Chess Glossary

A pin against the king that cannot be broken.

Threatening a piece, pawn, or the king.

Checkmate delivered on the first or eighth rank.

A pawn that cannot be defended by other pawns.

Two or more pieces lined up on the same file, rank, or diagonal.

A piece that moves diagonally any number of squares.

A serious mistake that loses material or allows checkmate.

The process of visualising variations ahead.

A special king move to bring it to safety.

A direct attack on the king.

The king is in check with no legal escape.

Sacrificing a piece to free a square or line.

A position where the centre is blocked by pawns.

Forcing a defending piece away from its post.

Moving pieces off the back rank toward active squares.

A line of squares at a 45° angle.

Revealing an attack by moving another piece.

Two pieces giving check simultaneously.

Two pawns of the same colour on the same file.

A special pawn capture after a two-square advance.

The phase after most pieces have been exchanged.

Assessing who stands better in a position.

Developing a bishop to the long diagonal after b3/g3.

A vertical column of squares (a–h files).

A single piece attacking two or more enemy pieces at once.

Sacrificing material in the opening for compensation.

The highest title awarded by FIDE.

An undefended piece that can be captured for free.

A file with only one side's pawns on it.

Having the ability to make threats and dictate the game.

A pawn with no friendly pawns on adjacent files.

How well the king is sheltered from attack.

The only piece that can jump over other pieces.

An escape square created for the king to avoid back rank mate.

Pieces and pawns, measured in points.

The phase between opening and endgame.

Aron Nimzowitsch, pioneer of hypermodern chess.

A file with no pawns on it.

The first phase of the game.

Two kings facing each other with one square between them.

A square that cannot be attacked by enemy pawns.

A piece defending too many things at once.

A pawn with no enemy pawns blocking its path to promotion.

The arrangement of pawns across the board.

Restricting a piece because moving it exposes a more valuable piece.

Converting a pawn that reaches the 8th rank into a piece.

The most powerful piece, combining rook and bishop movement.

A horizontal row of squares (1–8 ranks).

A piece that moves horizontally and vertically.

Giving up material for compensation — positional or tactical.

Attacking a valuable piece that shields a less valuable one.

The player to move has no legal moves and is not in check — draw.

Short sequences of moves that exploit concrete weaknesses.

A unit of time — one move.

Promoting a pawn to a piece other than a queen.

A square that cannot be defended by pawns.

Attacking through one piece to threaten another behind it.

A position where any move worsens your own situation.

An in-between move played before an expected recapture.