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How To Play the King’s Indian Defense For White And Black
The King's Indian Defense is a unique way of countering the Queen’s pawn opening. It is a very popular hypermodern opening. A hypermodern opening is a chess opening that deviates…
How Much Do Chess Grandmasters Earn?
As a chess grandmaster, a big part of your income comes from winning prize money at major chess tournaments. The largest chess tournaments offer seven-figure prize funds, with the winner…
How To Play The Italian Game For White And Black
The Italian Game is one of the earliest openings to be introduced into the game of chess. It is a very popular opening among players of all skill levels as…
How To Play the Vienna Game For White And Black
The Vienna Game is a dynamic and flexible choice for White players who love to start a game with the King's pawn opening (1. e4). This opening is not very…
How To Play the Grünfeld Defense For White And Black
The Grünfeld Defense is a defense for Black that is named after the Austrian player Ernst Grünfeld. The starting moves of the opening are similar to that of the King's…
How To Play The Dutch Defense For White And Black
The Dutch Defense is a flank opening that Black employs to gain control of the e4 square right from move 1. It is an uncommon way to reply to the…
X-ray Attacks vs Skewers
The x-ray attack and skewer are two powerful tactics in chess that every chess player must know and understand. In this post, we'll explain how each occurs in chess and…
What is the Best First Move in Chess?
The opening moves of a chess game are crucial in setting the tone for the rest of the game. The first move is usually made by White, and there are…
How To Beat Your Friend At Chess: Quick Tips To Win
You and your buddy have been playing chess for years. At first, you were evenly matched, winning and losing in equal measure. But lately, your friend has been on fire,…
How Many Moves Ahead Does A Grandmaster Think?
Ever wondered what it’s like inside the mind of a chess grandmaster? How many moves ahead are they thinking as they stare intensely at the board, plotting their strategy? You've…
How To Play The Benoni Defense For White And Black
The Benoni Defense is an exciting way Black can challenge the queen's pawn opening. The opening is an excellent choice for players who love to attack and play aggressive chess.…
How To Play The Reti Opening For White And Black
The Reti opening is a hypermodern opening that was created by one of the pioneers of hypermodern chess, Richard Reti. Czech chess grandmaster Richard Reti (1889-1929) was a prominent figure…
What is The Deadliest Move in Chess?: The Answer May Surprise You
You sit down for a casual game of chess against a friend, thinking it'll just be a fun way to spend the evening. Little do you know, there are moves…
Who Starts The Clock in Chess?
The player handling the black pieces is usually the person to starts the clock to allow White to make the first move. Afterward the first move (say d4 or e4),…
How To Play The French Defense For White And Black
The French Defense is one of the oldest chess openings in the game. It is very popular among all levels, from master level to amateur. At master level, it is…
What is Threefold Repetition in Chess?
Ever been in a chess game where the same position just keeps repeating over and over? You make a move, your opponent counters, a few moves later you're back where…
Is Chess a Hobby?
YES, Chess is a great hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It is a strategy game that is both rewarding and challenging for…
All You Need to Know About Blindfold Chess
Ever wondered what it's like to play chess without seeing the board? Blindfold chess is an incredible skill where players compete without looking at the physical chessboard. If you've never…
Are Chess Players Allowed To Talk During the Games?
Have you ever wondered if chess players are allowed to chat with each other during matches? You've probably seen photos of chess grandmasters hunched over boards, staring intensely at the…
How Do Chess Engines Work?
Ever wondered how chess engines like Stockfish are able to beat even the best chess players in the world? You're not alone. Chess engines seem almost superhuman in their ability…
How To Become a Woman Grandmaster in Chess
To become a Woman Grandmaster (WGM) in chess, you'll need to achieve three norms and have a minimum Elo rating of 2300 with at least 30 rated games. But what…
How To Become a National Master in Chess
The title of “National Master” (NM) is awarded by some national chess federations. These titles are not recognized by FIDE, and each federation is free to set its own standards…
How To Play The Queen’s Gambit Opening: Typical Ideas And Variations
The Queen is the most powerful piece on the chess board. So it comes as no surprise that it has an opening named after it. The Queen's Gambit opening is…
How To Play the Petrov Defense For White And Black
The Petrov's Defense which is also called the Russian Game, is a solid defense for Black against the King's pawn opening (1. e4). In the Petrov, Black responds to White's…
How To Play the Ruy Lopez Opening For White And Black
The Ruy Lopez is one of the oldest and most decorated openings in chess. It dates back centuries ago and is a very popular opening across all levels, from master…
How To Play The Alekhine’s Defense For White And Black
The Alekhine's Defense is a hypermodern opening that starts with the development of the knight. The opening is an option for Black to reply to White's king's pawn opening (1.…
What Side Does The Chess Clock Go On?
A very common practice is that the player with the black pieces chooses which side the clock goes on. This is because the player with white pieces always gets to…
What is Underpromotion In Chess?
You’re in the middle of an intense chess match and your pawn has made it all the way across the board. Now you have a choice to make. Do you…
How to Play the Slav Defense? Ideas and Variations For White and Black
The Slav Defense is a chess opening for Black that begins with the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6. It's one of the most popular defenses to the Queen’s gambit and…
Chess Etiquette: 9 Basic Dos and Donts for Players
Chess is not all about tactics and strategies and crushing your opponents. You also need to learn how to follow proper chess etiquette and demonstrate good sportsmanship. This is important…
Why Do Chess Players Resign Early? (And Why You Probably Shouldn’t)
Ever wonder why chess players resign so early sometimes? You're in the middle of an intense match, pieces are captured left and right, the game is really heating up -…
Is Chess a Waste Of Time?
Ever wondered if all those hours spent learning and playing chess were really worth it? You've probably heard the arguments from well-meaning friends and family. "It's just a game." "You're…
Is Chess Addictive?
Ever found yourself playing just one more game of chess? You tell yourself you'll stop after this match, but then hours fly by as you're focused on outmaneuvering your opponent.…
How To Play The London System With Ideas For White And Black
The London System is one of White's most popular 1. d4 openings. It's considered a system because White can play the same moves for a variety of Black's responses. The…
Can Chess Cause Stress?
Short answer is YES. Chess can actually cause stress. While playing chess can provide many benefits, including improved concentration, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking, it can also cause stress. The…
Is Chess an Olympic Sport? A Quick Answer
Chess is one of the world's most popular games, but it's not actually recognized as an Olympic sport. Here are a couple of reasons why chess hasn't made it into…
