piece.

Knights: One of the trickier chess rules is how the knights move. They can move two spaces forward and one space to the left or right-kind of like an L.

Bishops: The bishops can move diagonally across the board but they cannot jump pieces.

Queen: The queen can move forward, backwards, or side to side, but she cannot jump any pieces.

King: The king can move one space in any direction: forward, backwards, side to side or diagonally.

The object of the game is to protect your own king and to capture the other player's king. You will also want to capture as many of the other player's pieces as possible. Once you learn and understand the basic rules, you can learn the harder strategies and rules.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about chess rules visit http://www.romchess.com

Chess Strategy and How to Learn It

2007-01-02T23:32:00.000-05:00

Do you want to learn chess strategy? Most beginning chess players do not worry about learning the strategies involved with the game or any complex move combinations because the important thing in the beginning is to learn how the pieces move and what the rules are. But, once you have mastered the basics, or at least feel comfortable with them, you will probably want to learn some chess strategy. Chess strategy can take your game to another higher level and you will be able to hold your own against better more experienced players and make it even more intellectually stimulating.

Are you involved in a chess club in your local area? Or, have you been learning from a friend or family member? One of the best ways to learn chess strategy is to learn from more experienced players. Head down to your local chess club, and ask some of the better players if you can watch a match or if they would be willing to teach you as you play them. Playing in chess tournaments or watching match tournaments is another way to learn chess strategy. The interaction is great because you can get immediate feedback and ask questions as you go.

Books are another resource for learning chess strategy. There are actually quite a few books written especially on this topic. Some are written in a style that is more suitable for beginners while others are for more advanced players. Find one that suits your style and skill level and read it over. You can possibly check one out from the library. With a book you can pick it up and put it down and read over parts that you don't understand until you do understand them.

Chess strategy can also be learned by playing a computer chess game or playing online. Whether you choose to play against the computer as an opponent or another player you will learn from the strategies that they employ. Online chess sites often have message boards and chat rooms in which you can discuss strategy with players from all skill levels and abilities.

Chess is one of the original "war games." It is based on strategy and maneuvers. Just as a general would not lead his troops out into battle without a plan and strategy for moves and counter moves, a chess player does not go into a match without a strategy to emerge a winner.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about chess strategy visit http://www.romchess.com

Play Chess! Your Mind Will Thank You!

2006-12-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

Have you ever seen a news story or magazine article about teaching inner city kids to play chess? While this may seem like just a feel good story, the benefits of playing chess are documented for children as well as adults of all ages. People who play chess experience intellectual benefits as well as social and emotional benefits. If you think that chess is boring, or that you are not smart enough to play chess or that you are too old, there are some things that you should know about chess.

1. Playing chess builds and helps to maintain intellectual abilities. When children who are in inner-city at risk schools are involved in a chess program either through the school, or another local organization they not only learn how to play chess, they also improve their math and reading skills as well. Test scores of children who learned to play chess showed an amazing improvement over the course of just a year's time. Even kids who were not the best chess players still showed improvement. Meanwhile, at the other end of the spectrum, adults who play chess also improve their brain function and it helps their memory and may delay or diminish the effects of Alzheimer's disease.

2. Chess has social and emotional benefits as well. Children who are involved in playing chess either at school or in some other group can build skills such as learning about how to be a good winner and loser. They learn about fairness and not cheating. They also learn confidence and self-esteem as they improve their skills. Communication is improved as the children communicate with other children and adults while they play the game and discuss strategies and moves.

3. When you play chess you develop more creativity, problem solving skills, and long term strategy planning. As a child or adult first starts learning the game of chess, they may just be planning one move at a time. They do not have the skills to think ahead. But as they improve, they get better at thinking more moves in the future and planning strategies and counter strategies to defend their pieces as well as capture their opponent's pieces. These are skills that can be used in real life as well.

Chess has been around in one form or another for over 2,000 years. The appeal of this game lies in its ability to challenge player's intellect and strategy.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about how to play chess visit http://www.romchess.com

Chess Rules -- Do You Know How To Play?

2006-12-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Chess' rules are legendarily complicated, to the point where many people don't play simply because they claim not to be able to remember how all the pieces move. Once you get to grip with what everything is and what it can do, however, the rules don't look so complicated after all.

There are only six different pieces in chess: the king and queen, bishops, rooks, knights and pawns. The king is the piece with a cross on the top, while the queen has a crown. The ones with pear-shaped tops are bishops, and the ones with round tops are the pawns. Finally, the horse is the knight and the little castle is the rook - calling them 'horsey' and 'castle', while fun, is likely to annoy serious chess players.

When you set up a chess board, one side is white and the other is black. Each side gets a rook, a knight, a bishop, a queen, a king, a bishop, a knight and a rook on its back row, in that order. The second row is all pawns. Players can move any piece at any time, and landing on one of the other player's pieces will capture that piece, removing it from the board.

How chess pieces move can be difficult to remember, but don't worry too much - there are only six different pieces, after all. Here goes. The queen can move any number of spaces in any direction. The rook moves the same way, but can't move diagonally, while the bishop moves the same way but only diagonally. The king can move in any direction, but only one space at a time. Pawns can only move one or two spaces forward, or diagonally to capture a piece. Finally, the knight can move two spaces in any non-diagonal direction, and then one space in another (but not back where it came). Simple, right?

The ultimate object of the game, however, is more complicated than you might expect. Instead of simply removing all the other player's pieces from the board, as in checkers or draughts, you must checkmate the king, which means make it impossible for the king to escape capture. If you have few pieces left, this could be difficult, or even not possible.

John Gibb is the owner of Chess resources, For more information on Chess check out http://www.chess-resources-and-info.info

Chess Tactics & Strategy

2006-12-06T23:31:00.000-05:00

Chess tactics and strategy are incredibly complicated, to the point where even a computer can't work out the best strategy in every situation. There are literally millions of possibilities, making it impossible to evaluate them all.

For this reason, chess strategy has been getting gradually more advanced through the ages, as masters of the time write books about their strategies and influence the next generation of players. This also means that observing a particular player's strategies can make it easier to work out how to beat them, regardless of how much you know about chess itself.

While advanced chess strategy and tactics would take years or even a lifetime to learn (it is, in fact, pretty much impossible to learn it all), we can lay out two basic moves here, just to get you started.

To begin with, pretty much the most common move in any game of chess is to pin the other player's pieces. Pinning is when you use one of your pieces to stop the other player from moving one of theirs, as doing so would allow you to take an important piece such as a rook or a queen. A skilled chess player can easily stop almost all your pieces from moving anywhere, effectively controlling your side of the board as well as their own.

A skewer is pretty much the same move as a pin, only the other way around: the more important piece is the one in front, not the one behind. It appears that you are moving your piece into the line of fire, but in reality they are covered. If your opponent takes your piece, they will lose their important piece to your covering piece in the next move, but if they don't take it, then your piece is in a position to take them. This forces them to move their important piece out of the way, allowing you to take the weaker one behind.

John Gibb is the owner of Chess resources, For more information on Chess check out http://www.chess-resources-and-info.info

Improve Your Game At Chess

2006-12-02T18:45:00.000-05:00

Chess is more than just a game, it's an art. No matter how good you are at it, and no matter how many strategies, openings, endings and techniques you know in it, there is always something new you can try. It is all about planning, good observation, quick and calculated thought and predicting the opponent's moves. The game of chess is probably the only game where there is no such thing as luck.

To become a good chess player, you need understand yourself. Understanding how you make your decisions and how you go forth to achieve your goals.

If you are one of those people who take every step with caution, avoid taking risks and not ready to lose anything you have to gain something new, then play defensively. Playing defensive has its advantages especially if your opponent is someone who plays very aggressive. What you need to concentrate on is you pawn positioning. Play defensive and avoid exchanging pieces, keep blocking the opponent from breaking through and wait for a mistake or opening to go on the attack.

If you believe in taking risks without losing too much, then play aggressive by reinforcing all your pieces by one another. The key pieces for you in this kind of strategy are the knights. Position your bishops and queen to target an area on the board and then use your knights to create an opening for them. Use your pawns as distractions by attacking with them the area you do not plan to exploit. Most expert chess players use this strategy.

If you are an adventurous and aggressive personality, who lives dangerously and loves taking risks, then play exactly the way your personality is. Make an aggressive opening and try to reinforce the center of the board. Do not mind exchanging pieces but save your rooks and queen for the later game. This strategy of exchanging pieces mercilessly is called the 'Butcher method'. Force the opponent to move his king and then capitalize on it by attacking the area where his king is.

Learn the basics of chess to perfection then improve your game by playing more often and better players. See the famous games played by the grandmasters of chess and learn to think how they think. However, once you have become good enough by learning from others, then its time to get even better by making your own moves and strategies. Keep in mind, self belief and knowing who your opponent is, is the key to victory in chess.

Kadence Buchanan writes articles on many topics including Games, Boating, and Football

The History of Chess

2006-11-25T19:03:00.000-05:00

The history of chess isn't especially clear - there's hardly a country in the world that doesn't claim to have invented it, including China, Egypt, Greece, Uzbekistan and (most unbelievably) Ireland. Given the evidence, however, it seems most likely than the game of chess has its origins in 6th century India, and was then refined in Persia, from where it travelled to Europe and much later on to America.

The word 'chess' itself is believed to be a mangled pronunciation of the Persian word 'shah', which means king (and is still used today, as in 'Shah of Iran'). 'Checkmate', in this theory, comes from 'shah mat', which is Persian for 'the king is finished'.

