Chess Terminology: The Ultimate Guide
Hello readers, and welcome to the ultimate guide for chess terms for beginner to advanced players! Ever wondered what a certain word meant or wanted to learn something new but didn't want to look it up and read a lengthy article about history and implications and blah blah blah? Well this list I have compiled contains quick, concise definitions for chess terms. It is sorted into alphabetical order and I have also included a chess titles section below. Let's get defining!
I strive to make these definitions as complete and accurate as possible. If you have any questions, want to suggest a word be added, or point out a correction, put it in the comments and I will make changes as soon as possible.
A
Active- When a piece can move to many squares and is able to involve itself in the game.
Alekhine's Gun- A powerful battery (see "battery" below) that consists of two rooks in front of a queen on a rank or file.
Attack- To take aggressive action against the enemy.
B
Backwards Pawn- A pawn that has protection from no other pawns because the either have overtaken the backwards pawn or no longer exist.
Bad Bishop- When a bishop's movement is restricted by its own pawns.
Battery: A setup of similar moving pieces (i.e. bishop and queen, rook and rook) aligned on the same rank/file/diagonal.
Bishop Pair- A powerful pair where both bishops are placed next to each other on open diagonals.
Block- Using a piece to restrict another from advancing.
Blockade- Placing a piece directly in front of a pawn to prevent its advance.
Boden's Mate- A checkmate pattern with two bishops in which a castled king is trapped by one and checkmated by the other.
Blunder- A mistake that leads to a positional or material loss.
C
Castle- A special move involving the king and one of the rooks, moving the king two squares towards the rook and placing the rook on the other side of the king.
Check- When a piece directly threatens the opponent's king, forcing it to move.
Checkmate- When the king is trapped and in check with no legal move to escape, leads to a victory for the attacking player.
Closed Game- A position in where most pawns are fixed and cannot move, which in turn restricts other piece movement.
Combination- A sequence of sacrifices or tactics played to achieve a specific tactical or positional goal.
Counterattack- An attack launched in response to an attack.
D
Decoy- Forcing the opponent's piece to move to a less favorable square, often to allow an attack.
Deflection- Forcing a piece away from the square it defends, often leading to the capture of that square.
Desperado- A move in which a lost (trapped and about to be captured) piece captures another piece to reduce or eliminate material loss.
Develop- To move a piece from its starting square.
Defense- To deflect or prevent attacks.
Diagonal- A line of squares running at a slant across the board; this is what bishops move on.
Discovered Attack- When a piece moves to reveal an attack on an opponent's piece.
Discovered Check- When a piece moves to reveal a check from another piece behind it.
Double Attack- Attacking two pieces with one move, similar to a fork.
Double Check- A check that occurs from two different pieces with both simultaneously checking the king, forcing it to move.
Doubled Pawns- A situation where two pawns are lined up directly vertical from each other, resulting from a capture.
Draw- When the game ends evenly.
E
Endgame: The final phase of the game.
En Passant- A special move in which a pawn captures a pawn on a file next to it, this is allowed if the captured pawn moves two squares on its first move and ends up directly next to the capturing pawn; can it can only be played the very next move.
En Prise- (More French??) When an opponent can capture a piece with material gain.
Exchange Sacrifice- When a player sacrifices a rook for a bishop or knight.
Exchange- Even Exchange- Also known as trade, when two pieces of equal value are captured by both sides.
Uneven Exchange- When a piece of greater value is captured in exchange for a piece of lesser value or vice-versa.
F
Fianchetto- To place a bishop on the second rank, diagonal from the rook after moving the corresponding pawn; this is a very active diagonal.
Fifty Move Rule-A rule stating that the game can be declared a draw if 50 consecutive moves have been made by each player without a pawn move or a capture.
File- A vertical line of squares on the chess board.
Forced: A sequence of moves where a player has no reasonable alternative to avoid a worse outcome.
Fork- A type of double attack in which a piece (typically a pawn or knight) attacks two or more pieces at once.
Fortress- A piece configuration, most commonly used to salvage losing endgames, that prevents the opponent from making progress.
G
Gambit- A specific move/set of moves, normally involving sacrifices, executed to win material.
Greek Gift- When a bishop is sacrificed to a castled king, but when captured the king is exposed, allowing for attacks on the king.
H
Hanging/hung- To give a piece free, to blunder.
Hypermodern Chess- The chess principle that the center can be occupied indirectly as opposed to having pieces in the center itself.
I
Insufficient Material- A draw in which neither player has enough material to win the game.
Interference- When a piece is placed between an enemy piece and its defender, making the enemy piece lose its protection.
Isolated Pawn- A pawn with no other nearby pawns protecting it.
Isolated Doubled Pawns- Two isolated pawns in a row, with the first one blocking the second.
K
King Hunt- A situation in which multiple pieces “chase” the enemy king in hopes of checkmating.
L
Long Castle- Also known as castling queenside, the king castles with the queen's rook.
Lose Tempo- When a player needs to respond to a threat, therefore prolonging the development process and delaying piece movement (See "Tempo" below).
M
Major Piece- An important, higher valued piece, such as a queen or rook.
Middlegame- The middle phase of the game where most pieces are developed and both sides prepare and execute attacks.
Minor piece- A lower-valued/ less important piece such as a bishop or a knight.
O
Opening-The initial game phase, both players begin development and early attacks.
Open Game- When most central pawns are off of the board, allowing pieces (and attacks) to move more freely.
