Fianchettos are made by advancing the pawns on the b- and g-files and developing the bishop behind the knight pawn. What are fianchettos? Openings that use fianchettos Key points and ideas 1) What are fianchettos? Fianchetto is an I...
Crazyhouse is a popular chess variant similar to bughouse, but you only need two players to play. The basic premise of crazyhouse is that pieces which you capture from your opponent can be dropped on empty squares on your turn. "Dropping" cap...
Tired of regular chess and all the loads of opening theory? Then try Chess960 or the variant also known as Fischer Random Chess. Play Chess960 The 11th World Champion Robert James Fischer was the most fam...
The Ruy Lopez (also known as the Spanish Opening) is a chess opening enjoyed by chess players from complete beginners to the world champion, Magnus Carlsen! History Notable games Opening explorer History The opening bears the name o...
Chess players taking their first steps are often confused about how to castle. This special move is the only time you can move two pieces in the same turn. Castling only involves the king and the rook (no other chess pieces), and it is believ...
The Fried Liver Attack holds the award for the coolest opening name in chess. This variation of the Two-Knights Defense involves a bold knight sacrifice which forces the black king to take a walk. This variation is also known as the Fegatello Atta...
The first time chess players hear the word zugzwang they think their opponent's are calling them a funny name! Not quite—Let's take a look. What is zugzwang in chess? Zugzwang can be simple or complex. Notable games Zugzwan...
"Nobody knows, even roughly, how many people play chess, and nobody should pretend to know." -- Edward Winter1 Is chess the most popular game in the world? While no one can say for certain, here are some estimates of the numbers of chess playe...
While the traditional two-player chess that we know and love today has become the most popular way to play, there have been hundreds of variations of chess created by imaginative fans of the game. One of the earliest and most notable variants of...
Chess is both a game, and a sport! Here are ten ways that chess is a sport: 1. Chess is physically demanding. Chess players do not compete based on athletic prowess, but it is essential for elite chess players to be in excellent physical s...
Setting up a chess game is easy. It’s playing that can be hard. Here is how to set up a game. Step 1: Decide where to play. Do you want to play on a real board with a friend near you? Or do you want to play with one of m...
Millions of people around the world play chess regularly—but how do you become good at chess? Define what "good" means Practice lots of puzzles Review your games Create a study plan Be patient 1. Define what “good at chess...
No matter where you are in chess, you can always get better. And with the right habits and attitude, getting better at chess can be both fun and simple. To get better at chess, you will need to learn the rules, play a lot of games, review your pla...
You have probably heard someone say “I can beat all my friends at chess” or “I’m the best chess player at my school!” After rolling your eyes, you may have wondered: Who is the best chess player in the world? The be...
If getting people to pay you for advice was as simple as asking, everyone would be doing it! The same goes for chess coaches looking to develop their professional career. While Chess.com does provide the tools you need for teaching, we ...
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You’ve learned how to play chess, and you’ve played some games online, but now you want to get a chess set for your home so you can play “over the board.” But what kind of chess set should you get? There are four kin...
Are you looking for somewhere to enjoy a nice game of chess? Maybe you’ve asked yourself: What is the best place to play chess online? Chess.com is the best place to play chess online. Our Play server has all the features you could ever wa...
There are many chess sites where you can play and learn about chess, but which one should you choose? The best chess site is Chess.com! Here is why you should choose Chess.com to be your online chess home: Chess.com Has The Most Players Onli...
What is the most common chess game? The four-move checkmate (also known as scholar's mate) is by far the most common finish to a chess game. Almost all chess players has fallen for or delivered this checkmate at some point in their li...
At some point every chess player is shocked the first time their opponent uses the en passant capture rule. No, they are not cheating! They are using a pawn capture rule that was invented in the 15th century. En Passant Capture...
Grandmasters Magesh Panchanathan and Arun Prashad are two of the best chess coaches teaching today. In this incredible series of articles, they take deep dives on all sorts of topics, from classic openings, to unique patterns, chess history, and m...
How do you win a chess game? To win in chess, a player must checkmate their opponent. Checkmate happens when the king is attacked by another piece and has no way to escape. At that point, the game is over. But checkmate doesn’t happen wi...
From the starting position in chess, the fastest checkmate possible can happen in two moves. It's best known as the Fool's Mate. A player cannot force his opponent into Fool's Mate. White has to start the game with the two worst moves. Let's take ...