Chess is notable in the development of games because it does not use dice, meaning that there is no element of luck involved - it is a game of pure skill and strategy. One Indian legend has the game being created by a wise man who was asked by a king to create a game that would enhance his mental abilities and have nothing to do with luck.

While India is keen to claim chess, however, it is hotly disputed. Most Chinese people believe that China invented chess, and also believe that the game is far inferior to Go, which is both older and generally considered more difficult. The Chinese point out that Go has existed since at least 2,000BC, and is played without dice, making it a very likely inspiration for chess.

Iran (Persia), on the other hand, claims that chess is derived from its invention of backgammon, and cite writings and poems that seem to put its date further back than the Indian version. There is no doubting that the version of chess that came to Europe we play today came mainly from Persia, but it is difficult to know exactly where Persia got its inspiration from.

John Gibb is the owner of Chess resources, For more information on Chess check out http://www.chess-resources-and-info.info

The Chess Challenge

2006-11-22T16:37:00.000-05:00

One day that I was old enough to understand the importance of strategic maneuvering when playing a game, my father decided that it was time for me to learn chess. Within a couple of months, I was carrying the chess board everywhere I was going, inviting friends to challenge my new game abilities. I still remember the reactions of those who have never been introduced to chess. They used to look me straight into the eyes asking me why they should waste their time playing such a difficult and boring game. I do not know even where to begin in order to describe what a beautiful game chess really is. With its variety of sacrifices and combinations, those who are eager to learn how it feels to belong to the winner's side can advance their gaming experience through chess. Having the opportunity to outwit your opponent either on the tactical or the positional level, chess is in fact a game that requires a constantly working mind. Perhaps it is "difficult" game, but this is the only way one can really be proud of the attained goal of winning a worthy opponent. Now in relation to the accusation of chess being boring, after playing chess frequently for more than ten years in a row, I really cannot describe how far away from the truth this statement really is.

First of all, if you are up to the chess challenge, you have to begin by learning the rules of the game. Being an abstract strategy board game, chess is played by two players on a square board that combines eight rows-called ranks -and eight columns-called files. Its simple design creates sixty-four squares of alternative color; one darker than the other. Each of the players is assigned to sixteen pieces (units) at the beginning of the game, which as the game progresses they are eliminated by the opponent's movements on the board. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponent. This practically means that one of the players has successfully managed to perform all the appropriate strategic movements so as to threaten the opponent's king from moving. It has to be stressed that due to the variety of the chess pieces and their distinct abilities on the game's board, chess has successfully become one of the world's most popular games.

Garry Kasparov and Robert Fischer-or Bobby-have been famous chess players worldwide, due to their exceptional abilities in combining the art of chess with the strategic maneuvering entailed in disciplines of science. Considered by many funs to be a "mental martial art," chess has gained its popularity among the nations of Asia, Europe and the Americas. Generally known as Western Chess or International Chess, to be distinguished from its many variations, the chess I was taught by my father is currently being played in a number of counties, some of which claim to have invented its original form. The most commonly held view is that chess originated in India, since the Arabic, Persian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess all come from the Sanskrit game Chaturanga.

Currently, chess funs can be found anywhere from Japan to Sweden and chess players can locate their future opponents on the online forums and websites specifically designed to the pleasure of playing chess. If you are considering taking up the chess challenge, visit your local chess listings and you will be surprised of how many people are daily committed in exercising their mental abilities via a fun and instructive game like chess.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Games, Boating, and Tennis.

Online Chess: Play Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime!

2006-11-16T01:26:00.000-05:00

Have you ever played online chess? If you haven't you should know that it is a fun way to build your chess skills while enjoying one of the greatest games ever invented. The internet has revolutionized the way we do everything, even the way we enjoy our leisure time. Online chess is just one more example of this. You can play online chess with someone sitting in the house next door, or someone who lives continents away. Even though many people prefer to play chess with someone face to face, online chess is one way that you can play anytime of day or night without searching for a partner.

One of the first considerations when you are looking for an online chess site is the price. There are quite a few free chess sites where you can play games and even in tournaments for free. This is a very good option if you are still a beginning chess player or if you are looking for an online chess site for your child (there are kid-specific sites as well.) However the graphics and features on these sites may not be quite as advanced as those on the paid subscription sites. These online chess sites may also have more ads and pop-ups, so you would need to make sure that they are safe for children if it is not a child-specific site.

Most paid subscription sites will offer a trial period of a certain amount of days or games played. You may be required to enter credit card information when you apply for the trial period, so this is something you may want to think carefully about. A paid subscription to an online chess site can cost anywhere from under $10 up to $60 a year. Some subscriptions (both free and paid) have premium membership plans which will have an additional charge. These sites are good if you are really a serious player an you want better features and graphics with fewer advertisements.

One note: some sites will allow you to search around the site without a log-in or registration of any kind, while others do not allow you to access many of the features unless you give them some personal information first. You may want to look at a site which reviews chess sites to see which ones have the features you are looking for.

Then, you can play in tournaments, play the same player over and over, or play a random player. On many sites you can choose the skill level at which you want to play.

Eriani Doyel writes articles about Home and Family and Hobbies. If you would like more information about online chess visit http://www.romchess.com

How Chess Terms Were Derived

2006-11-15T17:36:00.000-05:00

I’ve always been fascinated by chess. Today, I’m a whiz at planning strategy and using the various pieces to best advantage. But I still remember how I got hooked on chess as a young kid. Of course, like most kids, my love affair with chess started by watching my elders play. My eyebrows would always rise and I would always be spellbound whenever one of my elder cousins would exclaim “checkmate” which a triumphant smile and a gleam in his eyes. I told myself, I want that feeling, too. So, I started to play chess.

When I found out exactly how checkmate got its meaning, I was hooked all the more. Apparently, the word ‘checkmate’ comes from the English translation of the Persian phras “shah mat” which means “the king is finished”. As an impressionable young child with dreams of heroism and courage in warfare, slaying an opponent’s king was the ultimate for me. And even the pieces have such interesting meanings.

For example, the word ‘rook’ came from the word ‘rath’ in Sanskrit which is translated as ‘chariot.’ However, it has other meanings in other languages. In Persia, it refers to the word ‘roc’ which is a great mythical bird with supernatural powers. In India, the piece is called ‘haathi’ or ‘elephant.’

Interesting enough, the bishop is also called ‘elephant’ or ‘pil’ in Persia. There were little or no elephants in Europe and the west, yet the reference to this piece as an elephant spread there nonetheless. In Russia, the bishop is referred to as a ‘slon’ the Russian word for elephant. In Spain, the piece is called ‘alfil,’ which is believe to have come from the Arabic words for elephant (al is the, fil is elephant). The piece was previously only referred to as a bishop in England mainly because the original shape of the piece fetured the tusk of an elephant which resemble a bishop’s mitre.

The there’s the queen. The piece was originally called ‘farzin’ or ‘vizier’ in Persia and ‘firzan’ in Arabic. In Russia, the piece was called the ‘fers.’ It is also known as ‘alfferza’ in Western Europe.

Jonathon Hardcastle writes articles on many topics including Games, Tennis, and Boating

Chess Terminology (Z)

2006-08-04T07:03:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "Z"

Zeitnot (from the German): see Time pressure above.

Zugzwang (from the German): When a player is put at a disadvantage by having to make a move. Usually occurs in the endgame, and rarely in the middlegame.

Zwischenzug (from the German): An "in-between" move played before the expected reply.

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Chess Terminology (X)

2006-08-03T03:18:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "X"

X-ray attack: The threat of a piece to move through a square presently occupied by an enemy piece.

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Chess Terminology (V)

2006-07-30T02:11:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "V"

Variation: An opening strategy that is a subset of another. For an example, see the Dragon Variation of the Sicilian Defense.

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Chess Terminology (S)

2006-07-29T13:37:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "S"

Sacrifice: When one player voluntarily gives up material in return for an advantage such as space, development, or an attack. A sacrifice in the opening is called a gambit.

Scholar's mate: A four-move checkmate (common among novices) in which White plays 1. e4, follows with Qh5 (or Qf3) and Bc4, and finishes with 4. Qxf7#.

Score: A record that each player must keep of the moves of the game, usually in algebraic notation.

Semi-open game: Any chess opening that results in some open lines, but not many. Often begins with White playing 1.e4 and Black playing a move other than 1...e5 (which are also called Half-open or Asymmetrical King Pawn openings.) See also Open game and Closed game.

Simplification: A strategy of exchanging pieces of equal value. This strategy might be used defensively to reduce the size of the attacking force, or to amplify a material advantage. Also trading.

Simultaneous chess: A form of chess in which one (usually expert) player plays against several (usually novice) players simultaneously. Is often an exhibition.

Skewer: An attack to a valuable piece, compelling it to move to avoid capture and thus exposing a less valuable piece which can then be taken. Sometimes called a Thrust.

Smothered mate: A checkmate delivered by a knight in which the mated king is unable to move owing to it being surrounded (or smothered) by its own pieces.

Space: The squares controlled by a player. A player controlling more squares than the other is said to have a spatial advantage.

Spanish bishop: A White king bishop developed to the b5 square. This is characteristic of the Ruy Lopez, also known as the Spanish Opening.

Stalemate: A position in which a player's king is not in check and the player has no legal move. A game is drawn if one of the kings is stalemated.

Swindle: A ruse by which a player in a losing position tricks his opponent, and thereby achieves a win or draw instead of the expected loss.