Outpost- A square, typically on the 4th, 5th, or 7th ranks where one side can plant a piece that is not easy to dislodge.
Overloading- When a piece is given multiple pieces to defend and cannot defend them all properly (i.e. if a pawn is protecting two pieces and one is captured then it recaptures and now the second piece is defenseless).
P
Passed Pawn- A pawn that is unable to be captured or blocked by any other pawn, making it a candidate for promotion.
Pawn Chain-A connected series of pawns on adjacent files, often controlling important squares and restricting piece movement.
Pawn Promotion- When a pawn promotes to another piece; this occurs when it reaches the other side of the board.
Pawn Storm- Advancing many pawns that protect each other in rapid succession.
Pawn Structure- A line or formation of pawns with each one protecting the one in front of it.
Pawn Majority- When a player has more pawns on one part of the board than their opponent; determining a pawn majority can be helpful in predicting who will win the endgame.
Perpetual Check- A drawing tactic in which an opponent repeatedly checks an opponent with few escape squares, leading the king to move back and forth and thus leading to threefold repetition.
Poisoned Pawn- A supposedly free pawn that, when captured, leads to material/positional loss for the attacker.
Pin- The opposite of a skewer, when a lower-valued piece is attacked but cannot move or a higher valued piece behind it will be captured.
Prophylaxis- A concept where if a player sees the threat that an opponent is trying to make he prevents it before it is played.
Q
Queen Sacrifice- A type of sacrifice (see “sacrifice” below) that gives a queen, leading to losses if captured.
R
Rank- A horizontal row on the chessboard
Removing The Defender- When a player executes an exchange that removes the defender of a square, allowing for the capture of that square and usually material gain.
S
Sacrifice- When a piece is offered "free" or in exchange for one of lesser value; this is executed with the aim to regain equal or greater value as a result of the enemy's capture of the offered piece.
Scholar's Mate- A four-move checkmate on the f7 square by a queen and bishop.
Semi-Open Game- A position where some pawns are off the board but the position is not open (see "open" above) yet.
Skewer- A move where a powerful piece is attacked with a less powerful piece behind it, forcing it to move and facilitating the capture of the lesser-valued piece.
Smothered Mate- A checkmate when the king is surrounded by its own pieces with no legal squares to move to.
Stalemate- A situation in which the player whose turn it is has no legal moves, but their king is not in check. The game ends in a draw.
T
Tempo- The time it takes for a player to move a piece or progress a position (see "Lose Tempo").
Trapped piece- A piece that has no legal escape squares, allowing its capture.
U
Underpromote- To promote a pawn to a piece other than a queen, normally to gain more material or checkmate, but sometimes to decrease chances of capture.
W
Windmill- A devastating and powerful tactical sequence where a piece (usually a rook or queen) repeatedly gives check, forcing the opponent's king (typically with few escape squares) to move back and forth along a rank or file, usually by the means of a discovered check (In which the checking piece moves to capture but cannot be recaptured because it simultaneously reveals a check) allowing the attacking player to capture multiple unprotected pieces along the way.
Z
Zwischenzug- German for "in-between move", in which a player, instead of playing the expected move (often a recapture), plays another move that forces the opponent to respond, often winning material, and then proceeds to play the initially expected move; leading to more material gains.
Zugzwang- Where if a player makes any move it would lead to an advantage for the opponent.
Chess Titles
Here is a list of the official chess titles awarded by FIDE (the International Chess Federation) and some national federations:
FIDE Titles (Open):
GM: Grandmaster (highest title)- Rating of at least 2500, 3 GM norms
IM: International Master- Rating of at least 2500 and 3 IM norms
FM: FIDE Master- Rating of at least 2300
CM: Candidate Master- Rating of at least 2200
FIDE Titles (Women Only):
WGM: Woman Grandmaster- ELO of at least 2300 and 3 WGM norms
WIM: Woman International Master- ELO of at least 2200 and 3 WIM norms
WFM: Woman FIDE Master- ELO of at least of 1900
WCM: Woman Candidate Master- ELO of at least 1800
FIDE Arena Titles (for online chess):
AGM: Arena Grandmaster- Performance rating of 2000 or higher, maintained for 50 rapid, 100 blitz, or 150 bullet games.
AIM: Arena International Master- Performance rating of 1700 or higher, maintained for 50 rapid, 100 blitz, or 150 bullet games.
AFM: Arena FIDE Master- Performance rating of at least 1400, maintained for 50 rapid, 100 blitz, or 150 bullet games.
ACM: Arena Candidate Master- Requires a performance rating of at least 1100, maintained for 50 rapid, 100 blitz, or 150 bullet games.
National Titles
NM: National Master awarded by many national federations like US Chess and the English Chess Federation, with varying rating requirements
Senior Master: US Chess Federation, rating of 2400 and norms
Life Master: US Chess Federation, rating of 2300
Expert: US Chess Federation, rating 2000-2199
Regional Master: English Chess Federation, rating of 2100 ECF
Country Master: English Chess Federation, rating of 2000 ECF
Club Master: English Chess Federation, rating of 1800 ECF
Team Master: English Chess Federation, rating of 1600 ECF
Chess Maestro: English Chess Federation, rating of 1400 ECF
Master: Chess Federation of Canada, rating of 2200 and norms
If you've made it this far, I hope you've learned something new about chess. Thank you for reading and have a great rest of your day!
