Understanding Chess

Chess is a board game requiring high levels of  skill and patience to make a single important move. Every second, chess players have a fierce battle of mind; thinking ahead and anticipating opponents' moves, chess players calculate countless possibilities . While many know some basic rules of chess, there are rare rules that, under quite specific conditions, can speed up the process of completion. Knowledge of not only the rules but also the key strategies-for example, the concepts of fork and sacrifice-must be achieved to become real chess masters. This article intends to explain the chess basics, discuss some lesser-known rules, and describe some methods that can  bring success. 

Chess is played on an 8x8 squares board, having a total of 64 squares alternating between light and dark colors. Each player possesses 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The object is to checkmate the opposing king, meaning  the square that the king is on is attacked and the king  has no legal moves to escape.

• King: Moves one square in any direction; protected by all other pieces.

• Queen: Moves horizontally, vertically, or diagonally for an unlimited distance.

• Rook: Moves horizontally or vertically for an unlimited distance.

• Bishop: Moves diagonally for an unlimited distance.

• Knight: Moves by forming an 'L' in combination with two squares in either vertical or horizontal line and then one square in a direction perpendicular to it.

• Pawn: Moves forward one square but captures diagonally. On its first move, the pawn can move forward two squares instead of one.

Although common players already know most of the rules, there are some not-so-common rules that will change the game in big ways.

En passant

• If your two-step pawn lands next to the opponent's pawn, then the opponent can capture it as though it had not moved up two squares. When the double-step move is affected, this special capture is allowed.

Castling

• This is a special move whereby the king and one of the rooks are involved. In this maneuver, the king moves two squares toward one of the rooks. After this, that rook jumps past the king to the adjacent square. Castling will happen only if the king and the selected rook haven't moved before, provided there are no pieces located between the rook and the king, or if the king isn't checked, passes through, or moves into check. 

Pawn Promotion

• When the pawn is in the eighth rank, it can be promoted as queen, rook, bishop, or knight. Most likely, a pawn would turn into a queen,  the strongest piece. However, there is sometimes a change to either rook bishop or knight to avoid stalemate that will be introduced after.

Stalemate

• If there are no legal moves left in a game, but the king is not in check, then the game ends in a draw owing to stalemate. A common way to let go of a losing situation.

Besides knowing the rules, players need to learn tactical stratagems to gain an advantage. The fork and sacrifice are two very important tactical aspects to learn. 

The Fork

• A fork is a tactical move where a single piece simultaneously attacks two or more enemy pieces. Forks are one of the patterns knights most successfully execute, but they are also created by queens, bishops, and pawns. A well-placed fork can force the opponent into material losses.

The Sacrifice

• Sacrificing a piece is one of the most powerful tactical tricks that can forge positional or tactical advantage. One commonly sees a sacrificed-A-position queen deliver a checkmate or gain material long-term. Sacrifices require precise calculation to ensure that the long-term gains outweigh that immediate loss. 

Chess is a complicated and strategic battle; it is a lot more than a simple board game that calls one for an understanding that offers insight into the possible moves of an opponent.It is important to gain  enough knowledge of the basic and nineteen other uncommon rules able to assist players, and to master tactical maneuvers like forks and sacrifices to go deeper. The pursuit of becoming a better chess player also leads chess lovers to apply these insights towards honing their skills while enriching their experience and enjoyment in the artistic dimensions of chess.