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Chess Terminology (T)

2006-07-29T13:36:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "T"

Tabia or Tabiya: (from Arabic) The initial position of the pieces in Shatranj
The final position of a well-known chess opening (from 2) The opening position from which two players familiar with each others' tastes begin play.

Tactics: Play characterized by short-term attacks and threats, often requiring extensive calculation by the players, as distinguished from positional play.

Tempo: An extra move, an initiative at development. A player gains a tempo (usually in the opening) by making the opponent move the same piece twice or defend an enemy piece. In the endgame, one may wish to lose a tempo by triangulation to gain against the opposition. (Plural: tempi).

Threefold repetition: The game is drawn if the same position occurs three times with the same player to move, and with each player having the same set of legal moves each time (the latter includes the right to take en passant and the right to castle).

Thrust: See Skewer above.

Time: Opportunities to make moves. A move that does not alter the position significantly is described as "wasting time", and forcing the other player to waste time is described as "gaining time".

Time pressure, time trouble or zeitnot: A player having very little time on their clock (especially less than five minutes) to complete their remaining moves. See Time control.
Touched piece rule/touch move rule: The rule stating that a player who touches a piece with at least one legal move is obliged to move that piece. Castling is considered a move of the king and not of the rook. If an opponent's piece is touched it must be captured if possible. A player wishing to touch a piece to adjust its position on a square without being required to move it signals this intent by saying "J'adoube" or "I adjust".

Transposition: Arriving at a position using a different sequence of moves.

Triangulation: A technique used in king and pawn endgames (less commonly seen with other pieces) to lose a tempo and gain the opposition.

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Chess Terminology (U)

2006-07-29T12:38:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "U"

Underpromotion: Promoting a pawn to a rook, bishop, or knight instead of a queen.

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Chess Terminology (R)

2006-07-16T18:38:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "R"

Rank: A row of the chessboard. Specific ranks are referred to by number, first rank, second rank, ..., eighth rank. Unlike the case with files, rank names are always given from the point of view of each individual player. White's first rank is Black's eighth rank and White's eighth is Black's first, White's second rank is Black's seventh rank and White's seventh is Black's second, and so on.

Rapid chess: A form of chess with reduced time limit, usually 30 minutes per player.

Refute: To demonstrate that a strategy or move is less advantageous than previously thought, usually by providing a better strategy on the opposing side.

Resign: To concede loss of the game. A resignation is usually indicated by stopping the clocks, and sometimes by offering a handshake or saying "I resign". The traditional way to resign is by tipping over one's king, but this is rarely done nowadays.

Rook: A rook (borrowed from Persian رخ rokh) is a piece in the strategy board game of chess. Each player starts with two rooks, one in each of the corners nearest their own side. In algebraic notation, white's rooks start on a1 and h1, while black's rooks start on a8 and h8.

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Chess Terminology (Q)

2006-07-14T05:58:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "Q"

Queen: see queen. Also used as a verb for the act of queening, e.g. "... to queen the pawn".

Queen Bishop: The bishop that was on the queenside at the start of the game. The terms Queen Knight and Queen Rook are also used.

Queenside: The side of the board where the queens are at the start of the game, as opposed to the kingside.

Queening: Promotion to a queen. Also called Promotion. Rarely used to indicate promotion to a knight, rook, or bishop as well (underpromotion).

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Chess Terminology (P)

2006-07-04T20:23:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "P"

Passive: A piece that is able to move to or control relatively few squares. See also active.

Passed pawn: A pawn that has no pawn of the opposite color on its file or on any adjacent files on its way to queening.

Patzer: A weak chess player. (German: patzen, to bungle.)

Pawn: The pawn (♙♟) is the weakest and most numerous piece in the game of chess, representing infantry, or more particularly pikemen. Each player begins the game with eight pawns, one on each square of the second rank from the view of the player. In algebraic notation the white pawns start on a2, b2, c2, ..., h2, while the black pawns start on a7, b7, c7, ..., h7.

Pawn chain: A locked diagonal formation of pawns, each one supported by a friendly pawn diagonally behind and blocked by an enemy pawn directly ahead. Nimzovich considered pawn chains extensively, and recommended attacking the enemy pawn chain at its base -- as in the Advance variation of the French defence 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5. See pawn structure.

Pawn island: A group of pawns of one color on consecutive files with no other pawns of the same color on any adjacent files. A pawn island consisting of one pawn is called an isolated pawn.

Pawn storm: An attacking technique where a group of pawns on one wing is advanced in order to break up the defense.

Pawn structure: Pawns being the least mobile of the pieces and the only pieces unable to move backwards, the position of the pawns influences the character of the game. The placement of the pawns is known as the pawn structure.
Perpetual check: A draw forced by one player putting the opponent's king in a potentially endless series of checks.

Piece: This term can mean either any chess piece including pawns (as in the touched piece rule), or a minor piece (as in "I hung a piece"), depending on context. It can also mean a major or minor piece, as in "White needs to get some pieces to the kingside".

Pin: When a piece can not move because doing so would expose a valuable piece, usually the king or queen, to attack. Pins against the king are called absolute because it is then illegal to move the pinned piece.

Plan: A strategy used by a chess player to make optimal use of his advantages in a specific position while minimizing the impact of his positional disadvantages.

Poisoned Pawn: An unprotected pawn which, if captured, causes positional problems or material loss. It is also a variation of the Sicilian Defense, where some players call White's pawn on b2 a poisoned pawn.

Positional play: Play dominated more by long-term maneuvering for advantage than by short-term attacks and threats, and requiring judgment more than extensive calculation of variations, as distinguished from tactics.

Promotion: Advancing a pawn to the eighth rank, converting it to a queen, rook, bishop or knight. Promotion to a piece other than a queen is called underpromotion.

Prophylaxis: (adjectival form: prophylactic) a move that frustrates an opponent's plan or tactic; a strategy in which a player frustrates tactics initiated by the opponent until a mistake is made.

Protected passed pawn: A passed pawn that is supported by another pawn.

Push: To move a pawn forward.

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Chess Terminology (O)

2006-06-28T00:56:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "O"

Open file: A file on which there are no pawns. A file on which only one player has no pawns is said to be half-open.

Open game: Any chess opening that leads to positions with a number of open lines. They often begin with the moves 1.e4 e5 (which is also called a Double King Pawn opening). See also closed game and semi-open game.

Opening: The beginning moves of the game, roughly the first 10-20 moves. In the opening players set up their pawn structures and develop their pieces. The opening precedes the middle game.

Opposite color bishops: See Bishops of opposite color.

Opposition: A situation in which two kings stand on the same rank, file or diagonal with one empty square between them. The player to move may be forced to move the king to a less advantageous square. Opposition is a particularly important concept in endgames. (Also see Chess strategy and tactics).

Outside passed pawn: A passed pawn that is near the edge of the board and far away from other pawns. In the endgame, usually a strong advantage for the side possessing such a pawn.

Overextended: A position where a player has moved a piece or group of pieces (usually pawns) away from the rest in such a way that they are too difficult to defend.

Overloaded: A piece that has too many defensive duties. An overloaded piece can sometimes be deflected, or required to abandon one of its defensive duties.

Overprotection: The technique of massing forces in support of a strong point, often a Blockade.

Overworked: Another term for Overloaded.

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Chess Terminology (N)

2006-06-23T11:40:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "N"

Norm: A performance at a chess tournament that indicates a player is ready to receive a title, or the level of performance needed. In addition to other requirements, a certain number of norms is generally required to earn a title.

Novelty: A new move in the opening. Sometimes called a theoretical novelty (TN).

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Chess Terminology (M)

2006-06-15T06:50:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "M"

Major piece: A queen or rook.

Majority: a larger numbers of pawns on one flank opposed by a smaller number of the opponent's; often a player with a majority on one flank has a minority on the other.

Mate: Short for checkmate.

Material: All of a player's pieces and pawns on the board. The player with pieces and pawns of greater value is said to have a "material advantage".

Middlegame: The part of a chess game that follows the opening and comes before the endgame, beginning after the pieces are developed in the opening. This is usually roughly moves 20 through 40.

Minor exchange: The exchange of a bishop for a knight.

Minor piece: A bishop or knight.

Minority attack: An advance of pawns on the side of the board where one has fewer pawns than the opponent, usually carried out to provoke a weakness.

Mobility: The ability of a piece to move around the board.

Mobile pawn center: Being able to move pawns around central squares without weakening one's position.

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Chess Terminology (L)

2006-06-11T06:34:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "L"

Lightning chess: A form of chess with an extremely small time limit, usually 1 or 2 minutes per player for the entire game.

Line: A sequence of moves, usually in the opening or in analyzing a position.
An open path for a piece (Queen, Rook, or Bishop) to move or control squares.
Long diagonal: One of the two diagonals with eight squares (a1-h8 or h1-a8).

Luft (from the German for air): space made for a castled king to give it a flight square to prevent a back rank mate. Usually luft is made by moving a pawn on the second rank in front of the king.

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Chess Terminology (K)

2006-06-09T00:35:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "K"

Key square:

(1)An important square;

(2) (Pawn endings) A square whose occupation by one side's king guarantees the achievement of a certain goal, such as the win of a pawn.

Kibitz: As a spectator, making comments on a chess game that can be heard by the players. Kibitzing on serious games is considered bad manners.

Kick: Attacking a piece, typically by a pawn, so that it will move.

