The game has just started, and both players are ready to engage in an epic battle. Two moves later, though, and the war is over. Believe it or not, this is a possibility in chess. What Is Fool's Mate? Why Is It Such A Foolish Mate? Examples Of Similar Ideas Played By Professional Players Test Your...
During a chess game, a person must continuously pick just one out of the many available moves. Sometimes, though, players do not have the luxury of choosing what they want to do because they have to play a forced move. Here is what you need to know about forced moves: What Is A Forced Move In Chess? Why...
Forks are very useful when you want to enjoy a delicious meal. In a chess game, they are also a handy tool for munching your opponent's pieces! Learn everything about this tactic and how you can use it to win more matches. What Is A Fork In Chess? How To Take Advantage Of A Fork Test Your Skills Conclusion What...
If you need to describe a position reached during a game of chess, how would you do it? The Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN for short) is one of the easiest ways. Here is what you need to know about FEN: What Is FEN? Why Is FEN Important? How Does FEN Work? Piece Placement Active Color Castling Rights Possible...
Something has gone wrong, and you have entered an endgame where you're down in material. Should you throw in the towel? Not before checking if you can build a fortress to save the game! Here is what you need to know about chess fortresses: What Is A Fortress In Chess? Why Are Fortresses Important? Test...
Freestyle chess is another name for Chess960, which was coined and popularized by a 2024 chess event called the Freestyle G.O.A.T. Challenge. In freestyle chess, the pieces on the back rank are randomized in the starting position. Read on to learn more about this popular chess variant, which you can...
Nowadays, anyone with an internet-capable device and a connection can download a strong chess engine for free—but this was not always the case! In the early 1990s, one of the strongest commercial chess engines was Fritz, which is still around and very powerful. Let's learn more about Fritz. Here...
The game starts, and your opponent seemingly offers you a pawn or a piece very early. Do you take it? Be careful! That "free" material might come with strings attached—you might be looking at a gambit. Here's what you need to know about gambits in chess: What Is A Gambit In Chess? Sound And Unsound...
The Game of the Century—that must be a pretty awesome game, right? It most certainly is! Let's learn more about one of the greatest games ever played. Here is what you need to know about the Game of the Century: What Is The Game Of The Century? Why Is The Game Of The Century Important? The...
"Gens una sumus" may sound like a spell to increase your rating, but (unfortunately) it is not. However, it does have a cool meaning! Here's what you need to know about "gens una sumus:" What Is "Gens Una Sumus" Conclusion What Is "Gens Una Sumus" "Gens una sumus" is a Latin expression that serves...
Hanging your pieces can be a frustrating experience. But what if you could get rewarded for being the best at giving your pieces away? Here's what you need to know about Giveaway Chess: What Is Giveaway Chess? What Are The Rules Of Giveaway Chess? How To Play Giveaway Chess Online Conclusion What...
If you'd like to take a break from regular chess and add a twist to it, Gothic Chess is the way to go. With new pieces and a larger board, you're sure to have a good time with this exciting variant. Here's what you need to know about Gothic Chess: What Is Gothic Chess? What Are The Rules To Gothic...
We have all heard the term "grandmaster," but what exactly does it mean? How does someone attain this title? Who awards the title? Let's answer all of these questions and more. Here is what you need to know about the grandmaster (GM) title: Who Is A Chess Grandmaster? How Do You Earn The Grandmaster...
Do you want to storm your opponent's castle? You can draw inspiration from ancient Greek literature and offer your opponent a gift—one that they won't be too happy to receive! Here's everything you need to know about the Greek Gift, one of the most common and dazzling sacrifices in chess: What...
Hand and brain: don't almost all chess players use both of these all the time? Yes, they do—okay, maybe not always the brain—but that's not what this term references. Read on to learn what hand and brain chess is, the rules of hand and brain, and more. What Are The Hand And Brain Rules? Why...
Have you ever heard the term "hanging pawns" but didn't know what it is all about? Wonder no more! Here's everything you need to know about this pawn structure in chess. What Are Hanging Pawns? Examples Of Hanging Pawns Why Are Hanging Pawns Important? Test Your Knowledge Conclusion What Are Hanging...
The term "hanging piece" is used quite often. You may overhear or read that a player "hung their queen," but what does it mean? Let's find out! Here is everything you need to know about hanging pieces: What Is A Hanging Piece? How Do You Avoid Hanging A Piece? How Do You Recognize Hanging Pieces? Test Conclusion What...
Chess engines rule the chess world in terms of raw strength. According to the September 2020 Computer Chess Ratings List, there are 60 engines with a rating of 3000+. The engine that has been around the longest is HIARCS. Let's learn more about HIARCS. Here is what you need to know: What Is HIARCS? HIARCS...
Can you command a horde of pawns to roll over the enemy's army? Or would you rather pretend you're Rambo and use your fighting prowess to defeat your opponent even when outnumbered? Either way, Horde Chess is the right choice for you. Here is what you need to know about Horde Chess: What Is Horde Chess? What...
There are many strong chess engines these days, but Houdini has been one of the strongest engines over the past decade. It was the top chess entity on the planet for some time, defeating its contemporaries like Rybka, Stockfish, and Komodo. Let's learn more about this powerful engine. Here is what you...
There have only been a few schools of chess that have made a major impact on the game and whose principles are still followed today—the Hypermodern school is one of them. Let's find out what hypermodern chess is and why it is important. Here is what you need to know about hypermodern chess: What...
The Immortal Game is one of the most well-known chess games ever played. Adolf Anderssen sacrifices all of his heavy pieces (and more) to deliver a legendary checkmate! Let's learn more about this masterpiece. Here is what you need to know about the Immortal Game: What Is The Immortal Game? Why Is...
Sometimes it is hard to win a game when your opponent’s pieces are all working well together. But what if you could disrupt their defenses to win the game? That is what the interference tactic is for, and this is what you need to know about it: What Is An Interference In Chess? Why Are Interferences...
International Chess Day is an annual chess celebration held on July 20. Players, clubs, and organizations from around the world create and participate in events on International Chess Day to celebrate this remarkable game. Here is what you need to know about International Chess Day: What Is International...
There are many chess federations, but the International Chess Federation (FIDE) oversees all of them. Let's learn about what FIDE is, what it does, and more. Here is what you need to know about FIDE: What Is FIDE? Why Is FIDE Important? FIDE Titles Conclusion What Is FIDE? The International...
