Index Of Chess Concepts

1)Attack--When a piece is being threatened by another piece, it is being attacked.
See example 1.
See example 2.

2)Mating Attack--An attack whose end purpose is to mate the enemy's king.
See example 1.

3) XRAY--An attack on a piece which is protected by a piece in front of it.

4 PATT--An attack on a piece or pawn by a pawn.

5) A&D--Attack and Defence. When a piece or pawn is being attacked once, it should be defended at least once if you don't intend to sacrifice it. If it is being attacked twice it needs to be defended twice and so on. An entire game can sometimes be decided by the attacking and defending of a single pawn. There are different ideas on attacking and defending.

BELLY BUTTON--The "N2 Square" is the "Belly Button."

B2 ATTACK--All 4 Bishop 2 squares are weak and to exploit this weakness all one has to do is place the Bishop at Bishop 4 which focuses its force field on the diagonal B2 square. Then bring the Knight up to a spot where it can also focus on this square. If the enemy does not defend this square just land the Knight on it and the result is a devestating attack.

B2 ATTACK, KINGSIDE--This is the classic attack where the a King is castled Kingside and the Bishop's Pawn and Rook are captured in exchange for the Bishop and Knight. This is not a good exchange for the side that loses the Bishop and Knight. The best strategy for the side losing the Pawn and Rook is to simplify to an endgame and he should generally then have the advantage since the two minor pieces in the endgame have more mobility than the extra Rook the other side has.

BISHOP AND PAWN SYMBIOSIS--The Bishop and Pawn can protect each other and prevent each other's capture.

Bishop Blocking--Do not place pawns on the color of your own Bishop but do place pawns on the color of your opponent's Bishop.

1) BBS--Bishop Blocking, placing pawns on your own Bishop's color.

2) BBE--Bishop Blocking, placing pawns on your enemy's Bishop's color.

3) BUBS--Bishop Unblocking, moving a pawn from your own Bishop's color.path.

4) BUBE--Bishop Unblocking, moving a pawn from your enemy's Bishop's color.path.

BISHOP PAIR PRESERVATION--The two Bishops can act together to be a very powerful force in the game. This is why we make an effort to preserve both Bishops whenever possible.

KRISS KROSS--The two Bishops acting together, one Bishop on a longer diagonal, the other on a shorter diagonal, their force fields are working together but not intersecting which, of course, would be impossible.

SLICER--The force fields of the two bishops are side by side.

See example 1

BLOCKING--If an enemy piece or pawn is between your piece and one of its own kind preventing you from capturing that piece, it is blocking.

BLOCKING THREAT--This is an enemy piece or pawn that can be moved into a position whereby it blocks one of your pieces or pawns and prevents it from doing what you want it to do.

BLOCKREM--Removal by capture of the blocking piece or pawn.

BLOCKING THREAT REM--Removal of the piece or pawn that is threatening to block your combination.
See example 1

CAPTURES--Takes a piece.
See example 1

CAPTURESCH--Captures with check: Takes a piece and since the enemy is forced to respond to the check we can use the next move with advantage such as grabbing a loose piece or moving to a better posiition.
See example 1.
See example 2.

CAPTUREMATE--Captures and mates.
See example 1.

CAPTURESTOP1--Moves to avoid capture.
See example 1
See example 2

CAPTUREINT--Avoids capture by interposition.

BCHASEFP--The Bishop is chased by attack and/or threat until it winds up in an untenable position.

1) ANNOYANCE CHECK--"Bother thine enemy," is my motto.

2) DISCHECK--Discovered Check, When a piece behind a piece or pawn that moves gives check.
See example 1
See example 2
See example 3.
See example 4

3) 2CH--Double Check, when 2 pieces give check at the same time. The interesting thing here is that one of the checks must always be a discovered check
See example 1.

4) PERPCH--Perpetual Check is when one side gives check to the other side and has the ability to continue to do so indefinately. If you feel that you cannot win a game but your enemy can and you want to get that half point go for the draw with this idea in mind.
See example 1
See example 2
See example 3
See example 4

5) MOVECHK--Move checked King
See example 1.

6) POSCHECK--Checks and forces the evil enemy's King into a bad position.
See example 1.
See example 2.
See example 3.
See example 4
See example 5.
See example 6.