King: The king is the most important piece in the game of chess. The king represents the prize the opposition seeks to win. If a player's king is threatened and cannot escape capture, the king is said to be in checkmate, and the player which owns that king loses the game. In a conventional game of chess, White starts with the king in the middle-right of their first rank (between the queen and the king-side bishop). Black starts with the king directly across from the white king. In algebraic notation, the white king starts on e1 and the black king on e8.

King Bishop: The bishop that was on the king-side at the start of the game. The terms King Knight and King Rook are also used.

Kingside: The side of the board where the kings are at the start of the game, as opposed to the queenside.

Knight: The knight (or colloquially, horse) is a piece in the game of chess, representing a knight (armoured cavalry) and often depicted as a horse's head. Each player starts with two knights on their first rank. In algebraic notation the white knights start on b1 and g1, while the black knights start on b8 and g8.

Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (J)

2006-06-02T23:55:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "J"

J'adoube (from French): "I adjust". A player says "J'adoube" as the international signal that he intends to adjust the position of a piece on the board without being subject to the touched piece rule.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (I)

2006-05-31T17:01:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "I"

Initiative: The advantage that a player who is making threats has over the player who must respond to them. The attacking player is said to "have the initiative".

Indian bishop: A fianchettoed bishop, characteristic of the Indian defenses (King's Indian Defense and Queen's Indian Defense).

Insufficient material: An endgame scenario in which all pawns have been captured, and one side has only its king remaining while the other is down to just a king or a king plus one knight or one bishop. The position is a draw because it is impossible for the dominant side to deliver checkmate regardless of play. Situations where checkmate is possible only if the inferior side blunders are covered by the fifty-move rule.

Interpose: To move a piece between an attacking piece and its target, blocking the line of attack. Interposing a piece is one of the three possible responses to a check, the others being to move the king or capture the attacking piece.

Isolated pawn: A pawn with no pawn of the same color on an adjacent file.

Italian bishop: A White bishop developed to the c4 square or a Black bishop developed to c5. This development is characteristic of the Italian Game, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, particularly the Giuoco Piano, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5, where both players have Italian bishops.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (H)

2006-05-27T01:52:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "H"

Half-open file: A file on which only one player has no pawns.

Hanging: Unprotected and exposed to capture. Slang for en prise. To "hang a piece" is to lose it by failing to move or protect it.

Hanging pawns: Two friendly pawns abreast without friendly pawns on adjacent files. Hanging pawns can be either a strength (usually because they can advance) or a weakness (because they can't be defended by pawns) depending on circumstances.

Hole: A square that a player does not, and cannot in future, control with a friendly pawn. The definition is somewhat subjective: the square must have some positional significance for the opponent to be considered a hole - squares on the first and second ranks are not holes. On the other hand a square is a hole even if it can be controlled in the future with a pawn that has made a capture.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (G)

2006-05-22T00:52:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "G"

Gambit: A sacrifice (usually of a pawn) in the opening.

Good bishop: A bishop which has high mobility, typically because the player's pawns are on squares of color opposite to that of the bishop.

Grandmaster: The highest title a chess player can attain (besides World Champion). When used precisely, it is the title awarded by FIDE, but it can be used to describe someone of comparable ability. The term International Grandmaster or IGM would refer only to the FIDE title.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (F)

2006-05-19T20:36:00.000-04:00

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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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (E)

2006-05-15T01:10:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "E"

En passant ("in the act of passing" ; derived from French): The rule that allows a pawn that has just advanced two squares to be captured by a pawn on the same rank and adjacent file.

En prise (from French): A piece that can be captured. Usually used of a piece that is undefended and can be captured.

Endgame: The stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board. The endgame follows the middlegame.

Epaulet mate: A checkmate position where the king is blocked on both sides by his own rooks.

Equalize: To create a position where the players have equal chances of winning. In opening theory, since White has the advantage of the first move, lines that equalize are relatively good for Black and bad for White.

Exchange: The capture of a pair of pieces, one white and the other black, usually of the same type (i.e rook for rook, knight for knight etc). The advantage of a rook over a minor piece. The player who captures a rook while losing a minor piece is said to have won the exchange, and the opponent is said to have lost the exchange.

Exchange sacrifice : Giving up a rook for a minor piece (knight or bishop).

Expanded centre : the central sixteen squares on the board.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (D)

2006-05-11T21:41:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "D"

Deflect: To cause a piece to move to a less suitable square. Typically used in the context of a combination or attack, where the deflected piece is critical to the defense.

Develop: In the opening, moving a piece from its original square to make it more active. To redevelop a piece means to move it to a better square after it has already been developed.

Diagonal: A line of squares of the same colour, along which a queen or bishop can move.

Discovered attack: An attack made by a queen, rook or bishop when another piece or pawn moves out of its way.

Discovered check: A check delivered by a piece when another piece or pawn has moved out of its way.

Domination: A situation whereby capture of a piece is unavoidable despite it having wide freedom of movement. Usually occurs in chess problems.

Double attack: Two attacks made with one move: these attacks may be made by the same piece (in which case it is a fork); or by different pieces (a situation which may arise via a discovered attack in which the moved piece also makes a threat). The attacks may directly threaten opposing pieces, or may be threats of another kind: for instance, to capture the queen and deliver checkmate.

Double check: A check delivered by two pieces at the same time. A double check necessarily involves a discovered check.

Doubled pawns: A pair of pawns of the same color on the same file.

Doubled rooks: Two of a player's rooks placed on the same (open) file or rank. This is a battery of rooks.

Draw: A game that ends without victory for either player. Most drawn games are draws by agreement. The other ways that a game can end in a draw are stalemate, three-fold repetition, the fifty-move rule, and insufficient material. A position is said to be a draw (or a drawn position) if either player can, through correct play, eventually force the game into a position where the game must end in a draw, regardless of the moves made by the other player.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (C)

2006-05-05T00:30:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "C"

Castling: A special move involving the king and one rook.

Centre/Center: The four squares in the middle of the board.

Checkmate: A position in which a player's king is in check and the player has no legal move (i.e cannot move out of check). A player whose king is checkmated loses the game.

Closed game: Any chess opening that leaves the players few open files or diagonals. They often begin with the moves 1.d4 d5. See also Open game and Semi-open game. Called such because these openings tend to restrict tactical interplay of line pieces, leading to a more positional game during the opening and early middle game.

Combination: A clever sequence of moves, often involving a sacrifice, to gain the advantage. The moves of the other player are usually forced, i.e. a combination does not give the opponent too many possible lines of continuation.

Connected Passed Pawns: Passed pawns on adjacent files. These are considered to be unusually powerful (often worth a minor piece or rook if on the sixth or above and not properly blockaded) because they can advance together. Also see connected pawns.

Counterattack: An attack that responds to an attack by the other player.

Cover: To protect a piece or control a square. For example, to checkmate a king on the side of the board, the five squares adjacent to the king must all be covered.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (B)

2006-05-01T21:34:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "B"

Back rank: a player's first rank (the one on which the pieces stand in the initial array); White's back rank is Black's eighth rank and vice versa.

Back rank mate: A checkmate delivered by a rook or queen along a back rank in which the mated king is unable to move up the board because the king is blocked by friendly pieces (usually pawns) on the second rank.

Bad bishop: A bishop which is hemmed in by pawns of its own color.

Battery: Two or more pieces of the same color supporting each other on the same file, rank or diagonal. There are three main types: queen and rook, queen and bishop, and two rooks.

Bishop: A bishop is a piece in the board game of chess. Each player begins the game with two bishops, one light-squared and one dark-squared. One starts between the king's knight and the king, the other between the queen's knight and the queen. In algebraic notation the starting squares are c1 and f1 for White's bishops, and c8 and f8 for Black's bishops. The bishop has no restrictions in distance for each move, but is limited to diagonal movement, in any direction. Bishops cannot jump over other pieces. As with most pieces, a bishop captures by occupying the square on which an enemy piece sits.

Bishops on opposite colors: A situation in which one side has only its light-squared bishop remaining while the other has only its dark-squared bishop remaining. In endgames, this often results in a draw if there are no other pieces (only pawns), even if one side has one or two pawns extra, since the bishops control different squares; in the middlegame, however, the presence of opposite colored bishops imbalances the game and can lead to mating attacks, since each bishop attacks squares that cannot be covered by the other.

Bishop pair: In open positions, two bishops are considered to have an advantage over two knights or a knight and a bishop. (In closed positions knights may be more valuable than bishops.) The player with two bishops is said to have the bishop pair.
Blindfold chess: A form of chess in which one or both players is not allowed to see the board.

Blitz chess: A form of chess with a very small time limit, usually 3 or 5 minutes per player for the entire game. With the advent of electronic chess clocks, it is often the case that the time remaining is incremented by 1 or 2 seconds per move.

Blunder: A very bad move, an oversight (indicated by "??" in notation).

Blockade: A strategic placement of a minor piece directly in front of an enemy pawn, where it restrains the pawn's advance and gains shelter from attack. Blockading pieces are often overprotected.

Book move: An opening move found in the standard reference books on opening theory. A game is said to be "in book" when both players are playing moves found in the opening references. A game is said to be "out of book" when the players have reached the end of the variations analyzed in the opening books or if one of the players deviates with a novelty (or a blunder).

Break: A pawn advance that opens up a blocked position.

Brilliancy: A spectacular and beautiful game of chess, generally featuring sacrificial attacks and unexpected moves. Brilliancies are not always required to feature sound play or the best moves by either side.

