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@ soma
2025-04-02 21:08:28Chess Board Setup
- The Basics
8x8 grid, alternating light/dark squares.
Key rule: *Always place the board so a light square is on each player’s bottom-right.
- Coordinates Files (columns): Labeled a to h (left to right).
Ranks (rows): Numbered 1 to 8 (White’s side = 1, Black’s = 8).
Notation: Squares are file + rank (e.g., e4, a7).
- Piece Placement
Black (Top): a8: Rook b8: Knight c8: Bishop d8: Queen
e8: King f8: Bishop g8: Knight h8: Rook
Rank 7: All pawns (a7-h7)White (Bottom): a1: Rook b1: Knight c1: Bishop d1: Queen
e1: King f1: Bishop g1: Knight h1: Rook
Rank 2: All pawns (a2-h2)Quick Tip: Queens start on their color (Whiteon d1, Black on d8).
Checkmate, stalemate & draws
Chess is a two-player strategy game where the ultimate goal is to checkmate your opponent’s king. However, games can also end in a stalemate or draw under specific conditions.
- Checkmate (Winning the Game)
- Definition: The enemy king is in check (under attack) and has no legal moves to escape.
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Result: The game ends immediately—the player delivering checkmate wins.
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Stalemate (Draw)
- Definition: The player whose turn it is has no legal moves, but their king is not in check.
- Result: The game is a draw (no winner).
Common Causes: - A lone king with no moves left. - Poor pawn structure blocking all options.
- Other Draws
Games can also end in a draw due to:
- Insufficient Material
- Only kings remain.
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King + bishop vs. king (no possible checkmate).
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Threefold Repetition
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The same position occurs 3 times (with the same player to move).
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50-Move Rule
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No pawn moves or captures in 50 consecutive moves (by both players).
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Agreement
- Players mutually agree to a draw.
Key differences:
| Term | King in Check? | Legal Moves? | Result | | --------- | -------------- | ------------ | -------- | | Checkmate | Yes | No | Win/Loss | | Stalemate | No | No | Draw | | Draw | N/A | N/A | Tie |
Chess history
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Ancient Origins (6th Century)
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Birthplace: Northern India (as Chaturanga), meaning "four divisions" (infantry, cavalry, elephants, chariots—early versions of pawns, knights, bishops, rooks).
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Spread: Reached Persia as Shatranj by 600 AD, where key rules (like "check" and "checkmate") emerged.
Fun fact: "Checkmate" comes from Persian "Shah Mat" ("the king is helpless").
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Medieval Europe (9th–15th Century)
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Rebranding: Arabs brought chess to Spain by 1000 AD; Europeans adapted pieces to feudal society:
Elephants → Bishops Viziers → Queens (weak at first—could only move one square!)
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Major Change: By 1475, the queen became the most powerful piece ("Mad Queen Chess"), speeding up the game.
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Modern Chess (1850–Present)
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Standardization: First official world championship (1886, Wilhelm Steinitz vs. Johannes Zukertort).
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Computers: IBM’s Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in 1997, revolutionizing AI.
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Today: Online platforms (Chess.com, Lichess) and pop culture (The Queen’s Gambit) fuel a global boom.
Did You Know?
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The longest possible chess game is 5,949 moves (theoretical limit).
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The longest recorded game was 269 moves, 1989 Nikolić vs. Arsović.
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The oldest recorded chess opening (1.e4) appears in a 1490 Spanish manuscript.
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