Some Chess Glossary

Abandon: To give up all concern in a game or formally stating a voluntary decision to give up a game because of discouragement, weariness, distaste etc.

Accelerated Pairing Systems: Swiss system variant used to reduce the number of tournament leaders in as few rounds as is practical. The Swiss system lists the competitors based on strength, then cuts the list in the middle and pairs the highest player in each group against each other and so forth. In the ‘Accelerated System’, the field is divided into 4 groups with the top player of group-01 paired against the top player of group-02 and the top player of group-03 against the top player of group-4 and so forth.

Activity: The quality of a Chess position that describes mobility or freedom of movement for pieces. An active piece is more likely to have a positive influence in the outcome of a game than an inactive piece (a cramped, blocked, or undeveloped piece). Active pieces is one key quality in assessing a Chess position.

Adjournment: An unfinished game may be adjourned and continued at a later time/date. The player to make the next move on the board is required to write the next move on a piece of paper which is given to the referee. This is called a ‘sealed move’. When the game recommences this move must be the next move played on the chessboard. The adjournment rule was first introduced in 1878 in Paris.

Advantage: A superiority of position, usually based on force, time, space or Pawn structure. A player whose position is considered objectively better is said to have the advantage. A judgment of an advantage must consider complex criteria such as material (more pieces or Pawns), space (more room to maneuver), activity (more influence of pieces), King safety (one side has a safer King than the other), or other weaknesses (backward Pawn, etc.).

Arbiter: Chess has Arbiters for the enforcement of the rules.

Attack: An aggressive action during a game or to threaten to capture a piece or Pawn. Minority Attack: an attack of minor pieces against a majority of minor pieces of the opponent with the objective of creating a weakness in his position.