Chess Definitions and Technical Terms in Use Among Chess Players

This post is broken into two parts. Part one includes the chess definitions and technical terms. Part two includes chess illustrations so that you can see a visual interpretation of the term. The reason it is broken into two post is that you, the student, can open two separate browser windows simultaneously to view the illustration while reading the definition with out having to jump back and forth between the two.

Chess Definitions and Technical Terms

Castling.—Although, as a general rule, the move of the King is restricted to one square at a time, he has the privilege, under certain conditions, once in the game, of moving in conjunction with either of the Rooks two squares. This peculiar movement is called Castling, and is performed in the following manner:—If a player wishes to castle on his King's side of the board, he moves the King to K. Kt's sq., and then places the K's Rook on K. B's square. If he castles on the Queen's side, he plays his King to Q. B's sq, and Q's Rook to Q's sq. The object of this compound move is to place the royal Piece in safety, and at the same time bring the Rook from the corner square into better play.

The conditions under which a player is permitted to castle are:—1st. The King must not be in check. 2d. The King must not have moved. 3d. The Rook must not have moved. 4th. The King must not pass over or on to any square attacked by an enemy's man. And 5th. There must be no Piece, either of his own or the adversary's, between the King and the Rook.

In exemplification of the importance of castling, to escape from an attack, and to retort one on the adversary, see diagram No. 8.

Check and Checkmate.—The King is said to be in check when he is attacked by any Piece or Pawn, for it being a fundamental law of chess that the King can never be taken, whenever any direct attack upon him is made, he must be warned of his danger by the cry of check, and the player is then compelled either to remove his King out of check, or parry the check by interposing a man between the King and the attacking Piece, or capture the checking man.

When he can do none of these three things, he is checkmated, and the game won by the other side. (See diagrams Nos. 9 and 10.) When the King is directly attacked by the Piece played, it is a simple check; but when the Piece moved does not itself give check, but unmasks another which does, it is called a discovered check. (See diagram No. 8.) The third species of check is named the double check, where the King is attacked both by the Piece moved and the one discovered. The fourth description is called perpetual check, a case which arises when a player has two or more squares on which he can give check, and his opponent can only parry one check by affording an opportunity for another. If the first player then persists in the repetition of these particular checks, the game must be abandoned as drawn. (See diagram No. 11).

Doubled Pawn.—When two Pawns of the same color are on the same file, the front one is called a doubled pawn.

Drawn Game.—When neither party can give checkmate, the game is drawn. This may arise from several causes, as:—1st. Perpetual check. 2d. Where there is not sufficient force to effect a mate, as a King and a Knight only, or a King and two Knights, &c., &c. 3d. Where one party has force sufficient, but is ignorant of the proper mode of applying it, and thus fails to checkmate his helpless adversary within the fifty moves prescribed by the "Code". 4th. Where both parties persist in repeating the same move from fear of each other. 5th. Where both parties are left with the same force at the end, as a Queen against a Queen, a Rook against a Rook, and the like, when, except in particular cases, the game should be resigned as a drawn battle. And 6th. When one of the Kings is stalemated.

En Prise.—When a Piece or Pawn is in a situation to be taken by the enemy, it is said to be en prise. To put a piece en prise, is to play it so that it may be captured.

The Exchange.—When a player gains a Rook for a Bishop or a Knight, it is termed winning the exchange.

False Move.—Any illegal move, such as castling when the King has been moved or is in check, moving a Rook diagonally, or a Bishop like a Knight, is called a false or an "impossible" move.

Fool's Mate.—This is the simplest of all checkmates, being accomplished in two moves in the following manner:—

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. K. Kt. P. to K. Kt's 4th.	1. K. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. B. P. to K. B's 4th.	2. Q. to K. R's 5th, checkmate.

It cannot possibly be given by the first player.

Forced Move.—When a player has one only legal move at command, it is said to be a forced move.

Gambit.—This word is derived from an Italian phrase in wrestling, and signifies a movement by which the adversary is tripped up. In chess, this is attempted by the first player putting a Pawn en prise

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. K. P. to K's 4th.	1. K. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. B. P. to B's 4th.	2. P. takes K. B. P.

