Chess Glossary : Section B
Back Rank
Refers to the base of the Board, where both player’s Kings begin each game … With Algebraic Notation, White’s Back Rank is the Rank 1; while Rank 8 is Black’s Back Rank.
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Back Rank Mate
When a King is on its Back Rank and is put in “Checkmate“, this is known as a “Back Rank Checkmate” or, a “Back Rank Mate“.
Back Rank Weakness
A weakness in a player’s position that puts the player’s King at risk of suffering a Back Rank Mate. However, due to time constraints, or specific threats from the enemy, the player is unable to create an escape route for his King. The player’s only option is to be vigilant to the enemy attacking his weak position.
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Backward Pawn
A somewhat restricted Pawn – it CANNOT advance, as itself or another piece will be captured. There’s more, so check out the link (easier to watch the video, than write an explanation).
Bad Bishop
1. A Bishop that has its diagonal paths obstructed by pieces from his own side – most often, these are Pawns that have their own paths blocked, causing the knock-on obstruction. Alternatively, the Bishop may be on the ‘wrong color’ squares, enabling the enemy to safely land their pieces without the Bishop being able to do anything about them.
2. With its collective brain synaptically treading a somewhat cynical path, the Chess Glossary Team sense another holy scandal amongst the high-ranking God-botherers.
Battery
A formation in Chess, made up by two Rooks doubled-up on a single File; or by a Bishop and a Queen, when both are stalking along the same diagonal path.
BCF
1. Abbreviation for the now defunct British Chess Federation.
2. The Chess Glossary Team say it stands for Bladder Control Failure.
BCM
1. Abbreviation for the British Chess Magazine.
2. The Chess Glossary Team say it stands for Bladder Control Maintained.
BCO
Abbreviation for the Batsford Chess Openings, which refers to a specific Chess Opening referenced by Garry Kasparov and Raymond Keene.
Berserker
1. In honor of the legendary Scandinavian Warriors, who would go into a seemingly maddened, frenzied attack during battle – it’s applied, in Chess, to one or two pieces that launch a sudden string of attacks in quick succession.
2. Not applied to the Chess Glossary Team … But a textbook case was observed in Management, upon finding the office totally devoid the Chess Glossary Team.
Bind
If you develop your army into such a position that your opponent finds difficult to attack, or break, your position is called a Bind. As an example, the sequence: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5. c4 * reaches a position known as the Maróczy Bind.
Bishop Chess Piece
Each player gets 2 Bishops on their side at the start of a game; they move on the diagonal squares only and have a relative value of 3 (points).
Bishop-pair
Referring to two Bishops, on the same side, when up against a Bishop and Knight, or two Knights, during a game … As in, “White’s Bishop-pair are hard to nail down for Black’s remaining Bishop and Knight”.
Bishop Pawn
Descriptive term for the Pawns that sit on the same Files where the Bishops start each game. That is, the Pawns on the c-File and the f-File, respectively.
Bishop v Knight
Generally speaking, a Bishop is usually seen as being slightly superior to a Knight, owing to it’s ability to get across an open board much quicker than the Knight. This advantage is seen most clearly in the endgame phase. One caveat: in Closed Game situations, it’s the Knight – with its ability to jump over obstacles – that usually has the upper hand.
Black
Describes the player’s army who moves second (the player who controls White’s army is the first to move, at the start of each game). Typically, the Black army will be colored Black, whereas the White army will, um, be colored White. However, with ‘artistic license’, manufacturers of Chess sets will play about with different color themes for the pieces. The main distinction is that White’s army is a “light” color; while Black’s army is a “dark” color.
Blindfold Chess
A specific type of Chess game/match/tournament where the players must use mental visualization to make the correct moves, as either one or both player CANNOT actually see the board.
Blitz Chess
A fast game of Chess, which may also be referred to as Lightning Chess, Speed Chess, Bullet Chess, Rapid Chess. Alternatively, if someone says “want to play Sudden Death?”, they mean Blitz Chess … unless they’re a Goth or Emo, then a suspicious Chess Glossary believes it’s a mortally hazardous activity.
