I really appreciate my readers' feedback and therefore always read your comments to my articles. One of them, by the Chess.com member rossmckinley1224, made me think. Ross wrote: "For those of us struggling to achieve a 1000 rating on Ches...
Zwischenzug is a German word that means "in-between move." Such moves are common in chess, but many times they can be quite unexpected! Other terms which mean the same thing in chess literature are intermezzo, intermediate move, and ...
For players new to chess and even for some that have experience, stalemate can be a little confusing. Stalemate is a special type of draw or tie that helps the player that is losing! Specifically, it is a situation in chess where th...
The Giuoco Piano is a popular chess opening from the beginner levels all the way up to grandmaster. Giuoco Piano translates from Italian into the "quiet game". First, let's take a look at the beginning moves that make up this opening. ...
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. The 11th World Champion Robert James Fischer was the most famous advocate of the idea of shuffling...
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 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...
I recently told a friend that I had been playing a lot of chess. “How good are you?” she asked. I brightened, interpreting the question as an invitation for a game. “No, I don’t play,” she waved me off. “I&rsq...
I prepared for my first chess tournament for weeks. Every night, I played a rapid game -- and then studied it, reviewing my moves to see where I missed a tactic, where I anticipated the wrong move, where I could have pressed for better advantage...
When I began playing chess, I had no idea how to begin a game. I would stare at the row of pawns, wondering which one I should order forward, without an idea of why. Or I’d hop a knight into the open board and hope for the best. There are ...
I bet that some of you, my dear readers, think that I am going to talk about "Fool's Mate" or "Scholar's Mate." Indeed, there is no way to get checkmated faster than Fool's Mate: And there is no more popular beginner's opening than Schola...
There is one thing chess players at all levels have in common: we want to play better. From the player who just learnt how to move the pieces all the way to Magnus Carlsen. And the good news is that there is always room for improvement. Bu...
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...
Learning a new opening can be a challenging but rewarding task. Once you have gotten used to a certain variation (e.g. the French Defense or the Catalan), it can be difficult to switch to playing something else, but at the same time it will e...
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...