The Pawn offered by the first player here at his second move is called the Gambit Pawn, and when taken by the adversary the opening becomes a gambit.

The varieties of the gambits are often designated by the names of the players who invented or first brought them into vogue—as the Muzio gambit, the Salvio gambit, the Allgaier gambit, the Lopez gambit; while others obtain their names from the opening moves of the first player, as the King's Bishop's gambit, which begins thus:—

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. K. P. to K's 4th.	1. K. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. B. P. to B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.
3. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.

and is so called because the K's Bishop is played out at the 3d move instead of the K's Knight.

There is also the Queen's gambit, of which the opening moves are—

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. Q. P. to Q's 4th.	1. Q. P. to Q's 4th.
2. Q. B. P. to B's 4th.	2. P. takes P.

The gambits are the most brilliant and animated of all the openings, full of hair-breadth 'scapes and perilous vicissitudes, but affording an infinitude of beautiful and daring combinations.

"Giuoco Piano," a solid and instructive modification of the King's Knight's game, is safe and for drawing games generally practised by the leading players. The opening moves are:

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. Kt. to B's 3d.	2. Q. Kt. to B's 3d.
3. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	3. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.

To Interpose.—When the King is checked, or any valuable Piece in danger from the attack of an enemy, you are said to interpose a man when you play it between the attacked and attacking Piece.

Isolated Pawn.—A Pawn which stands alone, without the support and protection of other Pawns, is termed an isolated Pawn.

J'adoube.—A French expression, signifying "I arrange," or "I replace," which is used by a player when he touches a man merely to adjust its position on the board, without intending to play it. (See the 7th law or rule of chess.)

Minor Pieces.—The Bishop and Knight, in contradistinction to the Queen and Rook, are called Minor Pieces.

The Opposition.—A player is said to have the opposition when he can place his King directly in front of the adverse King, with only one square between them. This is often an important advantage in ending games.
Party.—From the French partie. Frequently used by modern writers instead of the word "game."

Passed Pawn.—-A Pawn is said to be a passed one when the adversary has no Pawn to obstruct its march on the same file, or on either of the next files to the right or left.

Pion Coiffé, or Marked Pawn.—This is a description of odds but rarely given, and only when there is a vast disparity between the skill of the players. It consists in one party placing a cap or ring on one of his Pawns, and undertaking to checkmate his opponent with that particular Pawn. He is not allowed to Queen the Pawn, and if he loses it, or happens to checkmate his opponent with any other man, he forfeits the game. The Pawn usually capped is the King's Knight's, because it can be more readily and effectually surrounded by protecting Pieces.

To Queen a Pawn, or to advance a Pawn to Queen.—When a player has contrived to advance a Pawn to the eighth or last square of the file, it assumes the rank and power of a Queen, or of any other Piece he chooses, and he is then said to have queened his Pawn.

Scholar's Mate.—A checkmate occasionally given at the opening of a game by a practised player to one but little tutored in the science. The following are the moves:—

WHITE.	BLACK.
1. P. to K's 4th.	1. P. to K's 4th.
2. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.	2. K. B. to Q. B's 4th.
3. Q. to K. R's 5th.	3. Q. P. one.
4. Q. takes K. B. P., giving checkmate.

Smothered Mate.—A checkmate which is sometimes given by the Knight when the adverse King is hemmed in, or smothered, by his own forces. (See diagram No. 12.)

Stalemate.—When one party has his King so circumstanced that, not being at the moment in check, he cannot play him without going into check, and at the same time has no other Piece or Pawn to move instead, he is said to be stalemated, and the game is considered drawn. (See diagram No. 13.)

Taking a Pawn en Passant, or in Passing.—It has been shown before, in speaking of the action of the Pawn, that he is limited in his march to one square forward at a time, when not capturing, and one square forward diagonally, either to the right or left, when he takes an adversary, but that he has the privilege, on being first played in the game, to advance two squares, unless in so doing he pass a square which is attacked by a hostile Pawn; in which case the opponent may, at his option, permit him to make the two steps forward, and there remain, or may capture him in his passage in the same way as if he had moved but one step.

Be sure to view the illustrations in the next post for a complete understanding of these chess terms.