Smothered mate is one of the trickiest checkmates that exists! This checkmate is delivered by the devious knight. How can you deliver a smothered mate? Find out below! Here is everything you need to know about smothered mates: What Is Smothered Mate? Examples Of Smothered Mates Smothered Mate Tests Conclusion What...
If you're just starting your chess journey, you might be caught off guard by weird moves that look too odd to be legal. Don't worry, though. In this chess term, you learn everything about the special moves of chess. Here are the special moves you need to know: What Are Special Chess Moves? Castling Pawn...
What would happen if, on top of commanding your chess army, you could also cast spells like a wizard? Well, what if I told you that you can actually do it by playing Spell Chess? Here's what you need to know about this magical chess variant. Note: Another variant called Spell Chess was launched in 2013...
It's no secret that king-and-pawn endgames can be very tricky. Sometimes they are counterintuitive, and the slightest mistakes can cost you the game. But what if there was a simple to understand technique to help you calculate some of those positions? Enter the square rule, the trick that helps you...
The game is almost over, and you are ahead in material. Suddenly, though, you make a move, and the game ends in a draw. Stalemate can be a source of a lot of frustration, but it can also be your saving grace. What Is Stalemate? Examples Of Stalemate Test Your Skills Conclusion Video Lesson What Is...
The most powerful chess engines of all time are all well-known to most chess players. If you are wondering which available engine is the strongest, then look no further—Stockfish is the king of chess engines. Let's learn more about this mighty engine. Here is what you need to know about...
Do you know that great chess players can glance at a position and quickly assess which side is winning? Not only that, but they can also determine the best moves and ideas for each side. Would you like to have that same power? If you do, then you have to learn the concepts of chess strategy. What Is...
The game is going great, you are way up in material, and your opponent just blundered their queen. You happily take it, but it wasn’t a blunder after all. The game is over. It’s a draw—stalemate. You were just swindled. It happens to everyone. Here is what you need to know about...
If you like to play or watch chess tournaments, you've probably come across the term "Swiss system." But what exactly does it mean? Here's everything you need to know about this widely popular tournament format: What Is The Swiss System For Chess Tournaments Why Is The Swiss System Important? What...
Is chess a solved game? The answer is... partially. And tablebases are why. Read on to find out more about this very important endgame tool. What Are Tablebases? Why Are Tablebases Important? Can You Study Tablebases? Conclusion What Are Tablebases? A tablebase is a computer-calculated database of...
Can you imagine how great it would be if you could move your pieces more than once each turn while playing chess? Although this is illegal, there is one way for you to be "faster" than your opponent to gain an edge. It all comes down to one crucial chess concept: the tempo. What Is A Tempo In Chess? What...
Imagine a machine that could beat any human chess player. That sounds very ordinary. But what if that happened in the eighteenth century long before computers were around? Learn everything about the Mechanical Turk that shook up the world by beating famous people like Napoleon Bonaparte and Benjamin...
What if there is a way to avoid a loss when you are playing in a bad position? In these situations, the threefold repetition rule can help you escape defeat. Here is what you need to know about the threefold repetition. What Is The Threefold Repetition In Chess? Why Is The Threefold Repetition Rule...
There are many different types of chess time controls. The term "time control" gets thrown around quite often, but what does it mean? Here is what you need to know about time controls: What Are Time Controls? Classical Time Controls Rapid Time Controls Blitz Time Controls Bullet Time Controls How Do...
Do you like speed? If you do, Torpedo Chess is the right game for you! Here's what you need to know about Torpedo Chess: What Is Torpedo Chess? How To Play Torpedo Chess Online Conclusion What Is Torpedo Chess? Torpedo Chess is a chess variant first proposed and intensely analyzed by DeepMind, the...
Beginners often touch a lot of pieces before they decide what they're going to play. But when you're getting more serious about chess, you need to know about the touch move rule—or you might get in trouble! What Is The Touch Move Rule? Why Is The Touch Move Rule Important? How To Adjust A Chess...
There are many different types of pieces, but a trapped piece is one that is definitely worth learning about. What is a trapped piece? Let's find out! What Is A Trapped Piece? Examples Of Trapped Pieces Test Conclusion What Is A Trapped Piece? A trapped piece is a piece that has no escape squares...
There are many chess federations, and the U.S. Chess Federation (USCF) is one of the longest standing and largest chess organizations. Let's learn about what the USCF is, what it does, and more! Here is what you need to know about the USCF: What Is USCF? Why Is USCF Important? How To Play In...
Sometimes, you just want to play a game of chess. But some people do everything in their power to block you from playing said game. Well, if you'd still like to play some chess anyway, please read on. Why Are People Blocking Chess Games? Sites That Are Definitely Not For Playing Chess, So Please Don't...
Promotions are almost always something to be celebrated, both in chess and in real life. But what if your only option is to accept an underpromotion? It turns out that sometimes this could be even better—at least in chess. What Is An Underpromotion In Chess? Why Are Underpromotions Important? Test...
One of the strongest chess players in history is also someone who never lived. Meet Vasily Borgov, the fictional world chess champion. Who is Vasily Borgov? Vasily Borgov's Playing Style Vasily Borgov's Opening Repertoire Conclusion Who is Vasily Borgov? Vasily Borgov is a fictional character in...
What if you were allowed to make multiple moves while your opponent just sat by and watched? If that sounds appealing to you, the windmill tactic is just what you need! What Is A Windmill In Chess? Why Is The Windmill Important? Test Your Skills Conclusion What Is A Windmill In Chess? A windmill...
We have all heard the term "grandmaster," but what does woman candidate master (WCM) mean? How does someone attain this title? Who awards it? Let's answer all of these questions and more. Here is what you need to know about the WCM title: Who Is A Woman Candidate Master? How Do You Earn The Woman...
Do you know that the grandmaster title is not the only one you can attain as a chess player? If you are a woman and an outstanding player, you can try to earn the woman FIDE master title. Who Is A Woman FIDE Master? How Do You Attain A Woman FIDE Master Title? How To Identify Woman FIDE Masters On...
We have all heard the term "grandmaster," but do you know that there is more than one grandmaster title? If you are a woman and an extremely strong player, you can try to earn the woman grandmaster title! Here is what you need to know about this title: Who Is A Woman Grandmaster? How Do You Attain...