Bughouse Chess: A chess variant played with teams of two or more.

Bullet chess: A form of chess in which each side has less than 3 minutes for the entire game.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

Chess Terminology (A)

2006-04-25T18:35:00.000-04:00

Chess Terms Starting With "A"

Active: Describes a piece that is able to move or control many squares. See also passive.

Adjournment: Suspension of a long chess game with the intention to continue later, usually on another day.

Adjust or j'adoube: To adjust the position of a piece on its square without being required to move it. Adjustment can only be done when it is the player's move and the adjustment is preceded by speaking I adjust or j'adoube.

Alekhine's gun: A formation in which a queen backs up two rooks on the same file.

Algebraic notation: A way of recording a chess game using alphanumeric codes for the squares.

Annotation: Commentary on a game using a combination of written comments, chess symbols or notation.

Arbiter: A tournament official who arbitrates disputes and performs other duties such as keeping the score when players are under time pressure.

Armageddon: A game which White must win to win the match, but which Black only needs to draw to win the match. White has more time than black: the discrepancy can vary, but in FIDE World Championships, White has six minutes, Black five. Typically used in playoff tie-breakers where shorter blitz games have not resolved the tie.

Attack: An aggressive move or strategy.

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Copyright 2006 Chess Strategies Blog

A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

An Argument In Favor of Correspondence Chess

2006-03-15T23:42:00.000-05:00

Note to reader: The following essay has as its chief aim to interest more chess players in the art, sport, and science that is correspondence chess. If I use myself as an example too often, it is because I don't know anyone better than I know myself.

I will attempt to explain the lure and fascination of correspondence chess. I must explain at the outset - I enjoy both forms of the game. In over the board (crossboard) chess, the contest is a more direct one; we are more involved in the fight. The whole affair is over in a matter of hours, and we move on to the next challenge. If you are a grandmaster, or a highly skilled player, you do not need me to clarify for you the reasons you play chess. Every player has a chess drive, and this drive determines what you receive from the game; how it increases the enjoyment you receive from this strange world of wooden pieces and wooden problems.

The Quality Factor. There is no doubt, in my opinion, that you will raise your playing level one to three classes by playing correspondence chess. We have all bemoaned our glaring mistakes during our OTB tournament games. The clock is a factor, one that should not be ignored. If I play a six-hour OTB game, I will have spent perhaps 2-4 minutes on each move. In CC, I might spend anywhere from ten minutes to four hours on a move. Multiplied by thirty or forty moves, the total time could approach 100-120 hours for a game. Think of the masterpieces you could produce if you had as much time for an OTB game! This is the factor that allows a tyro, such as myself, to, once and awhile, play a master quality game. This is also the factor, by the way, which proves the undoing of many strong OTB players when they first try CC. They spend 2-5 minutes on a move, send it off, and expect their opponents to play the normal weak moves. When their opponent plays strongly, and the name is not familiar, the first impression is, "What kind of computer are you using?" But CC players are organized in thought and purpose. This is pure chess, without much of the psychology involved with OTB chess. The board is played, and there is always the search for the (absolute) best move.

The Expense/Trouble Factor. Over the board tournaments are expensive. Look at how much a good hotel room costs. And, even chess players must eat, when they are not playing chess. This all adds up to a considerable expenditure, what we pay to indulge in our chosen hobby. When we were kids and young adults, living at home, we could afford to travel and enjoy tournament chess. Correspondence chess, on the other hand, costs very little compared to over the board play. With the advent of email CC, the costs are so minor that they are not even worth discussing. When you grow older, you have more trouble concentrating on your game, competing with the younger folks. If I have a particularly difficult CC game, and I receive a card from my opponent, I can ignore it and wait until the next day. Or, if I need to do some more research, I can do it when and where I want to, within certain limitations. There is no "zugzwang" (or chess clock) which forces me to move within a few minutes. As a matter of fact, my game will probably improve the more time I spend on it.

The Friendship Factor. When was the last time one of your over the board opponents became a fast friend? I have met hundreds of people through CC. While you will run across the odd apple, for the most part, CC players are in it for more than the game. You can discuss chess, your lives in general, or whatever. Try that with your next over the board opponent. You barely have enough time to play the game, celebrate (or cry inwardly, as the case may be), before it is time for the next round. This factor in CC is one that is widely recognized but seldom spoken about. Some of my CC opponents end up being dear friends. You have something in common with your opponents. You love the game. No one, not even your long-suffering spouse, can take that away from you.

Are you ready for the challenge? Would you like to improve your game and make new friends? There are many great CC organizations ready to welcome you into their fold. All it takes is a desire and an ambition to try. Whether you are a novice or a grandmaster, there are plenty of like-minded players out there. Just what are you waiting for? You may find, after a time, that this is what you were looking for the whole time.

John C. Knudsen is a Senior International Master (SIM), and has been playing competitive correspondence chess for over 25 years. He is the owner of http://www.correspondencechess.com which has been serving the cc community since 1996. He also has an E-Book site located at http://www.correspondencechess.com/knudsen/edition/ which features e-books in many different categories.

How to Understand Algebraic Notation in Newer Chess Strategy Books

2006-03-11T22:47:00.000-05:00

"Notation" is a method in chess strategy books that is used to describe the movement of pieces on the chess board, without needing a visual diagram of the chess board for each move. It greatly increases a chess author's ability to describe a large number of chess games in compact form, leaving more room for game analysis. It also allows the author to concentrate on chess strategies and tactics, rather than requiring hundreds and hundreds of cumbersome diagrams of the chess board for each move.

If you are a chess player, aspiring to improve through strategy books, understanding the two chess notation styles is crucial to your improvement. Most chess strategy books are either written in "Descriptive Notation," or "Algebraic Notation."

However, Algebriac notation is the topic of our current discussion. Algebraic notation is the most widely used form of notation today, found on websites, in chess software, in chess books, magazines, and other literature. Understanding algebraic notation is crucial to your growth as a chess player.

I've posted a visual diagram of a chess board describing algebraic notation on my chess game strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

In chess literature, the term "rank" refers to the rows of the chess board. "File" refers to the columns. If a chess book talks about the "1st rank" it means the "first row." The "a file" refers to the "a column."

In algebraic chess notation, each row (rank) of the chess board is assigned a number from 1 to 8, beginning with the white side. Each column (file) is described with a letter from a to h, going from left to right from the white side. Each square is described by a letter/number combination according to the intersection of the column and row that both contain that square. As you will see from the diagram on my website that I mentioned above, the uppermost square, farthest to the right a1. The lowermost square, farthest to the left is h8. (If you are sitting on the "white's" side of the board).

Each piece is denoted by a single letter: R for rook, N for knight, Q for Queen, and so on. A move is described by first listing the piece that is moving, then the square that it is moving to. In algebraic notation, the letter for pawn is always left out.

Examples: Qe8 means the queen moved to square e8. If you see f4 by itself, that means a pawn moved to f4.

You may ask, how can I tell if a white piece or a black piece is the one moving? This is a good question if you are just starting out, however, you will find that when you are reading algebraic notation of a game, following it move by move, it will be very clear which piece is moving because 1) most of the pieces can only move on certain squares of the board (for instance, the bishop must stay on its own colored squares) and 2) as you are following a game closely, you will find yourself remembering the positions of the pieces from move to move, and it will be clear which piece is the one moving, whether white or black.

However, there are times when, even given the above facts, it will be unclear which piece is moving. In this case, the file of the moving piece is inserted immediately after the letter describing that piece. For instance instead of Rb6, Rdb6 would be used to indicate that the rook in the d column (file) is the one that is moving to b6. In the event that the file is the same for both pieces, rank is used instead of file, again, immediately after the letter describing the piece that is moving.

Important notes: Castling is shown by O-O or O-O-O. Pawn promotion is described by adding the letter of the promoting piece to the move: f1Q means that the pawn moved to f1, and was promoted to a queen. Pawn promotion could also be described with an equal sign or a slash (f1/Q, or f1=Q). Capture and check are sometimes noted, but often they are simply implied by the square that the piece is moving to. When described, capture is denoted with a "+" (RxB7 means a rook moved to square B7 and captured a piece. Without the x, the capture is simply notead as Rb7). Check is described with a "+" as in Rf6+, which means that a rook moved to square f6 and gives check. Without the +, this move which gives check is simply Rf6. En passant with pawns is simply described by following the move with the letters "e. p."

The best way to become familiar with algebraic notation is to go to my chess strategies and chess tactics site http://www.chessvictory.com, scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link. On that page I've posted a diagram for the chessboard in algebraic notation, as well as part of a game written in algebraic notation. This partial game includes clear diagrams of the chess board to make it clear which piece is moving. Once you get the hang of what the symbols mean, I'd encourage you to find some sample games written in algebraic notation and sit down with a real, physical chess board and go through the whole game, moving the pieces as the notation describes. After doing th at a few times you'll find yourself more comfortable with this style of notation than you imagined! In fact you'll get so good at it that you can read it as fast as you are reading this sentence, and you'll see the movements of the pieces clearly in your mind!

Choosing the Right Chess Set

2006-03-06T23:52:00.000-05:00

There are no shortages of chess sets for you to choose from out there. As a result BraRoe Chess would like to provide you this service to help make you experience the best that it can be.