7) TRANSCHECK--Transportation check is giving check and moving into position with tempo.
See example 1.
See example 2.

8) SPCHECK--Check to force enemy to protect himself by a selfpin.
See example 1

9) WASTE TIME CHECK--Make your enemy use up his clock time!

10) CHAT--Check and attack, check the King and attack a piece at the same time.
See example 1.

VOLCLEAR--Voluntary Clearance--Here the enemy moves a piece or pawn of his own volition and clears the way for your convenience, how nice! In an actual game of chess, we find that opponents sometimes will make a move that is more beneficial to us than to them! Of course you cannot count on this!

FORCECLEAR--Forced Clearance is where the enemy is forced to move a piece or pawn out of a line of action.

SELFCLEAR--Self Clearance is where you yourself move one of your own pieces or pawns out of the line of action.
See example 1
See example 2
See example 3
    a)SELFCLEAR+--Self Clearance With Check saves a tempo.
    See example 1
    b)SELFCLEAREX--Self Clearance Exchange.
    See example 1

CLEARCAP--Clearance by capture. An enemy's piece or pawn takes one of your pieces or pawns and thus opens up a line of attack for you.
See example 1.
See example 2.

CLEARCAPSELF--Self clearance by capture. You capture a piece or pawn that belongs to the enemy and thus open up a line of attack for yourself.

CLEARCAPEN--Clearance by capture for enemy. You take a piece or pawn belonging to the enemy and thus open up a line of attack for your enemy.

SACLEAR--where you sacrifice a piece to get your oponent to move his piece or pawn out of your way.

SELFSACLEARA--where you sacrifice a piece or pawn to move it out of the way. The enemy can decline "type a."

SELFSACLEARB--where you sacrifice a piece or pawn to move it out of the way. The enemy must accept "type b."
See example 1.

1) CORPA: A corridor of Pawns formed by 3 pawns in front of a King.

2) CORFO: A corridor formed, at least in part, by the "Force Fields" of other pieces.

3)CORK: A corridor formed, at least in part, by the "Force Field" of a Knight.

A) CORKMATE: A mate within the CORK.
See example 1

4)CORK2: A corridor formed by the "Force Field" of 2 Knights.

CRITP--Very often when a critical pawn is captured it causes the collapse of the entire game like a house of cards when one card is removed.

1) DEFMATE--Any move made to defend against mate
See example 1.
See example 2.

2) DEFPIECE--A move made to defend against a capture of a piece.
See example 1.

3) DEFPAWN--A move made to defend against a capture of a pawn.
See example 1.

4) DEFDISCINT--A piece is interposed between a piece that is subject to a Discovered Attack and the piece that is covering the piece that can do the actual attack.
See example 1.

5) DEFRUN--Defensive Run, "He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day."

6) DEFXSAC--Defensive exchange sacrifice. This will often stop mate but leaves the player short the exchange.
See example 1.

7) DEFLINEBLOCK--Putting a piece or pawn in an open line of attack to prevent an enemy attack.
See example 1

1)KLONGA--a1 to h8. This is the "King Side Long Diagonal," if you are playing White. If Black has his King castled on the kingside, placement by white of his Queen or Bishop on this diagonal is potentially very dangerous for Black.
See example 1
See example 2.

2)KLONGB--a8 to h1. This is the "King Side Long Diagonal," if you are playing Black. If White has his King castled on the kingside, placement by white of his Queen or Bishop on this diagonal is potentially very dangerous for Black.

3)QLONGA--h1 to a8. This is the "Queen Side Long Diagonal," if you are playing White. If Black has his King castled on the queenside, placement by white of his Queen or Bishop on this diagonal is potentially very dangerous for Black.

4)QLONGB--h8 to a1. This is the "Queen Side Long Diagonal," if you are playing Black. If White has his King castled on the queenside, placement by Black of his Queen or Bishop on this diagonal is potentially very dangerous for Black.

DISC--A discovered attack occurs when a piece or pawn moves and reveals an attack from a piece that was blocked by the piece or pawn that had moved.
See example 1.

Doubled Piece replacement. One of the ideas in doubling is that if one piece is taken the other piece can replace it thus continuing the existing threats.
1)Knight Replacement
See example 1
2)Rook Replacement
See example 1.

