Rules chess terms

Every rules term, defined and illustrated.

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Algebraic notation
Algebraic notation is the universal writing system used in chess to record moves by identifying each square with a letter (file) and a number (rank).
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Blitz
Blitz chess is a fast paced format in which each player is given a very short amount of time for the entire game — typically between 3 and 5 minutes per player, with or without an increment (extra seconds added after each move).
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Bullet
Bullet chess is a time control format in which each player has a very short total time — typically one minute (1+0) or slightly more with a small increment (such as 1+1 or 2+1) — to make all their moves throughout the game.
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Check
In chess, check is a situation in which a player’s king is directly attacked by one or more of the opponent’s pieces.
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Checkmate
Checkmate is the decisive final position in a chess game, in which a player’s king is in check (attacked by one or more opposing pieces) and has no legal way to escape: it cannot move to a safe square, block the attack with another piece, or capture the attacking piece.
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Chess clock
A chess clock is a timing device that assigns a separate, limited amount of thinking time to each player, counting down each one’s time alternately to ensure games are completed within a defined time frame.
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Classical
Classical time control in chess refers to a format where each player has a long thinking time — typically 90 minutes or more for the entire game, often supplemented by an increment added after each move.
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Draw
A draw in chess is a result in which neither player wins: the game ends in a tie, and both players score 0.5 points in tournament play.
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Draw by agreement
A draw by agreement is a way to end a chess game in which both players mutually decide to share the point, with neither side claiming victory.
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Draw by repetition
A draw by repetition is a chess rule that allows a player to claim a draw when the same position — including the same side to move, the same castling rights, and the same en passant possibilities — occurs three times during the game.
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ELO rating
The ELO rating is a mathematical system that assigns each chess player a number reflecting their playing strength, making it possible to compare players and find balanced opponents.
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En passant
En passant is a special chess rule that allows a pawn to capture an adjacent enemy pawn that has just advanced two squares from its starting position, as if it had only moved one square.
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FIDE
FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs — the International Chess Federation) is the world governing body for competitive chess, responsible for setting the official rules of the game and managing international ratings, including the widely used ELO rating system.
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Increment
In chess, an increment is an amount of time automatically added to a player’s clock after each move, preventing games from ending purely on time pressure.
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Promotion rule
The promotion rule in chess states that any pawn reaching the opponent’s back rank — the 8th rank for White, the 1st rank for Black — must immediately be converted into another piece: a queen, rook, bishop, or knight.
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Rapid
Rapid chess is a time control format in which each player has between 10 and under 60 minutes for all their moves in a game.
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Resignation
Resignation is the act by which a player concedes defeat during a game, without waiting for checkmate to occur.
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Stalemate
Stalemate in chess is the situation where the player whose turn it is to move has no legal move available, yet their king is not in check.
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Time control
Time control in chess refers to the amount of time each player is given to make their moves during a game, as tracked by a chess clock.
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Touch-move rule
The touch move rule in chess states that a player who intentionally touches one of their own pieces must move it, and if they touch an opponent’s piece, they must capture it — provided the capture is legal.