When you look to purchase a chess set, you two different options in front of you:

- Choose a combination of pieces and a board that has been pre-selected for you

- Individually choose the chess pieces and the chess board for you own chess set

With both options, there are a couple of things that you want to keep in mind. The first is price. Choose a chess set that is built to last. You are going to have many memories attached to your set, and one of the best things that you can do is to keep the set around for generation to enjoy. Always buy the highest quality set that you can afford.

Second is quality. The quality is something that you will be able to both see and feel. The pieces should have a good solid feel to them every time you pick one up. Next, pay attention to the crown of the King, the finer the details, then the higher the quality. Lastly, the knight is the most noticeable piece that you will have on your board. Study it curves and details. True quality sets will have a finely, hand-carved knight.

Now keeping this in mind, choosing an existing Chess Set is much simpler. You take the time to choose between the Classic Staunton Chess Set or a theme that you like (i.e. Civil War, Mythology, etc.); purchase the set, and wait for it to arrive.

The second option, takes a little more thought.

Matching wood types:

Wood Chess Sets:

Ebony pieces match well with basic Black and White boards or with Ebony/Madrona Board

Rosewood pieces look great with boards that are also rosewood or those made from Mahogany

Sheesham woods fit best with Walnut boards as well as with Bubinga or Hazelnut Boards

Metal Chess Sets:

Metal Sets match with wood boards, but also go well with brass boards as well as leatherette boards

Matching Size

The size of the chess board square is determined from the diameter of the chess pieces' King. Take the diameter and multiply it by 1.33 (4/3). If need be, you can go a little bigger, but you really don't want to go smaller. Example a 1.25 diameter base x 1.33 is 1.66 inch board. Boards with 1.75-inch boards would be perfect.

After that, all you need is to order the chess pieces and board and start creating you own chess memories.

Bradford Roegner is webmaster for www.brareoechess.com. He is available to help provide people with the tools to bring chess into the their life. You can contact him Bradford@braroechess.com any time with question.

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Playing Chess: Improve Your Game With Hybrid Chess Playing Sites

2006-03-03T03:23:00.000-05:00

Want to improve your chess? Here's an interesting article that might help...

How to improve your chess is a question that many chess players ask. There are many ways to do this. The most difficult is to study chess books. This is a very time consuming process and a chess player really has to be very dedicated to read these types of books as it can be compared to reading a math book. Using a chess computer is another way to improve chess playing strength. Taking lessons can be a good way but it can be very costly. Another good way to improve is by recording all games played and analyze them at a later time. However, you must understand chess notation to do this. Many chess players today are turning to the Internet to improve their chess. Getting results, no matter what you do, will take time and commitment.

Most people, today, play chess online in some form. There are really two ways to play online chess. One way is to play live with another opponent who is online at the same time. The other is to play an opponent who is not online at the same time. There are many sites where you can play chess online live.

However, if you really want to improve your chess the best way is to play on hybrid chess sites that offer a unique solution. Hybrid sites allow players to leave a game and come back to it at a later time without losing the game. This type of chess playing site has many benefits for a chess player that has a very active and busy lifestyle. For example, if you have children it is sometimes difficult to play a full game of chess without being interrupted. If you are playing live chess you must resign your game or lose on time. If you play on a hybrid chess site, where your opponent may or may not be online at the same time, a chess player has more control over how they want to play. For example, a player logs on and has 5 active games. The main benefit is the ability to play many chess games at one time. The chess player makes a move in one game and then moves on to the next game. After making all of their moves they notice that one of their opponents is now online. This gives the chess player an option to continue making moves in that game. They can chat and agree to make a certain number of moves before logging off or agree to finish the game that same day. If a chess player were on a live chess site they would be limited to only playing one game at a time and would have to finish each game in a specified time limit usually between one to two hours. Also, most live sites do not store your past games and are deleted as soon as the game is over.

The hybrid sites like www.chessmaniac.com allow both live and longer time limit games to be played. On most sites like this a chess player's games are saved and can be downloaded for review at a later time. The chess player also has the option to review their games while online. Which can be great as they can review their past games while making moves in other games. Playing chess on a hybrid chess site also allows a chess player to study a game more in depth and to learn openings as they are not rushed by a clock. Chess combinations can also be improved by playing on a hybrid chess site. If you get into a position where you think there is a forced win you can log off and study the game for as long as you need providing you stay within your game time out setting.

There are many ways to improve in chess. Online chess playing offers an easy way to play, study and improve your chess. Hybrid chess sites, by far, allow a chess player the most flexibility to learn and grow their chess abilities.

Dennis Steele is the site admin for www.chessmaniac.com.

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How To Understand Descriptive Notation In Chess Strategy Books

2006-02-28T01:42:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder what the difference between "Algebraic Notation" and "Descriptive Notation" is? This article should answer that question for you...

Descriptive Notation, in general, was used in older chess books and magazines, although it is possible to run into more current chess literature using this notation style as well. There are a huge number of valuable chess books written in this style. I've posted a visual diagram of a chess board describing descriptive notation on my chess strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

In Descriptive notation, the files are named according to the chess piece on that file in its initial position. For instance, QR means "queen's rook" and KB means "king's rook." The diagram on my website mentioned above also shows how the squares have different names/notations depending on if we're describing the white side or the black side. Each square is also described with a number, describing the rank of the square, for instance, QR7 means the queen's rook file in the 7th rank.

The movement of a piece is described by the name of the piece, then a dash, then the name of the square to which it is moving. For instance, Q-QB8 means that the queen is moving to square QB8. Sometimes the square names are shortened a bit if it is obvious which square is being described. Both "KT" and "N" are used to describe a knight.

Important notes: Check is described with a "+" or "ch". A capture is noted with a "x" followed by the piece being captured. If the game has become complicated and it is unclear which piece is being referred to, the description will sometimes note whether it is the kingside or queenside piece being moved. Instead of R-K7, the clearer description would read QR-K7. P-K7=Q means the pawn moves to K7 and is then promoted to a queen. Castling is noted as O-O or O-O-O.

The best way to become familiar with descriptive notation is to go to my chess tactics and chess strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com, scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link. On that page I've posted diagrams for the chessboard in descriptive notation, as well as a sample game written in descriptive notation, along with clear diagrams of the chess board so you can easily see which piece is moving.

Chad Kimball is an editor and publisher, publishing chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: "The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library." Click Here to Access This Exciting Chess Resource: http://www.chessvictory.com.

To Your Chess Success,
James

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Chess Aptitude Test: How Do You Score?

2006-02-23T22:14:00.000-05:00

Here's an interesting article regarding chess aptitude & chess notation...

Jonathan Levitt, a GM with a lot of chess experience under his belt, created what I believe is one of the most effective and simple, "self-tests" to determine chess aptitude. This test is discussed in his book, "Genius in Chess."

To take the test, you first need to know how to understand the diagram of a chessboard in algebraic notation. If you are an experienced chess player who is familiar with chess notation, you can skip this paragraph and move to the paragraph where I describe the test. In algebraic chess notation, each row of the chess board is assigned a number from 1 to 8, beginning with the white side. Each column is described with a letter from a to h, going from left to right from the white side. Each square is described by a letter/number combination according to the intersection of the column and row that both contain that square. The lowermost square, farthest to the left is h8. (If you are sitting on the "white's" side of the board). As you will see from the diagram on my website that I mentioned above, the uppermost square, farthest to the right a1.

I've posted a visual diagram of a chess board illustrating the algebraic notation method on my chess game strategies site http://www.chessvictory.com. Scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link to access the diagram.

Now allow me to describe the test:

This test requires some sort of timer or clock, a chessboard, one white knight, and one black queen.

Place the white knight on square b1. Place the black queen on square d4. The knight has to move all the way around the board, visiting the following squares in this order: c1, e1, f1, h1, a2, c2, e2, g2, h2, and so on until you reach g8 (you won't be able to visit h8 because it is controlled by the black queen). During the test you cannot take the black queen, and you cannot put the knight en prise at any point.

It is acceptable to visit the squares in the list out of order, but only if you are using them to get from c1 to e1, for example. However, these squares must be visited again at the correct time in the order listed above. Only do the test once, and time yourself. Anyone who can complete the test in ten minutes or less on their first try reveals, according to Levitt, "real chess talent."

This test may seem simple at first glance, but it will surely require intense concentration, a spacial knowledge of the chess board, and the will to keep going. Some people even give up after the first stage, because it takes nine steps.

If you go to my chess tactics site http://www.chessvictory.com, scroll to the bottom, and click on the resources link, you can access the solution to this test, as well as results, in seconds, of some very accomplished chess players. Michael Adams, a world title contender, took 330 seconds (5.5 minutes). Many other GMs in the list required up to seven."

Take a break from your computer and try it!

If it takes you longer than 10 minutes, don't despair... this test requires that you are able to think strategically about the chess board, not simply memorize moves.

Most people who simply memorize moves, but don't understand chess strategy, will have trouble with the test. Strategic thinking (not simply memorizing moves and tactics) essential to REAL chess aptitude. Spacial aptitude is also quality that this test requires. Both of these skills are learned from experience on the chess board, good coaching, and consistent study.

Chad Kimball publishes chess instruction books and courses on the Internet. He is responsible for bringing an exciting resource to the Internet: "The Grandmaster Strategy Training Library." Click here for more information on this 14 Volume Chess Resource: http://www.chessvictory.com

To Your Chess Success,
James

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Introduction to Chess Sets

2006-02-19T23:48:00.000-05:00

Here is some good information about chess sets...

While many people are content to play chess on a regular board with plastic pieces, many players who truly love the game take pride in their unique chess sets.

