Chess Glossary : Section I
ICC
The official site of cricket’s world governing body. Includes member, rules and … Sorry, the Chess Glossary Team’s work experience lad was reading from the wrong result in Google.
Try again, with added relevancy: “Internet Chess Club“. Er, apparently it’s “Where the Grandmasters Play Online Chess” – though, the Chess Glossary Team suspect it’s because they didn’t get an invite to Amber’s cash-happy Chess Tournament, either.
Play Chess Online - Free Games
How it works:
- 1Play alone
- 2Play with AI
- 3Play in room
- 4Watch the rooms
- 5No Ads, Clean Play Room
ICCA
1. Abbreviation for the International Correspondence Chess Association, which was founded in 1945, but now no longer exists (see ICCF, below).
2. The Chess Glossary Team say it stands for Incapacitated Completely Cause Alcohol.
ICCF
Abbreviation for the International Correspondence Chess Federation, which replaced the ICCA, in 1951.
Play Chess Online - Free Games
How it works:
- 1Play alone
- 2Play with AI
- 3Play in room
- 4Watch the rooms
- 5No Ads, Clean Play Room
ICU
1. Abbreviation for the Irish Chess Union, who publish the Irish Chess Journal (ICJ).
2. Victory in Hide ‘n’ Seek, played by text-messaging, but didn’t really catch on and the Chess Glossary Team wish they’d not wasted time bringing it up.
IGM
Abbreviation for the International Grandmaster Chess Title, which is an old term. These days, most just refer to this title as Grandmaster, which carries the GM abbreviation and goes before the player’s name, e.g. GM Jon Doe.
Illegal Move
Any move not allowed under the official Rules of Chess. If discovered during a game, that an Illegal Move has been made, it must be corrected before the game can continue.
Illegal Position
A position that occurs after an Illegal Move has been played.
IM
Abbreviation for the International Master Chess Title, which is awarded by FIDE to players who, typically, reach an Elo rating of between 2400 and 2500 points. It is possible for strong International Masters to have over 2500 Elo points, but who have yet to qualify for the Grandmaster Title, so they stay remain as an International Master, for the time being. The title abbreviation will go before the player’s name, e.g. IM Jon Doe.
Inactive
1. Hmm, sounds like a dictionary definition of the Chess Glossary Team.
2. Also known by the term “passive”, it’s used to describe a Piece that can only move to, or control, a relatively small number of squares.
3. The opposite of active.
Increment
Refers to the Time Control system that adds a certain amount of time to each player’s clock, prior to each move. The added Increment is in seconds, such as 10 seconds, which would add 10 seconds to each player’s clock, either after the move they’ve just made, or before the move they’re about to make (depending on the clock’s method).
Indian Bishop
Any Bishop that’s been Fianchettoed is referred to as an Indian Bishop. Often seen in the Indian Defence Openings such as the “King’s Indian” and “Queen’s Indian” respectively.
Indian Defence
A specific Defence Opening that’s initiated by Black. The Indian Defences begin from the following sequence: 1. d4 … Nf6.
Initiative
1. When a player makes an attacking move that forces their opponent to react, they’re playing the Initiative.
2. When management weren’t looking, the Chess Glossary Team slipped out of the office and high-tailed it to Laser Quest, proving they too can play the Initiative.
Instant Chess
Where no-nonsense coffee addicts forget the world’s troubles, dose-up and play chess online … if anybody will give you time of day and not simply end the game before you can say King’s Gambit (as happened to an un-named member of the Chess Glossary Team).
Insufficient Material
When one player’s army is whittled down to just their King, while the other player still has at least one Pawn, the latter player Wins, because the former player has Insufficient Material. When only the two Kings remain, the game ends in a Draw, due to Insufficient Material.
Intermezzo
Meaning ‘Intermediate Move’, Intermezzo is a tactic in Chess that involves a player first moving an unexpected piece – the intermediate move – prior to doing what was originally expected, such as an obvious opportunity for capturing. Another name for this is Zwischenzug.
International Arbiter
An official who takes care of specific duties at International chess tournaments is known as the International Arbiter. Duties include settling disputes and, when players are under time pressure, they’ll be involved with keeping score.
International Master
You have to play a strong game of chess to be awarded the IM title. It’s sort of an intermediate step on the journey to becoming a Grand Master (GM) – although players have been known to rank immediately as GM without ever being awarded IM status (Vladimir Kramnik, Larry Christiansen and Boris Gelfrand are notable examples). The IM title is usually held by players with an ELO Rating between 2400 and 2500.
Internet Chess
Chess played on the Internet, hopefully for free, usually by people who want to put off paying for another version of Fritz.
Internet Chess Club
Rejected from the school chess club at lunch time? Hey, no problem – pretend you’ve got mates and sign up online! Who needs friends when you’ve got moderators, anyway.
Internet Chess Games
Copy > Paste > Bingo: “Chess played on the Internet, hopefully for free, usually by people who want to put off paying for another version of Fritz.”
Internet Chess Server
A computer, filled with computery-jiggery-pokery (no, we don’t know) that allows people to play games of chess (as well as discuss and view games) over the Internet. Often abbreviated to ICS, such as FICS (Free Internet Chess Server).
Interpose
1. When you move a piece in front of another of yours that’s being attacked, you place it in between it and the enemy attacker.
2. The Chess Glossary Team took a while to get it and chose to calm their hyperactive frustrations with an mixture of Ritalin and Garibaldi biscuits.
Interzonal Tournament
A specific type of Chess Tournament that’s organized by FIDE and takes place as the second qualifying for players who wish to contest the World Chess Championship. FIDE splits the qualifiers into geographical zones and the top players from each zone progress through to the Interzonal Tournament.
Intuition
1. A “gut feeling” for the right moves, rather than methodical Calculation of Variations.
2. A “gut feeling” that Slip ‘N’ Bleed’s gonna hurt.
IQP
Abbreviation for Isolated Queen Pawn. Refers to an Isolated Pawn (see entry below) that’s on the Queen’s File – that’s the d-File.
Irregular Opening
Refers to any Chess Opening sequence where the first move by White is unusual. For example, 1. a3; 1. a4; 1. e3; among, others, are all considered to be Irregular Openings.
Isolani
Alternative name to describe an Isolated Pawn, such as the Isolated Queen’s Pawn, when a player’s d-file Pawn doesn’t have any friendly Pawns on either the c-file or e-file.
Isolated Pawn
A single Pawn which doesn’t have a fellow Pawn on either side is an Isolated Pawn – it’s also a single Pawn Island … Bottom line, it’s definitely vulnerable.
Italian Bishop
Refers to White’s light-square Bishop when sent out to the ‘c4’ square; while Black’s Bishop becomes an Italian Bishop when sent out onto the ‘c5’ square. The Chess Opening known as the “Guioco Piano” sees an Italian Bishop on both sides, on the 3rd Move of the sequence: 1. e4 e5, 2. Nf3 Nc6, 3. Bc4 Bc5.