Chess Glossary
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Chess Games > Chess Pieces • Chess History • Chess Glossary
Here is a glossary of some common terms used in chess.
- Check
- A piece that attacks the king is said to "put it in check." The word "check" is called out one move before the king can possibly be captured.
- Checkmate
- When the king is captured by a piece.
- Diagonal
- A line of squares running across the board, across which both the queen and the bishop can move.
- Double attack
- When one piece attacks two pieces at the same time.
- Endgame
- The third phase of the game, when there are just a few pieces on the board.
- En passant
- When a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position, an opposing pawn located immediately to its right or left may capture it by moving one square diagonally forward, to the square directly behind it.
- En prise
- A piece that is attacked but isn't defended.
- Exchange
- When pieces of equal value are traded off the board.
- File
- A line of eight squares running up the board.
- Grandmaster
- The highest title in chess next to World Champion.
- Kingside
- The half of the board on which the king stands at the beginning of the game.
- Middlegame
- The second of the three phases of the game, when the battle is in full force.
- Opening
- The first phase of the game.
- Queenside
- The half of the board on which the queen stands at the commencement of the game.
- Rank
- The row of squares that run across the board, denoted by the numbers 1 to 8.
- Resignation
- When a player, faced with inevitable defeat, gives up the game before checkmate.
- Sacrifice
- When a piece is given up in order to gain some long-term advantage.
- Stalemate
- When the player whose turn it is to move cannot do so, but is not in check. The game ends in a draw.
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