There are many different kinds of chess sets to accommodate all chess players. Chess sets are made out of many different materials such as glass, ivory, marble, and wood. Some chess sets are especially small or have magnetic pieces, perfect for taking on trips and playing while traveling.

People have been playing chess for many centuries. No one knows for sure where or when it originated, but it is known that people in Persia, India, and China played chess in the Middle Ages. The game spread to the Middle East next, then to Spain and the rest of Europe. It is very likely that the game pieces were altered once the game spread through Europe to take on the forms that they currently have.

The different pieces in a chess set each represent parts of medieval life. The pawns represent peasants. Just as peasants were considered unimportant to people in power, pawns are the weakest pieces in the game of chess and are used primarily as sacrifices. The rooks, or castles, represent home and sanctuary. The knight represents soldiers, who, at the time, were held in high esteem, but not as much as the church or royal family. The bishops represent priests and are considered more valuable than knights. The queen is probably the most powerful piece on the board, but the king is the one that must be protected at all costs, or the game is lost.

Chess players at all skill levels marvel at the craftsmanship that goes into creating fine chess sets. It takes true artistry to create chess sets out of wood, stone and glass. Many chess sets are extremely rare and are valuable collector's items.

Chess Sets provides detailed information about travel, glass, wooden, magnetic, marble, ivory, themed, and collectors' chess sets. For more information go to http://www.e-chesssets.com and/or visit our affiliate site at http://www.original-content.net

To Your Chess Success,
James

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Chess Basics

2006-02-16T20:26:00.000-05:00

More information about the basic principles of chess...

Chess is a fascinating board game that was invented thousands of years ago. Throughout its long history, it has earned acclaim and is considered to be the 'king' of board games. Several famous personalities were known for their chess skills. Napoleon, Nikola Tesla, Charlie Chaplin and Einstein were among them.

Chess can provide many hours of pleasure, not to mention intellectual exercise, since the game is known to improve analytical thinking, creativity and judgment.

In the past chess was mainly played by courtiers. Now everyone may enjoy this privilege. Chess attracts people of all ages from all over the world. Chess is intriguing, for it allows players to pit their wits, experience and inspiration against a competitor.

All you need to start playing chess is a chessboard and chess pieces -- or if you wish to play online, you need nothing more than your computer. The chessboard is an 8"x 8" board with alternating black and white squares; nearly everyone is sure to have seen one.

There are 32 chess pieces in total; 16 white pieces and their 16 black counterparts. One player owns the white pieces (we call this player WHITE) and the opponent (the BLACK) gets the black ones. The 16 pieces are: the King, the Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns.

When the game starts these pieces are placed in their initial, predefined positions. The arrangement is as follows: each player has his own pieces positioned along the two rows of the board (called ranks) that are closest to him. All 8 pawns are placed on the innermost rank of the 2. The rest of the pieces are placed closest to the player in the following order: Rook, Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, and Rook. This order is from left to right for WHITE and from right to left for BLACK, so that the same pieces are opposed on each column (called a file) of the board.

To facilitate descriptions of chess positions the 'algebraic chess notation' was invented. It is easy to learn and helps to identify squares and pieces on the board. It works like this: viewing from WHITE's perspective, the leftmost file is designated 'a', the next one 'b' and so on until we reach the rightmost file, which is file 'h'. The rank that is closest to WHITE is 'rank 1', or the first rank. Next comes 'rank 2' (the second rank) and so on until we get to the eighth rank, which is the rank closest to BLACK.

Now that we have appropriately designated the ranks and files we may identify a square by looking up the rank and the file to which it belongs. Thus, still viewing from WHITE's side, the bottom left square is the square 'a1', since it belongs to file 'a' and to the first rank. Its adjacent squares are 'b1' on the right and 'a2' just above it.

Your goal is to trap the enemy King -- it's that simple. But that is a story for another day.

About the Author:

Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer. Visit http://www.learn-chess-now.com to learn more about this fascinating game.

To Your Chess Success,
James

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Failing to Guard Against Captures

2006-02-04T17:36:00.000-05:00

Few mistakes can be more costly in chess than failing to guard against captures. A capture is often the turning point of a game; it may involve gaining a decisive advantage in material or, in some cases, a vastly superior position.

Sometimes a capture is bound up with a sacrificial combination, in which a piece of great value is given up for one of slight value. Such captures are naturally difficult to foresee. Much more common are those situations in which a capture is quite obvious.

Why are such captures overlooked? Probably because they turn up in positions that seem simple and routine; the player's alertness is lulled; he forgets that almost every position in chess has some element of attack and threat. Positions that are simple on the surface will often turn out, on careful scrutiny, to contain a fantastic wealth of intricate details. If you can acquire the faith that almost every chess position, no matter how simple, has its share of tactical possibilities, you are well on the way to overcoming any tendency to overlook captures.

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Getting Pinned

2006-01-31T17:10:00.000-05:00

The best advice about getting pinned is: Don't!

Pins occur more frequently on the chessboard than any other type of attack. Yet, strangely enough, pins are rarely defined or explained. A pin is an attack on a piece which screens another piece from attack. A piece that is pinned is tied down...

>> (This section intentionally left out. Read more about getting pinned in "Chess Success Secrets"...available at www.chess-success.com) <<

...The most bearable pins, as far as the defender is concerned, are those where the pinned piece is guarded by a Pawn. In such cases, protection is automatic--and cheap. Where the pinned piece has to be guarded by another piece, you can expect trouble. The pinned piece is tied down; the protecting piece is tied down to the defense of the pinned piece. Thus two units are deprived of much of their mobility and therefore of much of their power.

Another point to remember about the pin is its psychological value. The restraining effect of the pin has a depressing effect on the defender. Pinning and restraining are attacking functions and assure a player the initiative. He has a positive goal--to weaken the pinned piece, to pile up pressure on it, to take advantage of its immobility. The player whose piece is pinned is at a disadvantage. He is at his opponent's mercy, and must often look on helplessly while his pinned piece is being undermined.
It follows, therefore, that you should avoid the pinning of your pieces. Once you are pinned, your freedom of action is restricted, and you are exposed to threats that may cost you the game. Just as it is important not to neglect your development in the opening stage, it is equally vital not to allow your pieces to be pinned later on.

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Weakening Your Castled Position

2006-01-29T15:40:00.000-05:00

It stands to reason that leaving the King in the center often means exposing the King to a dangerous, very possibly fatal, attack. This leads us to the conclusion that castling is the best way to safeguard the King.

The castled position, then, is the King's safeguard. But, though the King is better protected when castled than when in the center, that does not mean that castling alone assures you complete immunity from attack. If your opponent has an overwhelmingly superior development, he can concentrate more forces for attack than you can supply for defense. Sometimes brilliant sacrifices are made to smash down a defender's barriers.

But we are now concerned mainly with Pawn weaknesses in the castled position. In the case of castling on the King-side, three Pawns are involved: the King Rook Pawn, the King Knight Pawn, and the King Bishop Pawn. As long as all three Pawns are still on their original squares, the castled position remains strong and difficult to take by storm.

Yet once a single member of the trio advances, the defender is headed for trouble. For example, suppose the King Knight Pawn advances one square. Then immediately the squares it formerly protected--KR3 and KB3--must receive protection from pieces.

Worse yet, these squares become targets for enemy occupation. Let a hostile Queen and Knight, or Queen and Bishop, occupy these squares, and you will see the castled position totter and crumble.

The advance of the King Rook Pawn is also dangerously weakening. Very often the attacker is able to sacrifice a piece for the Pawn on KR3, in this way ripping up the castled position and leaving it wide open for large-scale invasion. The advance of the King Bishop Pawn creates similar problems, and very often opens up a vital diagonal for the hostile Bishop.

Another serious consequence of any of these Pawn advances is that they enable the attacker to open lines by advancing his own Pawns and forcing Pawn exchanges. Thus, after Blacks plays . . . P--KN3, White may reply P--KR4 and P--KR5, exchanging Pawns and thus opening the King Rook file for attack. Or, after White plays P--KR3, Black may react with . . . P--KN4 and . . . P--KN5, likewise obtaining an open file for attack.

Once the attacker succeeds in forcing open a line leading to the castled position, he has enormously improved his prospects of taking the hostile King by storm. As long as the Pawns remain on their original squares, they form a road block for the attacking pieces. fter one of the Pawns has advanced, the barrier is much more likely to be breached --by exchanges, by sacrifices, by violent line-opening.

To sum up: you have seen that Pawn advances in front of the castled King can be weakening--even dangerous. ou should therefore avoid such advances. Sometimes you are forced to make such advances--but at least you can avoid making them needlessly. Avoid such Pawn moves if it is at all possible to avoid them!

Queen-side castling,which we rarely encounter, presents difficulties for the inexperienced player. The castled King has a wider area to guard than on the King-side. Hence the temptation to meet threats with Pawn advances is much stronger in the case of Queen-side castling. This makes it more likely for the defense on this broader front to be upset by violent sacrifices.

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Making Too Many Queen Moves in the Opening

2006-01-25T13:04:00.000-05:00

Repeated moves with the same piece in the opening are a form of neglected development. While the same piece is moving again and again, the other pieces remain undeveloped. Always a serious fault, it becomes even more serious when the Queen is the piece which is being moved repeatedly. There are a number of reasons for this.

The Queen is by far the strongest piece on the board. It is the heart and soul of a well-managed attack which is based on systematic, completed development. To move this powerful piece aimlessly and repeatedly dissipates the attacking power of your position. To move the Queen very early while concentrating on a definite but minor goal, is still bad policy; often much more important features are neglected during these short-sighted maneuvers.

