RD Glossary
algebraic notation
Standard way to describe chess games in books etc. In the algebraic notation, the squares on the board are named with letters and numbers. The left corner square from the perspective of the player with the white pieces is called a1, the next to the right of it b1, ... to h1 in the right corner. The squares in the next row are a2 to h2 and so on until a8 to h8 on Black's side of the board.
back rank
The back rank is the row of squares on the chess board closest to the player. Whites back rank contains the squares a1 to h1 and Black's back rank the squares a8 to h8.
basic mate
Checkmate forced with a combination of pieces without pawns against a lone enemy king. Also called "elemental mate".
blitz
German word for "lightning". Blitz chess games are played with fast time controls. Typically, each player has 3-10 minutes to make all his/her moves. Classical blitz time controls are game in 5 min.
blunder
An obvious mistake, often leading to immediate loss of material. Indicated by the symbol "??" in game annotations.
book move
Book move: during the opening phase, moves are commonly chosen from well-analyzed opening lines that can be found in databases or books from the chess literature, hence the term "book moves".
bullet
Bullet chess: games played with extremely fast time controls giving each player less than 3 minutes (typically 1 min) to complete the game.
candidate move
A move that looks good initially and therefore warrants further analysis.
correspondence chess
Correspondence chess, sometimes also called turn-based chess, is played between players at geographically different locations. The main difference between over-the-board or "live" chess games and correspondence chess is the time scale: in correspondence chess, players usually have several days and sometimes even weeks to make one single move. Traditionally, the moves were communicated by mail. Today, most correspondence chess games are played using e-mail or correspondence chess web servers.
counterattack
When a player who is under attack starts an attack himself instead of just making a defensive move.
descriptive notation
Old fashioned way to record chess games, nowadays replaced by the algebraic notation. The files are named after the pieces positioned on them at the start of the game. For instance, the a-file in algebraic notation is the queen's rook, or QR, file. In descriptive notation, the ranks are numbered but the numbering depends on perspective of the player on the move: The initial position of the White queen on the board is called Q1 when it is White's turn and Q8 when it is Black's turn.
develop
In the opening phase of the game, pieces are moved from their initial positions on the first rank to more efficient positions where they can play a more active role in the game. This is called developing.
doubled rooks
Two rooks positioned on the same file.
elemental mate
Checkmate forced with a combination of pieces without pawns against a lone enemy king. Also called "basic mate".
en passant
French: in the act of passing. When a pawn is moved two squares at once from the initial position, it can be captured en passant by another pawn. The rule is that it can be captured with the same move it would be captured had it only moved a single square. Capturing en passant is only possible on the move directly following the advance of the pawn. Example: White has a pawn on b2, Black has a pawn on c4. If White plays now b2-b4 Black can capture this pawn by playing c4-b3.
en prise
Leaving a piece en prise (french): leaving an attacked piece unprotected, ready to be taken by the opponent without getting compensation for it.
endgame
The endgame is the last stage of the game when only few pieces are left on the board. No sharp border between middlegame and endgame exists and it is often unclear when exactly the endgame starts.
english opening
1.c4 - the fourth most popular chess opening move. The English Opening got its name from the English chess master and unofficial world champion Howard Staunton, who employed it in his 1843 match with Saint-Amant.
exchange
Also called "trading pieces". In an exchange, a player gives up one or more piece to win one or more of the opponent's pieces with the same value. Winning or loosing the exchange means that a player captures pieces with higher or lower value than the opponent, respectively.
fianchetto
Way of developing a bishop in the opening. A fianchetto is prepared by advancing the knight pawn by one (or sometimes two) squares. After that, the bishop can be developed to the now free square on the knight's file.
fifty move rule
Part of the rules of chess. The fifty move rule states that a player can claim a draw if no capture has been made and no pawn has been moved in the last fifty consecutive moves. It is important to notice that the game is not automatically drawn but that one player has to claim it when it is her/his turn to move.
file
The columns of the chess board are called files. For instance, all squares a1, a2, ...,, to a8 belong to the a-file.
fools mate
The quickest possible checkmatein chess: 1. f3 e4 2. g4 Qh4# 0-1.
fork
Tactics where a piece attacks two or more pieces at the same time. Mostly used for knights or pawns attacking two pieces simultaneously.
gambit
A sacrifice in the opening to gain the initiative. Usually, gambits involve the sacrifice of a pawn to obtain a lead in development.

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RD Glossary by Run Digital