ChessWorld Hitchhiker's Guide to ChessScope: This glossary does not intend to cover player names, opening names, or Composition terms. The Glossary aims to relate the terms to ChessWorld where possible when giving examples.If you have contributions, corrections or questions, please post them to the Chess Forum for discussion. There is a dedicated Chess Openings Glossary |
Glossary Course Modules with Game ExamplesGlossary Course Modules with Tactical Puzzle ExamplesA | B | C | D | E | [F] | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | ZFForsyth-Edwards Notation. FEN is a way of describing a chess position in a compact way. It has six fields in total. The first field is the Piece placement. The second is the Colour to move. The third is castling availability. The fourth is the en passant target square. The fifth is the halfmove clock since the last pawn advance or capture, and finally the fullmove number. View Tip as Course Module | ||||
Fianchetto
2) White's bishop is "fianchettoed" on b2.
3) Black's bishop is "fianchettoed" on g7.
4) Black's bishop is "fianchettoed" on b7
A "Double fianchetto" occurs when one side has fianchettoed both bishops. When Kasparov desperately needed to win a final World championship game against Karpov, he employed a rare "double fianchetto" opening system. View Tip as Course Module | ||||
Fifty-move Rule
In 1958, Fide declared its reluctance to create exceptions to the 50-move rule, because of the possibility of further investigation finding wins in previously considered drawn endgames. With computer-based research, the possibility of such wins being concretely proven is becoming easier. In 1978 and 1982 amendments were made to the list of exceptional positions where the 50-move rule would not be applied. One of the first of these positions in 1978 allowed was K+Q+P vs. K+Q where more than 50 moves may be required for the winning side. However, currently (in 2006 and beyond), the current Fide Laws do not accept any more exceptions to 50-move rules. Thus there are endings that are winnable - but drawn due to legal issues. Nor are there any exceptions listed by Fide on their website for the 50-move rule. The previously made exceptions all do not apply. MrMip of Chessworld has written an essay background on this rule which follows:- A brief history of 50-move rule: Well, the basic underlying thought, as formulated by FIDE, is that if there is no progress in a game of chess, then the result should be a draw - rather than the game going on and on endlessly. However, this train of thought implies that you should be able to define "progress". FIDE came up with the definition of "progress" based on the moves that irrevocably change the position - either a move of a pawn or a capture. After such a move you cannot ever return to previous position. (Actually there exists also a third group of irrevocable moves - namely castlings - but FIDE just forgot those :)). Then FIDE decided that, if within the 50-move limit from last "irrevocable" move, there is no mate or another "irrevocable" move, the game should be declared a draw. Although never explicitly specified, it was generally assumed that the figure 50 comes from the endgame KNB vs. K, which plausibly occurs often enough in practice. Although theoretically you can win in the worst case with 33 moves in this endgame, FIDE felt that you do not have to find the absolutely best move in each position. Some slack is permitted - but not too much. So a nice round figure of 50 moves was decided. Computer Scare and Grandmaster rebellion: In the beginning of 80's Ken Thompson and the computer "Belle" came up with disturbing examples of KBR vs. KR endgame positions, where the win was achievable only with move count well over 50 moves and chess problem community pointed out some beautiful endgame compositions (by Troitzky) with the material KNN vs. KP that also resulted in over 50 move wins (w.o. a pawn move). Armed with this new "computer knowledge" FIDE modified the rules in 1984 to lengthen the draw limit up to 100 moves in specific endgames. However, this produced a loud cry from the grandmasters, who cared about their "sitzenfleisch" - and did not want to sit out these boring endings. Also new computer calculations seemed to point that endings KBB vs. KN could stretch out over 100 moves. All this convinced FIDE that a wrong turn has been taken and FIDE reduced the draw move limit first to 75 moves and then since 1993 to current 50-moves. Current state of the Affairs - A Two-way road So the FIDE ruling for the chess game is clear: 50-move rule applies without exemption. However, there is also a world of chess compositions, problems and puzzles. The rules for these are laid down by Permanent Commission of Chess Compositions (PCCC) under mandate from FIDE. Here it was felt that 50-move limit would unnecessarily limit some beautiful constructions of composers (..and maybe computers as well?). So a following article rules here: “Article 17 - 50 Moves-Rule Unless expressly stipulated, the 50 moves-rule does not apply to the solution of chess compositions except for retro-problems.” View Tip as Course Module | ||||
File
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Fish | ||||
Flank | ||||
Fools mate
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Forced move | ||||
Forsyth notation
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Fortress Position
Example 2: White to move
This resource is featured in many compositions by the Soviet composer M.Simkhovich (1896-1945) who made up compositions where one side was a queen down but able to draw via fortress position. View Tip as Course Module | ||||
