Learn about chess terms and their definitions. You can also download this list of chess definitions in pdf format.

Chess terms in PDF

Read and understand about chess terms. A list of chess terms and their definitions are given as a guide for you. You can download the chess terms in pdf format and read without internet. Different names such as chess terminologies and chess glossaries also mean the chess terms.

The list is given in alphabetical order

Back-rank Check mate

Back-rank mate is used to define a constraint that a king can not escape from the attack of opponents piece which results in a checkmate. Back-rank mate occurs while the king is at first or eighth rank due to the king blocked by friendly pieces.

Battery

The formation of two pieces. Read more on battery.

Bishop

A piece that can move diagonally. Read more on bishop.

Black

One of the colours of the chess squares. Other colour is light or white .

Board

Chess Board is a square board consists of 64 equal area squares, with alternating pattern of black and white. Read more on chess board

Capture

The player can take down or remove the opponents piece at a square, if one of their piece can land at the square intended.

Castling

Castling is a special move where king and rook are moved simultaneously in a half move. Read more on castling.

Check

Check is a condition where the king is under threat from one of the opponents pieces. Read more on check.

Checkmate

Defines the end of the game where the opponent’s king can’t move out of check. Read more on checkmate.

Chess

Chess is a two player strategy board game played on a square board. Is about planning, attack and defense with the opponent. You have to capture opponent’s king without letting them capturing yours. Read more on chess

Draw

Draw is a condition in which neither player wins. Different types of draw of chess matches occur. Read more on draw.

EN Passant

En passant is a special move in which a pawn captures another pawn in the next file. Read more on en passant capture.

Fifty moves

The game ends in a draw, if no capture is done or no pawn is moved in the last fifty moves.

File

Each column in chess board is called a file. Read more on file.

Fork

Attack on two or three pieces of your opponent at the same time. Read more on fork

Forsyth-Edwards Notation (FEN)

FEN is used to define a status of a chess game in a plain text. Read more on FEN

Full move

Full move consists of a single move from both players. Read more on full move.

Half move

A half move is used to identify a single move of one player. Read more on half move

Insufficient material

If neither player has enough pieces to checkmate the opponent, the game ends in a draw.

King

One of the chess pieces whom has to be saved. The game will be over if the king is captured. Read more on king.

Knight

A piece that can move in L pattern and represents a horse. This is the only piece that can jump over another piece. Read more on knight.

Magnet sacrifice

A piece is lost with a purpose when the move attracts one of the opponent’s piece to a tactically poor square than its current position. This is called magnet sacrifice. Read more on magnet sacrifice.

Move

Move defines moving the chess pieces from one square to another if it is a legal move. Read more on moves

Opening

Defines the initial moves of the game.

Pawn

It forms the first line of defense and weakest among the pieces. Read more on pawn.

Pin

A constraint put on a piece so that it can not move because it is shield a high value piece such as king. Read more on pin.

Portable Game Notation (PGN)

PGN is used to provide the details of entire game from beginning in a plain text. Read more on PGN

Piece

Piece defines a slender tall tiny object that can be moves across a chess board. Read more on pieces

Promotion

When the Pawn advances to the eighth rank it is promoted to a high value piece such as Queen, Rook, Knight and Bishop.

Queen

A piece that sits next to king at the beginning of the game. The most valuable piece. Read more on queen.

Rank

Each row that goes across the chess board horizontally is called rank. Read more on rank

Rook

It represents castle and move horizontally and vertically. Read more on rook.

Sacrifice

The term sacrifice in chess is used to define a move in which the player loses a piece for gaining an advantage. Read more on sacrifice

Scholar’s Mate

Scholar’s mate in chess is used to define a checkmate pattern that is obtained using the queen and bishop. Read more on Scholar’s mate

Stalemate

Stalemate is a condition in which the active player has no check and has no legal moves. Read more on stalemate.

Standard Algebraic Notation (SAN)

Standard Algebraic Notation or SAN is the short form for defining the chess moves. Read more on SAN.

Three fold repetition

If same position of the board is arrived three times, the game ends in a draw. Read more on three fold repetition.

White

One of the colours of the chess squares. Other colour is dark or black.

Play chess for free

Play chess online for free. Solve puzzles and play with friends
Play chess online for free. Solve puzzles and play with friends

Play chess for free at https://gbud.in/chs

We present you a platform to play chess online with friends for free. No need to install any app. You can play chess for free without registration or login.

Simple. You can do several chess related activities.

  1. solve chess puzzles
  2. learn about chess
  3. play chess with computer
  4. play chess with friend
  5. create your own chess games
  6. fen viewer
  7. fen editor
  8. fen generator
  9. pgn viewer
  10. chess board editor
  11. view famous chess games.

[pdf] Download Chess terms in PDF pdf and read offline

Download the Chess terms in PDF in pdf format and read without internet.


Table of Contents

Learn about chess terms and their definitions. You can also download this list of chess definitions in pdf format.
Back to top