Not sure how to celebrate International Chess Day? Join thousands of other Chess.com users in our 24-hour arena from 12 a.m. PT to 12 p.m. July 20! The tournament will be played at Chess.com's most popular time control, 10|0. Play the Arena W...
The Game of the Century is one of the greatest chess games in all of chess history and likely the greatest game ever played by a junior. The 26-year-old international master Donald Byrne took on the young, 13-year-old Bobby Fischer in what wo...
The English Opening starting with 1.c4 is a modern way to handle the opening phase of the game. This opening is a "flank" opening since it starts with a side pawn rather than the central 1.e4 or 1.d4 moves. Many players from chess history and toda...
National Chess Day! Former U.S. President Gerald Ford announced and designated National Chess Day on October 9, 1976. 38th President of the United States: Gerald Ford The purpose of the recognition was to encourage individuals and grou...
Zwischenzug is a German word that means "in-between move." Such moves are common in chess, but many times they can be quite unexpected! Other terms which mean the same thing in chess literature are intermezzo, intermediate move, and ...
Every Wednesday at 12 p.m. Pacific Time (8 p.m. GMT), everyone is invited to join the Arena Kings Chess Tournament: where everyone can play but only streamers can win cash prizes! Please read the full rules and eligibility criteria here Schedu...
At Chess.com, we want you to be able to play, learn, and share free from abusers and cheaters. We've always been dedicated to fair play and backed it up with a full support and cheat-detection teams working constantly to meet...
For players new to chess and even for some that have experience, stalemate can be a little confusing. Stalemate is a special type of draw or tie that helps the player that is losing! Specifically, it is a situation in chess where th...
The Giuoco Piano is a popular chess opening from the beginner levels all the way up to grandmaster. Giuoco Piano translates from Italian into the "quiet game". First, let's take a look at the beginning moves that make up this opening. ...
Fianchettos are made by advancing the pawns on the b- and g-files and developing the bishop behind the knight pawn. What are fianchettos? Openings that use fianchettos Key points and ideas 1) What are fianchettos? Fianchetto is an I...
Crazyhouse is a popular chess variant similar to bughouse, but you only need two players to play. The basic premise of crazyhouse is that pieces which you capture from your opponent can be dropped on empty squares on your turn. "Dropping" cap...
Tired of regular chess and all the loads of opening theory? Then try Chess960 or the variant also known as Fischer Random Chess. Play Chess960 The 11th World Champion Robert James Fischer was the most fam...
The Ruy Lopez (also known as the Spanish Opening) is a chess opening enjoyed by chess players from complete beginners to the world champion, Magnus Carlsen! History Notable games Opening explorer History The opening bears the name o...
Chess players taking their first steps are often confused about how to castle. This special move is the only time you can move two pieces in the same turn. Castling only involves the king and the rook (no other chess pieces), and it is believ...
The Fried Liver Attack holds the award for the coolest opening name in chess. This variation of the Two-Knights Defense involves a bold knight sacrifice which forces the black king to take a walk. This variation is also known as the Fegatello Atta...
The first time chess players hear the word zugzwang they think their opponent's are calling them a funny name! Not quite—Let's take a look. What is zugzwang in chess? Zugzwang can be simple or complex. Notable games Zugzwan...
"Nobody knows, even roughly, how many people play chess, and nobody should pretend to know." -- Edward Winter1 Is chess the most popular game in the world? While no one can say for certain, here are some estimates of the numbers of chess playe...
While the traditional two-player chess that we know and love today has become the most popular way to play, there have been hundreds of variations of chess created by imaginative fans of the game. One of the earliest and most notable variants of...
Chess is both a game, and a sport! Here are ten ways that chess is a sport: 1. Chess is physically demanding. Chess players do not compete based on athletic prowess, but it is essential for elite chess players to be in excellent physical s...
Setting up a chess game is easy. It’s playing that can be hard. Here is how to set up a game. Step 1: Decide where to play. Do you want to play on a real board with a friend near you? Or do you want to play with one of m...
Millions of people around the world play chess regularly—but how do you become good at chess? Define what "good" means Practice lots of puzzles Review your games Create a study plan Be patient 1. Define what “good at chess...
No matter where you are in chess, you can always get better. And with the right habits and attitude, getting better at chess can be both fun and simple. To get better at chess, you will need to learn the rules, play a lot of games, review your pla...
You have probably heard someone say “I can beat all my friends at chess” or “I’m the best chess player at my school!” After rolling your eyes, you may have wondered: Who is the best chess player in the world? The be...
If getting people to pay you for advice was as simple as asking, everyone would be doing it! The same goes for chess coaches looking to develop their professional career. While Chess.com does provide the tools you need for teaching, we ...
