The en passant rule is one of the most unique and intriguing elements of chess. Derived from French, “en passant” means “in passing,” and it allows a pawn to capture an opponent’s pawn when it advances two squares as if it had only moved one square forward. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the … Read more
The main objective in the game of chess is to checkmate your opponent, which means putting the opponent’s king in a position where it is under attack and cannot move to any safe square. If you play checkmate, you win. If your opponent plays checkmate, they win. A player can also win by resignation if … Read more
Castling is a fundamental chess move that plays a pivotal role in king safety. For beginners, castling may seem like a complicated maneuver, but it is actually extremely simple. This guide offers a complete explanation of how to castle in chess. We will delve into the intricacies of castling and discuss why it is essential … Read more
As a beginner, I was first taught to always focus on developing my pieces and castling my king, so that I would come out of the opening phase with a decent position. Like any beginner, I didn’t have much trouble with that part; time and time again, I would develop my knights and bishops, and … Read more
A game of chess can be divided into three phases. The avid chess player knows that there is plenty of theory pertaining to how each of these phases should be approached. In this article, we will explore in detail the three phases in a chess game, shedding light on their characteristics, key principles, and the transitions … Read more
The Queen’s Gambit took the world by storm and introduced masses of people to the world of chess. While the miniseries had many watch it purely for the drama, it got some people thinking: What is a gambit? Fueled by the famous miniseries or not (I personally haven’t watched it), if you would like to … Read more
If you’ve ever tried reading a chess book or some documented form of a chess match, you have likely stumbled upon weird-looking combinations of letters, numbers, dashes, plusses, and hashtags. Fear not, this is no magic spell. Rather, it is the algebraic system chess notation. In this article, we will delve into the world of … Read more
If you have recently gotten into the chess world, then you have likely heard the term Elo quite a few times. “What’s your Elo?” is probably the first question chess enthusiasts (or even established players) ask each other. This guide provides an in-depth explanation of what chess Elo rankings are, how they work, their importance, … Read more
The world of chess is very broad. In fact, it is commonly held that there are more possible chess positions than atoms in the observable universe! For this reason, the game of chess is continuously evolving; there are always new variations to explore and new chess puzzles to solve. While that may seem daunting, the … Read more