DRAWSTOP--A move made to prevent a draw.
See example 1

PERPCH--Perpetual check, the king is checked over and over again with no end.

REPETITION--If a position is repeated three times the game is a draw.
See example 1

STALEMATE--When the King has no legal moves on the board he is stalemated.
See example 1

STALEMATESTOP--A move made to prevent or avoid a stalemate.
See example 1

1) XEQUAL--An equal exchange such as pawn for pawn or piece for piece--Knight and Bishop exchanges are considered equal.

2) XSAC--An Exchange Sacrifice, see sacrifice, in which the piece given up is of greater value than the piece captured.
See example 1. See example 2

3) XREPO--Repositioning Exchange where an exchange brings a piece into a more favorable position.

4) XDIV--Diversion Exchange--To pull an enemy's piece away from a piece or square that it is guarding.

5) XCLEAR--Clearance Exchange to open up a square or a line of attack, horizontal or diagonal.

6) XSELFCLEAR--Self clearance Exchange to move one's own piece to open up a square or line of attack, horizontal or diagonal.
See example 1.

7) XP--Exchange While Pawns Ahead. If you are one or two pawns ahead, the general rule is exchange pieces, not pawns.

8) XPB--Exchange While Pawns Behind. If you are one or two pawns behind, the general rule is exchange pawns, not pieces.

9) XAD--Advantage, if you have the advantage, make exchanges that leave pawns on both sides of the board if possible.

10) XBAD--Bishop Advantage, an exchange to give you a Bishop vs. your enemy's Knight or two Bishops vs. his Knight and Bishop or two Knights. Bishop(s) vs. Knight(s) is especially advantageous if there are pawns on both sides of the board.

11) DEX--Defensive Exchange, if you are being attacked try to exchange pieces in order to weaken the attack.
See example 1.
See example 2.

12) XEND--Exchange to convert to endgame. Do this only if you are at least a pawn ahead or have another distinct advantage over your opponent. An early conversion to an endgame is too much of a gamble.

13) XPS--Exchange to change the pawn structure.

14) XOPE--Exchange to open a closed game

15) XGAIN--Exchange to gain a piece.

16) XCOMBO--Very often exchanges can be combined with other ideas to gain a piece or advantage in some way.
See example 1.

King Side Fianchetto

Queen Side Fianchetto
See example 1.

Counter Fianchetto,

FIG--The piece being protected by the Fig Leaf is the Fig.
See example 2.

FIG LEAF--If a piece is protecting another piece by standing in front of it and the piece being so protected is weak in any way, then the piece in front is a Fig Leaf.
See example 2.

A) Forks:

1) PFORK--Pawn

2) NFORK--Knight
See example 1

3) BFOPRK--Bishop

4) RFORK--Rook

5) QFORK--Queen
See example 1.

B) Family Forks

1)FFP--Pawn

2)FFN-- Knight
See example 1.
See example 2.
See example 3
See example 4.
See example 5.
See example 6
See example 7

3)FFB--Bishop

4)FFR--Rook
Fork Threat--In chess the threat is as bad as the execution. By threatening a fork we can force the enemy into deep doodoo, if you get my drift.
See example 1.

1) GUARDING--If an enemy piece or pawn is protecting one of its own kind preventing, or attempting to prevent, you from capturing that piece, it is guarding.

2) GUARDREMATT--A move that removes the guard by attacking the guarding piece.
See example 1.

3) GUARDREMCAP--A move that removes the guard by capturing the guarding piece.

4) GUARDREMEX--A move that removes the guard by exchanging the guarding piece.

5) GUARDREMZUG--The removal of the guard due to Zugzwang.
See example 1
See example 2

NCORN--Knight Cornering. Knights get hungry and will sometimes ride off to get themselves a nice little pawn to eat. Unfortunately they sometimes wander too close to the edge of the board and can be trapped.

NOP: The Knight moves back--away from its target and then forward again--towards its target in order to wind up on a better square. This better square is adjacent to the original square.
See example 1.
See example 2.

NKN4--King Knight 4 is a strong location for the Knight when the enemy is castled Kingside.

See example 1

LINEKING: Line Attack, King Fronted. Here the King is the piece in front and either the King has to move or self pin.
See example 1