Blitz chess
Blitz chess is a fast format classified in the FIDE Laws as ten minutes or less per player when base time and…
Learn the term100 ESSENTIAL CHESS TERMS / A–Z
Analysis & Ratings Chess Terms
Explore analysis & ratings chess vocabulary with clear definitions, examples, related concepts, and study guidance from the ChessRankings.com glossary.
16 chess terms
B
Bullet chess
Bullet chess is a common online label for extremely short time controls, often around one minute per player, with…
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Chess engine
A chess engine is software that searches legal continuations and evaluates positions to recommend moves or compare…
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Classical chess
Classical chess generally refers to slower, standard-rated chess, providing more thinking time than rapid or blitz…
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Elo rating
An Elo rating is a numerical estimate of playing strength within a defined rating pool, updated using results…
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Evaluation
A chess evaluation is an assessment of a position, expressed verbally or numerically, considering factors such as…
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FEN
Forsyth-Edwards Notation, or FEN, describes one chess position rather than the entire history of a…
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FIDE
FIDE is the International Chess Federation, which publishes official international rating lists and maintains…
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Grandmaster
Grandmaster, abbreviated GM, is a FIDE chess title awarded under formal title regulations, not simply a nickname…
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International Master
International Master, abbreviated IM, is a FIDE title awarded through defined qualification routes and formal…
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PGN
Portable Game Notation, or PGN, is a text format for recording chess games, typically including descriptive tags…
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Principal variation
The principal variation, or PV, is the engine's current best line of play under its search assumptions and…
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Rapid chess
Rapid chess is a faster form of chess; under the FIDE Laws' time classification, each player's time is more than…
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Rating performance
A performance rating summarizes the strength of a set of tournament results against a particular group of…
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Stockfish
Stockfish is an open-source chess engine that combines sophisticated search with position evaluation and…
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Tablebase
An endgame tablebase is a database of solved positions for specified material sets, providing exact results within…
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