Scandinavian

Scandinavian Defence
Scandinavian Defence


hippo

Hippopotamus Defence
Hippopotamus Defence


Scotch

Contraction of Scottish.
The chess opening is supposedly after its having been played in a correspondence game between Edinburgh, Scotland, and London, England.

But Rob was just saying what a shame it was that folk should be shamed nowadays to speak Scotch – or they called it Scots if they did, the split-tongued sourocks!

1932, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, Sunset Song (A Scots Quair), Polygon, published 2006, page 156:


Ruy Lopez

Named for Ruy López de Segura, a Spanish priest who wrote a book about chess openings in 1561.

(chess) A common chess opening, an Open Game characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5, in which White moves king's bishop to the fifth rank.


Bogo-Indian Defence

From the name of Grandmaster Efim Bogoljubov and Indian Defence.

(chess) A chess opening, a form of Indian Defence, characterised by the moves 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 Bb4+.


Nimzo-Indian Defence

From the name of Grandmaster Aron Nimzowitsch and Indian Defence.

A chess opening, a form of Indian Defence, characterised by the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4.


Scotch Game

From an 1824 correspondence match between Edinburgh and London.

A common Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4, in which white's third move is queen's pawn to the forth rank.


Open Game

en-noun

Open Game (countable and uncountable, plural Open Games)

(countable) Any of the set openings which begin in this way. (Ruy Lopez, Scotch Game, etc.)


Semi-Open Game

A type of chess opening, in which White plays 1.e4 (moves their king's pawn to the fourth rank with their first move) and Black breaks symmetry by replying with a move other than 1...e5.


open game

Alternative letter-case form of Open Game


semi-open game

Alternative letter-case form of Semi-Open Game


Closed Game

Closed Game (countable and uncountable, plural Closed Games)

(countable, chess) Any of the openings which begin in this way. (Queen's Gambit, Stonewall Attack, etc.)


English Opening

English + opening, from its use by English world champion Howard Staunton.

A chess opening in which white begins by playing 1.c4, moving his queen bishop's pawn to the fourth rank.


King's Pawn Game

King's Pawn Game (countable and uncountable, plural King's Pawn Games)

A chess opening characterized by the move 1.e4, in which the white king's pawn advances two squares.


Queen's Pawn Game

A chess opening characterized by the move 1.d4, in which the white queen's pawn advances two squares as the first move.


French Defence

A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 e6, in which the white king's pawn advances two squares and the black king's pawn advance one square.


Indian Defence

Attributed to the use of this opening by the Indian player Moheschunder Bannerjee against John Cochrane.

A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.d4 Nf6.


Caro-Kann Defence

Named after Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann.

(chess) A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 c6, in which the white king's pawn advances two squares and the black king's bishop's pawn advances one square.


Sicilian Defence

A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 c5, in which both the white king's pawn and the black king's bishop's pawn advance two squares as the first moves.


Nimzo-Indian

Finally in this chapter we look at an example of the Nimzo-Indian, in which the black bishop chooses b4 rather than g7.

2008, Neil McDonald, Chess success: planning after the opening, page 256:

Nimzo-Indian Defence
Nimzo-Indian Defence


Alekhine's Defence

(chess) A chess opening characterized by the moves e4 Nf6.


Scandinavian Defence

A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 d5, in which both the white king's pawn and the black queen's pawn advance two squares as the first moves.


Double King's Pawn Opening

Double King's Pawn Opening (uncountable)


Nimzowitsch Defence

A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.e4 Nc6, in which the white king's pawn advances two squares and the black queen's knight advances to the bishop file.


Fried Liver Attack

Translation of Italian giuoco fegatello (“fried liver game”).

der

Two Knights' Defence
Two Knights' Defence

A common chess opening based on the Two Knights' Defence, characterized by the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. Nxf7 Kxf7, in which white sacrifices its king's knight to gain attacking momentum.


Two Knights' Defence

A common chess opening, characterized by the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6, in which black brings out both knights.


Fegatello Attack

Partial calque of Italian Giuoco Fegatello (“fried liver game”).

pclq

Fried Liver Attack
Fried Liver Attack#English


Spanish Torture

(chess, colloquial, humorous) Synonym of Ruy Lopez


Queen's Gambit Declined

(chess) A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6.


bongcloud

From bong + cloud (of marijuana smoke from the bong); exact origin for name uncertain, though perhaps the handle of an online chess player who frequently used this opening technique.

compound

A chess opening in which white's king is advanced to the second rank on the second move, for example, 1.e4 e5 2.Ke2, thus preventing white from being able to castle and allowing black to develop with tempo.


