Chess

Speed (Bullet) Chess

A game of chess in which each player must play all of their moves in one minute

Correspondence Chess

A game of chess played by mail

Blindfold Chess

A game of chess when players visualize the positions in their heads and call out their moves using chess notation

Minor Piece

A not-as powerful piece such as a knight or a bishop

Diagonal Battery

A piece moves through a diagonal slot and threatens the opposing team

(an) Opening

A planned strategy or system for the beginning of a chess game

Major Piece

A powerful piece such as a queen or a rook

Combination

A sequence of moves leading to material gain or checkmate

Material

A term for pieces used when one side has more pieces than the other (e.g. "white has more material than black")

Double Attack

One piece attacks two pieces at the same time (fork)

(the) Opening

The first phase of a chess game; when most pieces are boxed in

Kingside

The half of the board that the king stands at the beginning of a game (right)

Queenside

The half of the board that the queen stands at the beginning of a game (left)

Rank

The horizontal axis of a chess board; represented by the numbers 1 to 8

Fool's Mate

The most immediate checkmate (made within 2 moves on each side!)

Algebraic Notation

The pairing of numbers and letters to easily identify each square on a chess board

Middlegame

The second of three phases of a chess game; event when all of the pieces have been developed and the real battle has begun

Endgame (or Ending)

The third phase of a chess game when just a few pieces remain on the board

File

The vertical axis of a chess board; represented by lowercase letters a to h

Checkmate

The very end of a chess game; when the king is put in check and cannot escape

Double Check

Two pieces put the king in check at the same time

Promotion

When a pawn reaches the eigth rank it can be promoted to any other piece - a knight, bishop, rook, or queen

Check

When a piece directly attacks the king to attempt to give checkmate

Pin

When a piece is attacked but cannot move because a piece (usually of greater value) would be taken

Discovered Check

When a piece moves, allowing a second piece to give check

Resignation

When a player, knowing that defeat is inevitable, gives up the game before checkmate occurs

Sacrifice

When material is given up in order to gain an advantage to checkmate

Exchange

When pieces of equal value are traded off the board (e.g. a "bishop exchange" means both sides have given up a bishop)

Seventh Heaven

When rooks make it to the seventh rank and can inflict extreme damage

Castling

When the king and a rook move from their starting spaces and move next to eachother; a highly effective way to protect the king

Stalemate

When the player whose turn it is cannot make any legal moves but is not in check, the game ends in a draw

Fork

When two enemy pieces are attacked by a single piece

Skewer

When two pieces are attacked along the same file or rank (the second piece is the target)