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Chess

    Chess Editor's Picks

    • Chess for Beginners

      People have played chess for centuries all over the world, and it continues to be one of the most popular games of all time. The chess board might seem a bit daunting to a beginner's eye, but this two-person game is not difficult to learn with simple step-by-step instructions. more »

    • About Novelty Chess Sets

      The game of chess is a historic game featuring a battle between pieces representing two kingdoms, and it is easy to recognize popular chess pieces like the queen, king, knight and rook. Like many other board games, the game of chess has been transformed and converted into a novelty game, where the recognizable pieces are replaced with... more »

    • About High End Chess Sets

      High end chess sets marry form and function. Based upon the classic chess pieces and board, the high end chess sets take the challenging game of chess and present it in a more unique wrapper. The perfect gift for the person who has everything, the high end chess set adds warmth and luxury to a den, game room or office. more »

    • Where to Get a Glass Chess Set

      Chess sets come in a variety of styles, from wood to plastic to marble and even steel. There are themed sets, electronic sets and even sets that will play with you instead of having to find a partner. But those looking to upgrade their game to a glass set have a few places and styles they can consider. more »

    • How to Prepare for a Chess Tournament

      Faulty preparation can really ruin an otherwise great tournament showing. Here are some suggestions to elevate your chances of success at the chess board. more »

    Chess Quick Guides

    • Playing Chess and Checkers

      The games of Chess and Checkers are some of the most popular board games in the world. Whether...

    • Find Video Games

      With a number of different outlets to find and buy video games, it can be confusing to find the...

    • Playing Board Games

      For a more interactive experience with the family nothing beats out a good board game. From...

    • Backgammon for Beginners

      Backgammon is a dice-based board game for two players. Because of the dice, luck plays a big...

    Chess Articles

    • How to Learn Chess

      Chess can be a fun yet frustrating game to play. It can also be very confusing if you have never played or watched chess before. As a beginner,... more »

    • How to Play Better Chess

      Chess is one of the most complex board games. While you can learn the rules to the game in a relatively short amount of time, it's a board game... more »

    • How to Get a Chess Rating

      Getting a chess rating may sound intimidating, but not a complicated process. It can be acquired quickly and fairly inexpensively. Once your chess... more »

    • How to Castle in Chess

      Chess requires knowledge of strategy. In order to win at chess, you must remember only one thing--do not allow your opponent to take your king. If... more »

    • How to Use a Chess Clock

      A chess clock is a useful tool when practicing chess, to time yourself when making moves in preparation for a chess tournament, or for a timed... more »

    Wikipedia

    Chess

    Chess is a board game played between two players. The current form of the game emerged in Europe during the second half of the 15th century after evolving from a much older game of Indian origin. Today, chess is one of the worlds most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.

    The game is played on a chessboard, which is a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. At the start, each player (one controlling the white pieces, the other controlling the black pieces) controls sixteen pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object of the game is to checkmate the opponents king, whereby the king is under immediate attack (in "check") and there is no way to remove it from attack on the next move.

    The tradition of organized competitive chess started in the 16th century. Chess today is a recognized sport of the International Olympic Committee. The first official World Chess Champion, Wilhelm Steinitz, claimed his title in 1886; the current World Champion is Viswanathan Anand. Theoreticians have developed extensive chess strategies and tactics since the games inception. Aspects of art are found in chess composition.

    One of the goals of early computer scientists was to create a chess-playing machine. Todays chess is deeply influenced by the abilities of chess programs and the opportunity for online play. In 1997 Deep Blue became the first computer to beat the reigning World Champion in a match when it defeated Garry Kasparov.

    Rules

    The official rules of chess are maintained by the World Chess Federation. Along with information on official chess tournaments, the rules are described in the FIDE Handbook, section Laws of Chess. For a demonstration of the gameplay, see a sample chess game.

    Initial setup

    Chess is played on a square board of eight rows (called ranks and denoted w read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess

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