Ponziani

Named after Italian chess player Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani, 1719–1796.

A common chess opening beginning with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3.


Smith-Morra

Named after American chess player Ken Smith (1930–1999) and French chess player Pierre Morra (1900–1969).

A chess gambit in response to the Sicilian defence, beginning with the moves 1. e4 c5 2. d4 cxd4 3. c3.


Stafford gambit

en-noun

Stafford gambit (plural Stafford gambits)

Named after Joseph C. Stafford who famously won a correspondence game with this opening in 1950.

A chess opening deriving from the Petrov Defence (1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6) after which black gives up its king's pawn and plays the queen's knight to the C file (3. Nxe5 Nc6), especially when followed by (4. Nxc6 dxc6).


Petrov Defence

Popularized by Russian chess master Alexander Petrov.

A chess opening beginning 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6.


Russian Game

(preceded by the definite article) Synonym of Petrov Defence


potato opening

(chess) A variant of the Reti Opening in which white moves its queen's rook pawn to a4 on the third move (1. Nf3 d5 2. a4).


Giuoco Piano

From Italian Giuoco Piano, from giuoco+piano.


Van't Kruijs Opening

Van't Kruijs Opening (plural Van't Kruijs Openings)

Named after the Dutch player Maarten van 't Kruijs (1813–1885) who won the sixth Dutch championship in 1878.

A chess opening characterized by the move 1. e3 that can turn into many opening variations, this opening is uncommon because it is considered a move that wastes a tempo (for the white's pieces).


King's Indian Defence

(chess) A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6.


Queen's Indian Defence

(chess) A chess opening characterized by the moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6.


Four Knights Game

A common Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6, in which both players bring out their two knights.


Vienna Game

A common Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3, in which white's second move is queen's knight to the third rank, c file.


Bishop's Opening

An Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4, in which white's second move is king's bishop to the fourth rank.


Danish Gambit

queen's bishop's pawn
queen's bishop's pawn

An Open Game (and a variation of the Center Game) in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3, in which white's third move is queen's bishop's pawn to the third rank.


King's Gambit

king's bishop's pawn
king's bishop's pawn

An Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.f4, in which white's second move is king's bishop's pawn to the fourth rank.


Center Game

An Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4, in which each player has a pawn on the fourth rank.


Italian Game

A common Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4, in which white's third move is king's bishop to the fourth rank.


Queen's Gambit Accepted

A common Closed Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4, in which black's second move is queen's pawn to the fourth rank, capturing white's queen's bishop's pawn, as a response to the Queen's Gambit.


Slav Defense

A Closed Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6, in which black's second move is queen's bishop's pawn to the sixth rank, as a defense to the Queen's Gambit


Stonewall Attack

A Closed Game system in chess, characterized by white developing pawns to d4 and e3, bishop to d3, knight to d2, and then completing the Stonewall structure by playing pawns to c3 and f4.


Colle System

Named after Belgian chess master Edgard Colle.

A Closed Game system in chess, characterized by white developing the center pawns to d4 and e3, king's knight is to f3, the king's bishop to d3, and the queen's bishop's pawn to c3.


Modern Defense

king's knight's pawn
king's knight's pawn

A Semi-Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 g6, in which black's first move is king's knight's pawn to the sixth rank.


Philidor Defense

Named after 18th-century player François-André Danican Philidor.

A common Open Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6, in which black's second move is queen's pawn to the sixth rank.


Queen's Gambit

A common Closed Game in chess, characterized by the moves 1.d4 d5 2.c4, in which white's second move is queen's bishop's pawn to the fourth rank.


Traxler Counterattack

Traxler Counterattack (plural Traxler Counterattacks)

Traxler Countergambit
Traxler Countergambit


Hippopotamus Defence

Hippopotamus Defence (plural Hippopotamus Defences)

(Chess) A defensive opening in which a player places pawns on b6, d6, e6, and g6, brings out the knights and fianchettoes the bishops (on b7 and g7).


Traxler Countergambit

Traxler Countergambit (plural Traxler Countergambits)

Named after Karel Traxler, a Czech priest and chess player who analysed the variation in the early 20th century.

(Chess) An aggressive opening for black in response to the Fried Liver Attack in which, instead of defending the threatened f7 pawn, black develops the bishop to c5.