Still another drawback to early Queen moves is that they readily expose the Queen to attack by enemy pieces. So we have here the painful paradox that while one player ignores his development with repeated Queen moves, his opponent develops one piece after another with gain of time by simultaneously attacking the Queen!

Your best course, then, is to follow the advice given on page 5: concentrate on playing out the minor pieces at the beginning of the game; make sure of castling into safety; and develop the Queen only after the opening development has begun to take shape.

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Exposing Your King to Attack

2006-01-23T12:35:00.000-05:00

The King is unlike any other piece. In every game of chess, the object,direct or potential, is to checkmate your opponent's King.

No matter how the game proceeds, no matter what your plans may be, you must guard
your King and look for opportunities to menace your opponent's King.

Since the King's safety controls the fate of the game, you take unnecessary risks whenever you expose your King to attack. One of the most common ways to endanger the King is to leave him on his original square in the middle of the back rank. The other chess pieces are most active in the center and exert their greatest power in that area.

Consequently, the King is most vulnerable at his original square. Leaving the King in the center is particularly dangerous in "open" positions - those in which there are open files. Such open lines are highways along which the Queen and Rooks can operate to menace the hostile King. (In "closed" position - those in which the Pawn position is locked - a King may be fairly safe in the center.)

Leaving the King in the center sometimes leads to ferocious "King-hunts." In the course of such a savage drive on a hostile King, he may be hounded all the way from his original square to the other side of the board. The King-hunt is the extreme example of the helplessness of a King stranded in the center and exposed to the fury of the hostile pieces.

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Neglecting Development of Your Pieces

2006-01-20T11:56:00.000-05:00

IN THE ORIGINAL starting position of a game of chess, the pieces are not ready for action. The process by which we advance them to squares on which they can attack and defend and maneuver freely is called "development."

If we develop the pieces slowly or ineffectively, their action is limited. Their attacking ability is slight, and the initiative passes into the hands of our opponent.

If we move one piece repeatedly, it follows that other pieces are being neglected, still left on their original squares where they accomplish nothing. Lagging or ineffective development accounts for many a stinging defeat on the chessboard.

While each opening presents its special problems, there are some practical rules that are helpful guides. Always start by playing out a center Pawn, as this creates a line for developing a Bishop. Bring out the King Knight very early— preferably to KB3. By playing out the King Knight and King Bishop quickly, you make early castling possible and thus get your King out of any immediate danger.

Try to avoid placing your Bishops on diagonals where they are blocked by your own Pawns. Avoid, too, an excessive number of Pawn moves—they contribute little or nothing to development.

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Before You Start To Play Chess

2006-01-17T19:35:00.000-05:00

In order to have the greatest chance for winning at chess, there are two features which you will very likely want to review quickly. One is to check up on the relative values of the chessmen. Expressed in points, their values are as follows:

Queen: 9 points
Rook: 5 points
Bishop: 3 points
Knight: 3 points
Pawn: 1 point

It is important to be absolutely certain of these values, for most games are decided by superiority in force.

Bishops (3 points) and Knights (3 points) are equal in value, but experienced players try to capture a Bishop in return for a Knight.

A Bishop or Knight (3 points) is worth about three Pawns (3 points). If you give up a Knight and get three Pawns in return, you may consider it as more or less an even exchange. If you lose a Knight (3 points) for only a Pawn (1 point), you have lost material and should lose the game, if you are playing against an expert.If you capture a Rook (5 points) for a Bishop or Knight (3 points), you are said to have "won the Exchange." If you lose a Rook (5 points) for a Bishop or Knight (3 points), you have "lost the Exchange." The other important feature in reading a chess book is to be familiar with chess notation. If you can count up to 8, this presents no problem. You may have heard scare stories to the effect that chess notation is inordinately difficult. This difficulty of chess notation is a myth, circulated by people too lazy to discover how simple and logical it really is.

The following are the chief abbreviations used in the chess notation:

King — K
Queen — Q
Rook — R
Bishop — B
Knight — N
Pawn — P
to — —
check — ch
captures — x
discovered check — dis ch
double check — dbl ch
en passant — e.p.
castles, king-side — 0—0
castles, queen-side — 0—0—0
good move — !
very good move — ! !
outstanding move — ! ! !bad move — ?

Here are some examples of abbreviation: N—KB3 mean's "Knight moves to King Bishop three." Q x B means "Queen takes Bishop." R—K8 ch means "Rook moves to King eight giving check."

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Seizing the Initiative

2006-01-15T09:14:00.000-05:00

How to Seize the Initiative:

If you accept the view that White has some initiative by reason of being the first to move, you will doubtless agree that in actual practice White often loses that initiative with great rapidity.

When you are playing Black, you can snatch up White's lost initiative and become the aggressor, if you realize just what is happening.

Now, assuming that White does not lose material and does not create weaknesses, just what should Black look for in order to seize the initiative?

There are several ways White can go wrong. He may, for example* play an opening so poor that his theoretical advantage disappears at once. This gives Black his chance.

Or White may play an excellent opening and then ruin his development by a series of foolish, time-wasting Queen moves. Here again Black must be alert to the possibilities.

If Black discovers that White is wasting valuable time chasing a relatively unimportant Pawn, he can use the opportunity to get far ahead in development.

Sometimes White may avoid the sin of greed only to succumb to another fault—bad judgment. Sheer thoughtlessness, inattention, negligence, or happy-go-lucky innocence of a positional trap may ruin White's development. In every case Black should be alert to seize the initiative.

So you see there are many ways for White to go wrong, and it pays Black to keep a sharp lookout for such cases of poor judgment. Now let's see some examples of the kinds of mistakes White may make.

In this game Black gives us a classic example of slashing attacking play. His play is magnificent, and yet—it all stems from White's faulty opening. Black immediately pounces on the opportunities offered by White's faulty play!

Entertainment Links

2006-01-15T09:12:00.000-05:00

Poetry
Visit our poetry site!... Offers a free poetry newsletter, and stuff for poets.

Gimp Games | Free Flash Arcade
Free Flash Arcade Games

Knowing the ValueYour Chess Pieces

2006-01-13T10:06:00.000-05:00

Before you start to play chess, it is important that you know the values of the pieces. Here is a short summary on that subject...

More important than the number of pieces each player posseses is the value of those pieces. The player with the greater total value of his/her chess pieces will usually have the advantage in the game. So, adding up the value of each player's men is a crucial step in making decisions throughout the game.

The pawn is the least valuable piece, so it is a convenient unit of measure. It moves slowly, and can never go backward.

Knights and Bishops are approximately equal, worth about three pawns each. The Knight is the only piece that can jump over other men. The Bishops are speedier, but each one can reach only half the squares.

A Rook moves quickly and can reach every square; its value is five pawns. A combination of two minor pieces (Knights and Bishops) can often subdue a Rook.

A Queen is worth nine pawns, almost as much as two Rooks. It can move to the greatest number of squares in most positions.

The King can be a valuable fighter, too, but we do not evaluate its strength because it cannot be traded.

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More tips to come!

James

Business Links

2006-01-13T09:59:00.000-05:00

Travel Agency Business Plan
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Paid Online Surveys For Free
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East London
Information on London, London history, tourist attractions, London eye, climate and geography.

Chess Links

2006-01-11T17:35:00.000-05:00

Here are some additional chess sites/links that you may find useful/interesting:

Play Chess
Learn to play chess like a master. A beginners site which offers a collection of free articles on all aspects of chess and how to play the game.

BraRoe Chess Sets
Full Selection of chess sets and themed chess sets as well as the opportunity to match different pieces with the board of your choice.

Chess the Game
Discover the game of chess.Chess is an amazingly simple game to learn and takes a lifetime to master. From basic rules and strategies to the beauty of a Staughton set or the creative genius of a strategically position

Chess Openings Chess Opening Database
Chess opening software for tournament chess players - DVDs, ebooks and other chess opening instruction for serious chess players. Free trial.

Learn how to play chess
Learn how to play chess, chess moves, chess strategy, playing chess, online chess games, chess articles.

Checkers and Chess
A site dedicated to checkers, chess, xianqi, and variants of each.

Play Chess Game - Chess Notations
Site dedicated to helping chess enthusiasts learn chess. Included information ranging from introduction to chess to executing strategy during a game. Also has chess information pages for fun and instructional purposes.

Chess Openings Chess Opening Software
Chess opening tools for tournament chess players along with DVDs on openings, middlegames, endgames and chess tactics. Free trial software

Chess Hounds - Free online chess
Play chess in your web browser. JavaScript powered--no Java or software installation required.

Chess Opening - Chess opening moves for the Beginner
This is an information site on chess openings and strategies. It specializes in the following, chess opening, chess opening move, best chess opening, chess opening strategy, encyclopedia of chess opening, chess opening and tactic.

Welcome To My Chess Strategies Blog!

2006-01-11T16:42:00.000-05:00

Hello Fellow Chess Enthusiasts!

Welcome to my chess strategies blog!

My plan is to provide you with lots and lots of valuable chess tips & strategies that will help you improve your game quickly. And the best part is...you'll get access to this information at for FREE! What could be better than loads of quality info at no cost?

If this sounds interesting to you, please add this blog http://chessstrategies.blogspot.com to your favorites (or add our blog feed to your favorite reader).

Yours In Chess Success,

James Wilson