Chess Basics – Castling Rules
“Nothing excites jaded Grandmasters more than a theoretical novelty” – Dominic Lawson
In this very short piece of work we will look at a chess novelty that was introduced to chess in 14th Century, the Castling. It is an extremely important move in Chess. Castling basically involves moving both the King and the Rook at the same time in a special way so that the King moves to a safe square and the Rook comes to the other side of the board to join the action. The move itself is a special move where two pieces move but counts as one move.
Why Castle? Castling helps a player to:
- 1.Provide protection and shelter to the King behind the pawns.
- 2.As mentioned earlier, the move also brings the powerful Rook into a good position either for attack or defense.
The King is the prime concern in game of Chess, if the King is checkmated then you lose. The King safety is important in each game and it is dangerous to leave the King in the middle of the board, where it is easier to be attacked.
By Castling, a player moves the King to a safety zone so that first of all it is safe and secondly so that it can focus on strategy to form an attack and win the game without any attacks at his King.
Thing to notice, is that Castling is optional and is not really an imperative, but it is a useful move that should not be taken lightly for granted. In many games as you will notice in your Chess career most players do Castle be it beginners or Grandmasters.
Castling can take place either on the King’s side or the Queen’s side. The following diagram demonstrates.
The King moves only two squares when Castling, either King’s side or the Queen’s side.
In Chess Notation Castling has a special form and is written as 0-0 for the King Side and 0-0-0 for the Queen’s side. You will also find out that castling on King’s side is called castling short while the Queen side castling is called castling long.
There are some rules regarding Castling just like many other Chess Rules, these rules just make the game more entertaining and give both players opportunity to hunt for the opponent’s King by forcing them to play a move that will not let the user Castle.
Castling Rules:
1.You cannot Castle if either the King or the Rook used in Castling has already moved at any point in the game.
2.All Squares between the King and the Rook must be clear and empty. Neither of the pieces can jump over any other pieces.
3.The King must be in safe position when Castling. The king must not be in check, you cannot use the castling to get out of Check.
4.Further the King cannot move into a Check. For example if a square is under attack then white or either black cannot castle because that brings the King into check.
- One important thing to note is that even though you cannot castle when your King is under attack, Castling is possible when the Rook is under attack and also in the case of the Queen side Castling, when the b1 or b8 square is under attack by opponent you can still castle.
This ends the part about Castling.
Basics of Chess – Chess Notation
“When you see a good move, look for a better one” – E. Lasker
Learning chess can be daunting at start specially if you do not know the Chess Notation. The richness of chess today owes very much to the vast amount of contributions and novelties by great past players. One of the amazing contributions was that of chess notation.
Here is a trivia for you, do you know that the first Chess Book was written in Persia in 600 A.D.!
Back to our Chess Notations, they are simple to learn and easy to understand and nearly all countries accept the conventional algebraic system of designating squares on the chessboard. In Chess Notation each square on the board has a name which consists of letters from a to h and followed by numbers from 1 to 8.
The following diagram shows the squares and their names. The corner squares are a1, h1 and a8 and h8, also notice that white Rocks occupy a1 and h1 while black Rocks are on a8 and h8.
The vertical column of eight squares is known as “file.” The files are determined by the first eight letters of the alphabet a – h.
Each row of eight squares running across the chess board is called a “rank.” They are determined by the numbers 1 – 8. The following diagram demonstrates it clearly. The white pieces are placed on first and second ranks while the black pieces are placed on the seventh and eight ranks.
Further the board can be divided into twenty-six diagonals varying in length from two to eight squares.
Ranks or file contain squares ( light squares and dark squares.)
Diagonals are determined by the names of their end squares, for instant a1-h8 diagonal. These two diagonals consists of eight squares and are known as long diagonals.
Now that we know some basics of chess let us move on how to write down a move.
A move in chess is basically moving one piece from a square to another square. There is a simple way to write down that move in Chess Notation and there is a system which as follows:
1.Piece Symbol
2.Square of Arrival
3.x indicates capture.
Chess Symbols are as followed –
King = K
Queen = Q
Rook = R
Bishop = B
Knight = N
Pawn = We do not need to mention for pawn just the arrival square.
Here is a simple example -
e4 e5
This indicates that the white move a piece which in this case is a pawn to e4 square. Pawn has no symbol.
Another example could be -
Nf3 e5
This indicates that Knight (N) moved to square f3.
I hope this short guide has helped you learn the basics of Chess that is Chess Notations which is a vital part of Chess when it comes to recording your games or going through games of great Grand Masters or your own games.
Chess Sets for Wonderful Years of Enjoyment
Many people who are avid players of chess want to get their own chess sets. Well, if you don’t have your own chess set, you can’t play the game as long as you like because you will still need to borrow from someone else. Purchasing a chess set should be done carefully. You need to ensure that you’re going to be contented and happy with your purchase. If you love the chess set, you will find enjoyment every time you play the game. By picking a good chess set, you will stay connected to games’ grand traditions.
There are certain things to consider when making the purchase like:
1.The looks of the chess set is essential. You can find chess sets in various quality levels and styles. There are cheap plastic versions and there are also stunningly carved rosewood, pewter, camel bone, and onyx; the decision is yours whether you will settle with cheaper sets rather than the expensive ones. Choosing the set will depend on the person who’s going to play with it. For kids, you can get the less expensive chess sets but if you’re planning to start a family heirloom, you must pick the most beautiful and intricately designed chess sets. Make sure that you’re impressed with the set and if you’re planning to give it as a gift, you should also consider the needs and personality of the receiver. You can tell a good quality chess set if the Knight is carefully carved that shows details of the chess piece.
