Chess Terms
N
- Norm
- A performance at a chess tournament that indicates a player is ready to receive a title, or the level of performance needed. In addition to other requirements, a certain number of norms is generally required to earn a title. See International Grandmaster and International Master.
- Novelty
- A new move in the opening. Sometimes called a "theoretical novelty" or "TN."
P
- Problem
- A chess problem is a composed position that is unlikely to occur in a real game. White normally has the move and the problem solver is asked to find a checkmate in a certain, fixed number of moves [e.g. mate in two or mate in three]. There should be no solution with less than the specified number of moves and no defense which extends the solution beyond that number of moves. See also puzzle and study.
- Puzzle
- A chess puzzle is based on a position which could occur in a real game. In fact, most puzzles are taken from games played in competition between expert opponents. Either White or Black may be on the move. The puzzle solver is asked to find the continuation which checkmates the fastest, which wins the most material, or which draws despite a hopeless material disadvantage. See also problem and study.
S
- Study
- A chess study is a composed position which could occur in a real game. White is usually on the move and, where at first glance the game looks drawn or lost for White, the study solver is asked to find a win or a draw. See also problem and puzzle.
U
- Underpromotion
- Promoting a pawn to a rook, bishop, or knight instead of a queen. Rarely seen unless the knight can deliver a crucial check, or promotion to a rook instead of a queen is necessary to avoid stalemate.
V
- Valve
- A move which opens one line and closes another.
- Variation
- An opening strategy that is a subset of another.
W
- Weak square
- A square that cannot be easily defended from attack by an opponent. Often a weak square is unable to be defended by pawns [a hole]. Exchange or loss of a bishop may make all squares of that bishop's color weak resulting in a "weak square complex" on the light squares or the dark squares.
- Wing Gambit
- is the name given to the branches of several openings in which one player gambits a wing pawn, usually the b pawn.
- Waiting move
- A passive but harmless move, which is played while waiting for initiative from the opponent.
- Woodpusher
- A weak chess player, also referred to as a "fish," "patzer," or "duffer."
X
Z
- Zeitnot (from the German)
- see Time pressure above.
- Zugzwang (from the German)
- When a player is put at a disadvantage by having to make a move; where any legal move weakens the position. Usually occurs in the endgame, and rarely in the middlegame.
- Zwischenzug (from the German)
- An "in-between" move played before the expected reply. Often used to force the opponent into Zugzwang.
sources :: About.com: Chess, Wikipedia