Block
Your enemy has just put your King in ‘Check’ by his Bishop … Say, you move your Knight into the line of sight between the two pieces – you “Block” that Bishop from threatening Check.
Blockade
When an advancing, enemy Pawn is suddenly stopped in its tracks – preferably by a Knight – it has been prevented from going any further.
Blunder
1. Agreeing to work with the Chess Glossary Team.
2. A bad move that allows an opponent to make positional advantage and/or capture one of your pieces.
Board
A shortened term referring to the Chessboard – the checker-pattern surface that the Pawns and Pieces move upon. The Board is made up of 64 squares in total, 32 are light-colored; the other 32 squares are dark colored.
Boden’s Mate
A specific Checkmate pattern that gets its name from English professional chess master Samuel Standidge Boden, who played this pattern in an actual game: Schulder-Boden, London 1853.
Book Draw
A name applied to a specific position, or pattern of play, during the Endgame phase that is known to end in a Draw (Stalemate) and where the players make the exact same moves, as documented in books on Chess Theory.
Book Move
A name applied to a specific sequence or pattern of moves that has been documented/published in books on Chess Theory, which actually occur during the Opening phase of a game (both players make the exact same moves as in the book).
Book Win
A name applied to a specific position, or pattern of play, during the Endgame phase that is known to end in a Win and where the players make the exact same moves, as documented in books on Chess Theory.
Break
1. Sounds like a good idea to the collective, lazy spirit that makes up the Chess Glossary Team.
2. When a player advances a Pawn or use a Pawn to make a capture that opens a blocked position – you’ve made a Break in the enemy’s position.
Breakthrough
1. When you get any of your pieces through to attack the enemy’s back row.
2. When you get any member of the bone idle Chess Glossary Team to work without hint of being blackmailed for a pay rise.
Brevity
1. Refers to a short game of Chess, typically involving no more than 20 to 25 moves, from start to finish. Brevity is mainly a British term for this situation, but such short games are also known as Miniature games.
2. Refers to a short stint of Work, typically involving no more than 20 to 25 seconds of the Chess Glossary Team’s time.
Brilliancy
1. Whenever any member of the Chess Glossary Team turns up to work.
2. A game of chess regarded as having been played beautifully and spectacularly. A Brilliancy game typically involves unexpected moves, successfully played and sacrificial attacks. Brilliancies don’t always have to include the best moves, or sound play, by either player.
Brilliancy Prize
1. Packet of Monster Munch.
2. At some chess tournaments, organizers might award a prize for the best brilliancy played during the event.
British Chess Federation
Formed in 1904, the BCF has over 100 Years of organising Chess in the UK … Actually, the correct term is had, as this organisation is no more … apparently, it appears one or two people made it to ‘D’ in the dictionary, where Devolution happened to be lurking, and chose to give theory some practice.
Bronstein Delay
Refers to a time control method that incorporates a ‘time delay’. When it’s the turn of the next player (to move), what the Bronstein Delay does is it delays the chess clock for a certain period of time, before continuing to count down the player’s remaining time, as usual. The specific method was invented by Soviet Chess Grandmaster, David Ionovich Bronstein, who narrowly missed becoming World Chess Champion, in 1951, in the title match against Mikhail Botvinnik.
Bullet Chess
A fast-paced game of Chess, where each player only gets 1 minute … for ALL their moves – that’s right, the entire game lasts just 2 minutes MAXIMUM.
Bust
Refers to an Opening that previous Chess Theory deemed acceptable, but recent developments suggest it’s not good – it’s broken; doesn’t work properly; the Opening’s Bust. The late Bobby Fischer referred to the King’s Gambit as being “Bust”, in a 1961 article, featured in the Summer edition of American Chess Quarterly.
Bye
1. Swiftly followed by second, consecutive “bye”, as the Chess Glossary Team high-tail it out the office.
2. Owing to an odd number of players, at a Chess Tournament, the player who doesn’t get matched-up with an opponent will get a Bye (or, a pass) into the next round. Usually, a Bye scores the player 1 point. That said, certain tournaments allow a player to take a Bye (normally in the first or last rounds, respectively), for which the game they pass-up will be declared a Draw and so score them ½ a point.