The Everything Chess Basics Book

THE
EVERYTHING
_®
CHESS BASICS
BOOK

By the U.S. Chess Federation
and Peter Kurzdorfer

Endorsed by the U.S. Chess Federation

Copyright ©2003, F+W Publications, Inc.
All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced
in any form without permission from the publisher; exceptions
are made for brief excerpts used in published reviews.

An Everything
^®
Series Book.
Everything
^®
and
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^®
are registered trademarks of F+W Publications, Inc.

Published by Adams Media, an F+W Publications Company
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ISBN 10: 1-58062-586-X
ISBN 13: 978-1-58062-586-9
eISBN 13: 978-1-44052-229-1
Printed in the United States of America.

J I H G F E

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kurzdorfer, Peter.
The everything chess basics book / The U.S. Chess Federation and Peter
Kurzdorfer.
p.   cm.   (Everything series)
ISBN 1-58062-586-X
1. Chess. I. United States Chess Federation. II. Title. III. Series.

GV1446.K87 2003
794.1 — dc21

2003000371

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The
EVERYTHING
_®
Chess Basics Book

Dear Reader:

Chess can be different things to different people. Some search for perfection and truth in each position. Some get addicted to competition and strive to win. Some enjoy the mental exercise involved. Some like to play a friend occasionally. Some like to follow the exploits of the grandmasters of the game. Some like to delve into the theory of the game. Whatever our take on chess, it is a game that has fascinated people for nearly 1,500 years and continues to fascinate people world wide today

If you don’t know what chess is or have a vague notion that it is a board game, then this book will enrich your life by opening up the world of what used to be called “the royal game.” If you know enough about chess to play an occasional game, but are not aware of the huge chess subculture, you are in for a surprise.

Like learning to play a musical instrument, learning to play and appreciate chess opens up a whole new experience for anyone with enough patience and perseverance to master the basics.

I hope you enjoy this new experience for the rest of your life!

The
EVERYTHING
_®
Series

Editorial

Production

Interior Art provided by the U.S. Chess Federation

Visit the entire Everything
^®
Series at
everything.com

To Caissa,
the goddess of chess, for her inspiration. —Peter

Contents

About the U.S. Chess Federation

Acknowledgments

Top Ten Reasons to Learn the Game of Chess

Introduction

1 What Is Chess?

Early Chess
Modern Chess
American Chess
Computer Chess
World Chess Champions
The United States Chess Federation

2 The Chessboard

The Battlefield
Checkered Squares
Ranks
Files
Diagonals
Highways
Squares

3 The Pieces and Pawns

To Begin
The King
The Rook
The Bishop
The Queen
The Knight
Types of Pieces
The Pawns

4 Ending the Game

Check
Checkmate
Winning and Losing
Draw by Agreement
Stalemate
Insufficient Mating Material
Three-Position Repetition
Fifty-Move Rule

5 Special Moves

Touch Move
Promotion
En Passant
Castling
The Clock

6 Notation

Why Keep Records?
You Already Know the Basics!
Algebraic Notation
Other Notations
Diagrams
Game Scores

7 Basic Strategy

Principles to Follow
King Safety
Greater Force
Control the Center
Control More Squares
Develop the Pieces
Healthy and Unhealthy Pawns
Whenever Possible, Operate with Threats

8 Threats

Forcing Moves
How to Meet a Threat
En Prise
Convergence
Blindfold Play
Battery
Promotion
Opposition

9 Planning Checkmate

The Basic Checkmates
Two Rooks
Rook and King
Queen and King
The Two Bishops
Bishop and Knight
Other Checkmates

10 How to Plan Ahead

Tactics
Strategy
Seeing Ahead
Planning Greater Force
Controlling the Center
Getting All Your Pieces Involved
Exposing the King
Planning Defense

11 What the Pieces Can Do

Double Attack
Fork
Discovered Attack
Discovered Check
Pin
Skewer

12 Tactical Weapons

Removing the Defender
Overload
Interference
Zwischenzug
Desperado
No Retreat

13 Putting It All Together

Time or Force?
The Opening
The Threats Begin
Forming a Plan
Evaluation
The Initiative
Counterattack
Removing the Defender
Winning a Won Game

14 The World of Chess

A Parlor Game
Chess Clubs
Chess Instruction
Simultaneous Exhibitions
Composed Problems
Serious Competition
Correspondence Chess
Chess Books and Magazines
Chess in Education
Other Forms of Chess

15 Chess Computers

A Modern Invention
Machines That Play Chess
Software That Plays Chess
Analysis Engines
Chess Databases
Online Chess
Internet Sources

Appendix A
• Glossary

Appendix B
• Frequently Asked Questions

About the
U.S. Chess Federation

The United States Chess Federation (USCF) is the official governing body for chess in the United States, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to its 95,000 members. Since 1939 it has worked to promote the game of chess, providing a rating system for players, giving national titles, supporting chess teams in international play, and working to build scholastic chess competition in the nation.The award-winning
Chess Life
magazine is one important member benefit; affiliates receive the
USCF Rating List
six times a year, necessary to efficiently run chess tournaments. Many other publications are offered to USCF members. Another key member benefit: discounted prices on USCF’s extensive product catalog offerings which include books, sets and boards, computers, software, teaching materials, and accessories (to request a
free
catalog please call
1-800-388-KING [5464] or shop online at
www.uschess.org
). USCF memberships are offered in twelve categories.