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First off, let’s clear the air: no, Magnus Carlsen didn’t solve chess. That would be like solving pizza. Sure, you can perfect a recipe, but there are infinite toppings and ways to burn your tongue. But the way Carlsen plays? It’s fair to ask if he’s secretly running on some kind of Silicon Valley AI … Read more
Chess is a game of infinite possibilities—well, almost. For all the creativity you can bring to the board, there are some hard-and-fast rules that simply cannot be broken. When you make an illegal move, it’s like trying to sprint through a wall. You don’t get anywhere, and it’s probably not going to end well for … Read more
Explaining chess to a 5-year-old can feel like teaching a cat to use a treadmill—it might take some creativity, but it’s totally possible (and surprisingly rewarding). Kids love stories, fun challenges, and the occasional laugh, so the trick is to make chess less of a textbook and more of an adventure. Let’s break down the … Read more
If regular chess is the ultimate mental workout, blindfold chess is running a marathon while juggling flaming torches. It’s a mind-bending feat where players play without looking at the board. Yes, you read that right—no physical board, no pieces. Just the vast chessboard of the mind. Blindfold chess sounds impossible to most people. Yet, for … Read more
Chess is full of dramatic checkmates, jaw-dropping tactics, and heart-stopping blunders. But sometimes, the drama fades into a quiet, unyielding standoff. Enter the 50-move rule—a rule that ensures no game of chess will drag on forever, even if the players are as stubborn as two toddlers arguing over the last cookie. What Is the 50-Move … Read more
Chess is full of peculiar quirks that make the game as beautiful as it is challenging. Among them, en passant is the most delightfully obscure. It’s the kind of rule that sparks heated debates in beginner games and smug smiles in expert ones. If you’ve ever found yourself asking, “Wait, that’s allowed?” after someone captures … Read more
Chess isn’t just about moving pieces. It’s about moving the right pieces for the right reasons. Strategy is where the game transforms from a simple pastime into a battle of wits. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be Magnus Carlsen to learn solid chess strategy. If you’re new to chess and want … Read more
Chess isn’t just a game of quick tactics and flashy combinations—it’s also about the quiet, methodical work of positional play. If tactics are the fireworks that light up the board, positional chess is the steady groundwork that ensures the fireworks happen in your favor. Understanding this balance is what separates the good players from the … Read more
When it comes to chess, there’s more to the game than just capturing queens and shouting “checkmate.” One fascinating number is your Performance Rating (Rp)—a nifty way of saying, “How well did you really play against these opponents?” Let’s explore the three main ways to calculate this magical number, in a fun and simple way! … Read more
The king in chess is a paradox. On the one hand, it’s the most important piece on the board—checkmate it, and the game ends. On the other hand, it’s often seen as a fragile monarch, tucked away in a castle of pawns, hiding from the chaos of battle. But here’s the twist: the king isn’t … Read more