8/26/2021

CHESS
•The “oldest” skill game in the world
• India – 600 C.E. (Gupta Empire)
• “chaturanga” – earliest version of the
game, played by Indian armies
• King – rajah; Queen – mantri

CHESS
• The game did not develop to its
current form until the 15th Century in Europe.
• Second half of the 19th century – modern tournament
• 1883 – first use of chess clocks
• 1886 – first world chess championship
• FIDE – World Chest Federation
• Magnus Carlsen – reigning International Chess Federation Grandmaster
• Wilhelm Steinitz – first World Chess Champion (1886)

MILESTONES OF THE GAME MILESTONES OF THE GAME (Continuation)

• 1495 – first chess book was printed
• 550 AD – originated in India • 1497 – printed chess book to survive to the present day
• 1780 – first master games were recorded as they were played
• 600 AD – first reference of chess in Persia from India • 1836 – release of the first chess magazine
• 700 AD – date of first undoubted chess pieces • 1849 – first US Chess Tournament
• 800 AD – Moors brought chess to Spain and Sicilly • 1851 – first international chess tournament
• 900 AD – early Muslim chess masters as-Suli and al-Lajlaj wrote works • 1866 – first match to be timed by clock
on the technique of chess • 1883 – first tournament to use specially designed clocks
• 1000 AD – chess began to spread in Europe including Russia • 1886 – first acknowledged world championship match
• 1300 AD – first European comments on chess in sermons and stories • July 20, 1924 – World Chest Federation (FIDE) was found in Paris
• 1475 – 1500 – birth of modern game, new moves for queen and • 1999 – FIDE was recognized by the IOC
• October 2019 – there are approximately 190 member federations of FIDE
bishop

NATURE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE GAME CHESS BOARD

• Chess is played between two opponents who move • Divided into 64 squares
their pieces alternately on a chess board. • 8 by 8, alternating color
• The player with white pieces commences the game. • 16 white pieces and 16 black
• The objective of the game is to trap the opponent’s pieces are placed on the board
king. • The board is placed so that a
• Check – if a player’s king is threatened with
capture; the player must remove the threat to white square is in each
capture on the next move. player’s bottom right
• Checkmate – if the player cannot remove the pawn • Ranks – horizontal rows
that check’s the king • Files – vertical rows
• Draw – when neither of the players can achieve
checkmate

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CHESS PIECES ARRANGEMENT NAMING OF SQUARES

• Keeping a record is mandatory in all
• Second row (rank) is filled recognized tournaments, in order to settle
with pawns. disputes about illegal positions.
• Rooks go in the corners, • Vertical files – labelled in small letters a to h
followed by knights, • Horizontal ranks – numbered from 1 to 8
followed by bishops, and • Each square of the board is then by its file
finally the queen who is and rank
always on her matching • Capital letters are used to represent various
pieces: King (K), Queen (Q), Bishop (B), Rook
color (white on white, (R), and Knight (N)
black on black), and the • A pawn does not have a symbol but is
king on the remaining represented by the name of the square it
square. occupies.

NAMING SAMPLES MOVEMENT OF CHESS PIECES

PIECE MOVEMENT
• Ra8 – rook; vertical file (a);
horizontal rank (8) KING • One square horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
• Moves any number of vacant squares in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal
QUEEN
direction.
• d7 – since it’s a pawn, it is not
represented by any letter BISHOP • Moves any number of squares in diagonal direction.

ROOK • Moves horizontally or vertically, through any number of unoccupied spaces.

KNIGHT • Moves in an “L” pattern.

• Qd1 – queen; vertical file (d);
horizontal rank (1) • First move - moves straight forward in one or two vacant squares
PAWN • Second and remaining moves – moves forward in one vacant square only
• Cannot move backwards.

SPECIAL CHESS
MOVES
• En passant (In passing).
- a pawn attacking a square

SPECIAL CHESS
crossed by an opponent’s pawn
which has advanced two squares in

MOVES (Castling)
one move from its original square
may capture this opponent’s pawn as
though the latter has been moved
only one square.
- this can be done 8 times and on
the 5th rank for white and 4th rank for
black

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PROMOTED PAWN CHECK AND CHECKMATE

• Whenever a pawn (black • CHECK – a condition in chess when a player’s king is under threat of
or white) reaches the last capture. The player who is in check must remove their king out of
rank, it can be promoted check in their next move.
into a queen, rook, bishop, 3 Ways to remove a check:
or knight. 1. Capture the piece giving the check.
2. Move the king away from the check.
3. clocking the piece giving the check.
• If there’s no legal move available to remove yourself from a check,
it is considered checkmate and you lose the game.

DRAW RELATIVE VALUE OF CHESS PIECES

• There isn’t always a winner and a loser in chess. There are several reasons why a • It is important to know the “value” or “points” each piece has. This
chess game may end in draw: values determine the strength of each piece.
1. Both players agree on draw. Pawn – 1 point
2. Both players have traded enough pieces so that it is impossible for either
player to checkmate the other. Bishop – 3 points
3. Either player can declare draw if the same position is reached three times. Knight – 3 points
4. Either player can declare draw if 50 chess moves (50 white and 50 black) have Rook – 5 points
been made and not a single pawn move or a piece has been captured. Queen – 9 points
5. It is one’s player turn to move, and while he is not in check, he does not have King – infinite value
any legal moves. This is called stalemate.

THREE STAGES OF THE GAME

• Opening Stage – develop your pieces; protect your king;
build a castle; if possible, avoid moving the same piece
twice.
• Middle Game – look for a plan; maximize the activity of your
pieces; protect your king; think of your opponent
• Endgame – activate your king; promote your pawns; protect
your pawns