2.Weighting. All chess pieces should be properly balanced. When you move the chess piece, make sure that it feels and acts right as it sits on the chess board. The pieces should reflect elegance as you move them and are knocked over easily. If the chess pieces are not properly weighted and the board is accidentally nudged, the game is ruined. You can get double and triple weighted chess sets.
3.Board. The chess board is available in various sizes. Make sure that you choose the right board size. Where do you plan to play the game? The board should fit perfectly on the table. The chess pieces should also complement the size of he board. You need to check on the materials and colors of the chess board to ensure quality. The board should be just right so that there will still be enough room on the table for putting captured pieces. Measure the base of the King piece. The board square should be larger than the size of the base.
For instance, if the King’s base is 1 7/8”, the square should be at least 2”. There are 8 squares across the board (8 x 2” = 16”). Add another 2 inches for the captured pieces so the board should be at least 20”.
For wonderful years of enjoyment in playing the chess game, purchase the right kind of chess set. One thing more, if price is a consideration, you can buy the chess set that you can afford but without sacrificing quality.
Using Chess to Promote Self Confidence
It is vital that you develop self confidence. It should be developed in the early years of the child. That way, when your child grows older, he or she will have the strength and confidence to face the challenges of life.
Playing chess has many benefits and one is promoting self confidence. You can learn many techniques and skills that you can apply in daily life.
Every time you win a game, you improve self esteem and self confidence.
When you get criticized, what is you natural reaction? Most individuals will get offended and their confidence level will drop immensely. Many people who have shown intense concentration, mental strategy, abstract thinking, and problem solving are regarded as capable individuals. These things can be developed by playing chess.
Chess is widely known as an intellectual game. In fact, it is an excellent game for geniuses and scholars. Many Americans find it very hard to learn how to play and grasp chess. Many students will benefit greatly from playing chess especially those who failed in school and in their academic learning. You can definitely improve your self confidence by learning the complexity of the game. Grasping the rules of such complicated game can make you more confident.
If your child has a history of school failure and academic problems, it is a good idea to teach your child how to play the chess games. Your child can learn positive characteristics and together with other kids, they can enjoy a cognitive experience. Society thinks that chess is complex game which only gifted and smart individuals can play. You can even join your child so that together you can understand the game’s strategies, nuances, and its vocabulary. Soon you will see great improvements in your self confidence and that of your child. If you can play the game well with family members and other opponents, you will feel more confident and you will not see yourself as stupid. Always keep in mind that stupid individuals can’t play chess because of its complexity.
In due time, you will see great improvements not only in the personality but also in intellectual capacity of the chess player. If you want, you can enroll in a chess class that provides different activities and exercises that can help in mastering the game. As you build confidence, you’re also improving your academic output. With heightened sense of control, an individual can exhibit increased confidence and positive attitudes.
Do you know chess players that are quite successful in other fields as well? Chess players show intense concentration, abstract thinking, and mental strategies which is extremely difficult to understand and learn.
With more self confidence, you can face the many difficulties of life. You can indulge in whatever endeavor you want to explore because you’re aware that you can do it and that you can achieve all your dreams. It is very important for every individual to develop this positive trait. So if you’re interested in learning the game or perhaps you’re child wants to enroll in a chess class, don’t hesitate to try it out because you will enjoy the many benefits that come with it.
Internet Trend Destroying the True Game of Chess
One of the oldest and most famous games in the world is probably the chess game and it appeared in many shapes and forms. Chess is a universal game in the sense that it is well accepted and played in every different countries and cultures around the world. Local and worldwide tournaments are being held everywhere.
Today, chess game can be played in almost anywhere and anytime. All you need to have is the board, the pieces, and somebody to play with. If you cannot find someone to play with, there are many computerized versions of chess in the internet or on software’s today. Different versions of software come in 2D or 3D versions. They also have animated effects or just a plain board and pieces. You can play against a computer player and up to such difficulty level if required. Moreover, with the internet today, it is very possible to search for many other online players whom you can play against.
In the early 1950’s, nearly as soon as computers became available, the playing of chess on computers has also began. The fascination of chess worldwide has been astonishing to people. Today, chess is played in different countries around the world with international appeal and competitive winnings.
Most people would say that the invention and development of the internet has been absolutely incredible when it comes to playing chess. The reason for this is because, the internet has given us instant access to everything regarding chess such as news and information about the game and products, clubs, and many more including the ability to play anytime of the day or night.
Many would say that internet trend destroys the true game of chess. This is because cheating becomes most common despite of high advancement when playing online. However, this thing does not change that still many of us love chess. This would certainly not make the game obsolete and continue to have an impact on competitive chess.
Internet chess opens the door to great graphics instead of the just black and white pieces and board though the pattern may be the same. The virtual space has many and wider ranges of options to choose from that are very entertaining and fun.
Internet chess fans are now active members that are subscribed on their favorite chess websites. Although the first computer chess games were very high in demand and are extremely popular, the appearance of interactive type involvement of chess seems to attract more attention today. You compete with other people from different places that share the same hobby as you.
In addition to that, more internet sites usually provide some useful tips and strategies for developing the chess game. If you will be reading from forum sections of these websites, you can be sure to find information and ideas on chess movements from different people that play chess. You can improve your chess game by reading this and playing more online games with either chess games or interactive players on the internet.
