What is ChessChess is a two-player strategy board game played on a chessboard, a square checkered ameboard with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.
Each player begins the game with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. Each of the six piece types moves differently. Pieces are used to attack and capture the opponent's pieces, with the objective to 'checkmate' the opponent's king by placing it under an inescapable threat of capture. In addition to checkmate, the game can be won by the voluntary resignation of the opponent, which typically occurs when too much material is lost, or if checkmate appears unavoidable. A game may also result in a draw in several ways, where neither player wins. The course of the game is divided into three phases: opening, middlegame, and endgame. |
Rules of ChessThe rules of chess (also known as the laws of chess) are rules governing the play of the game of chess. While the exact origins of chess are unclear, modern rules first took form during the Middle Ages. The rules continued to be slightly modified until the early 19th century, when they reached essentially their current form. The rules also varied somewhat from place to place. Today Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), also known as the World Chess Organization, sets the standard rules, with slight
modifications made by some national organizations for their own purposes. There are variations of the rules for fast chess, correspondence chess, online chess, and chess variants. Chess is a game played by two people on a chessboard, with sixteen pieces (of six types) for each player. Each type of piece moves in a distinct way. The goal of the game is to checkmate, i.e. to threaten the opponent's king with inevitable capture. Games do not necessarily end with checkmate – players often resign if they believe they will lose. In addition, there are several ways that a game can end in a draw. Besides the basic movement of the pieces, rules also govern the equipment used, the time control, the conduct and ethics of players, accommodations for physically challenged players, the recording of moves using chess notation, as well as provide procedures for resolving irregularities which can occur during a game. |
A Brief Guide to the Rules of Chess
1. The chessboard is placed so that the white square is on the right side of the player.
2. The player with the White pieces always moves first.
3. A pawn on reaching the last rank can be exchanged for a Queen, Rook, Bishop or Knight as part of the same move. The effect of this promoted
4. piece is immediate. So if the pawn is promoted to a Queen, the Queen, if it is in a position to do so, may check or checkmate the enemy King.
5. Each move must be made with only one hand.
6. A piece that is touched must be moved unless moving this piece would place the King in check. This is called the "touch-move rule".
7. If an opponent's piece is touched then it must be captured if possible. If this is not possible then play continues as if that piece had not been
touched.
8. A person may adjust a piece on the chessboard on her move by saying "j'adoube" which is French for "I adjust".
9. When castling, the King must be moved first and then the Rook brought to stand on the opposite side to the King.
10. When using a clock, the button must be pressed with the hand which moved the piece on the chessboard.
11. All play should be conducted with respect for the opponent. A player should not distract or annoy her opponent in any way.
2. The player with the White pieces always moves first.
3. A pawn on reaching the last rank can be exchanged for a Queen, Rook, Bishop or Knight as part of the same move. The effect of this promoted
4. piece is immediate. So if the pawn is promoted to a Queen, the Queen, if it is in a position to do so, may check or checkmate the enemy King.
5. Each move must be made with only one hand.
6. A piece that is touched must be moved unless moving this piece would place the King in check. This is called the "touch-move rule".
7. If an opponent's piece is touched then it must be captured if possible. If this is not possible then play continues as if that piece had not been
touched.
8. A person may adjust a piece on the chessboard on her move by saying "j'adoube" which is French for "I adjust".
9. When castling, the King must be moved first and then the Rook brought to stand on the opposite side to the King.
10. When using a clock, the button must be pressed with the hand which moved the piece on the chessboard.
11. All play should be conducted with respect for the opponent. A player should not distract or annoy her opponent in any way.
Chess NotationThe moves of a chess game can be recorded in a variety of ways. You will probably see algebraic notation used more often but older chess books often use descriptive notation. It is a good idea to be conversant with them both. Chess positions can be recorded using Forsyth notation.
|
Opening Rules
The opening of the game is the beginning phase. It is when you are trying to control the centre of the board and get your chess pieces out from their starting positions to more aggressive posts. In his excellent book, The Ideas Behind the Chess Openings, Ruben Fine gives ten rules to bear in mind when starting a game of chess:
1. Open with either the e or d pawn - it is these pawns which stake a claim in the centre.
2. If possible try to develop your pieces so that they threaten something or make it difficult for your opponent to develop.
3. It is generally a good idea to develop knights before bishops. This is because it is generally easier to see where your knights
should go as they have less choice of good squares than bishops.
4. When you develop your pieces do not move them to a square which can easily be attacked by your opponent and consequently
drive your chessman to another square. Try to move each piece only once in the opening.
5. In the opening make only one or two pawn moves, no more.
6. Do not bring your Queen out too early as it can be chased around the board by enemy pieces and you will lose valuable time and
fall behind in development.
7. Bring your King to safety by castling as soon as possible and preferably on the king's side.
8. Play to get control of the centre of the chessboard. The centre consists of the squares d4, d5, e4 and e5.
9. Always try to keep at least one pawn in the centre of the chessboard.
10. Do not sacrifice (give away your pieces) without a good reason. For example, a good reason to sacrifice a pawn might be to get
ahead on development, to prevent your opponent from castling, to build up a strong attack or to deflect your opponent's Queen.
1. Open with either the e or d pawn - it is these pawns which stake a claim in the centre.
2. If possible try to develop your pieces so that they threaten something or make it difficult for your opponent to develop.
3. It is generally a good idea to develop knights before bishops. This is because it is generally easier to see where your knights
should go as they have less choice of good squares than bishops.
4. When you develop your pieces do not move them to a square which can easily be attacked by your opponent and consequently
drive your chessman to another square. Try to move each piece only once in the opening.
5. In the opening make only one or two pawn moves, no more.
6. Do not bring your Queen out too early as it can be chased around the board by enemy pieces and you will lose valuable time and
fall behind in development.
7. Bring your King to safety by castling as soon as possible and preferably on the king's side.
8. Play to get control of the centre of the chessboard. The centre consists of the squares d4, d5, e4 and e5.
9. Always try to keep at least one pawn in the centre of the chessboard.
10. Do not sacrifice (give away your pieces) without a good reason. For example, a good reason to sacrifice a pawn might be to get
ahead on development, to prevent your opponent from castling, to build up a strong attack or to deflect your opponent's Queen.
Chess Tactics
In chess, a tactic refers to a sequence of moves that limits the opponent's options and may result in tangible gain. Tactics are usually contrasted with strategy, in which advantages take longer to be realized, and the opponent is less constrained in responding.
The fundamental building blocks of tactics are move sequences in which the opponent is unable to respond to all threats, so the first player realizes an advantage. This includes forks, skewers, batteries, discovered attacks, undermining, overloading, deflection, pins, and interference.[1] The Encyclopedia of Chess Middlegames gives the following tactics categories: Double Attack, Pawns Breakthrough, Blockade, Decoying, Discovered Attack, Passed Pawn, X-ray Attack, Interception, Deflection, Pin, Demolition of Pawns, Overloading, Annihilation of Defense, Pursuit (perpetual attack), Intermediate Move, and Space Clearance. Often tactics of more than one type are conjoined in a combination. |