The “S” terms of chess you should know about
Chess is not just a game, it is a complete philosophy. Over the years of its development, it has reached such depths that even professional players find something new to learn every now and then. The competition has become so stiff that a player cannot imagine
succeeding by just learning the rules and practicing. It is imperative for the success of a chess player to come equipped with a thorough knowledge of different concepts in chess, various opening and mating strategies etcetera. But before these concepts and
strategies take root, a player should be aware of the different terminologies used in chess. In order to facilitate you in this regard, we will be explaining to you the important chess terms that begin with the alphabet “S”.
For a good chess player, it is important that he/she understands the significance of a Sacrifice. As in other contexts, a sacrifice is made by giving up something in return for some sort of advantage, usually long term. In chess, a player makes a sacrifice
by giving up a piece in order to gain an advantage of space or mobility, positional development or an attack. If the sacrifice is made in the opening of the game, it is termed as a Gambit. Another variation of the term sacrifice is the Sac. This word is reserved
for a sacrifice made by the player that allows her to open a mating attack on the opponent. Another sacrifice that a player can make is the Sham sacrifice. In essence, this is not a sacrifice because the player making it gains material of equal value, if not
greater and at times, is able to make a checkmate. The strategy to make exchanges of pieces that have the same value is known as Simplification. This is done by the players in order to lessen the crowd on the chess board. For a player that plays defensive
chess, this can be effective as the size of the enemy’s attacking force will be reduced.
One way to accomplish a checkmate is to perform a Smothered mate. This mate is characteristic of a knight. The opponent’s king is mated in such a way that his movement is restricted by its own pieces. Another Smothered mate is the Scholar’s mate. This involves
a series of four moves and is usually used by beginners. Talking about moves, there is something called the Sealed move in chess. This can only happen if a chess game is being adjourned. The next move to be made when the game continues is recorded and sealed
in an envelope, to be opened and played by the arbiter upon resumption. A Sealed move is important because in its absence, one player would have the advantage to ponder on what move to make during the time the game is adjourned.
A very important chess move that all players should know about is the Skewer. This is an attacking move in which the player targets a valuable piece of the opponent. The opponent, in turn is obliged to move it in order to save it. However, this movement
exposes another less valuable piece of the opponent to the line of attack, of the attacking piece. In this way, a capture of a less valuable piece is ensured. A move which has been played by careful analysis and involves the least amount of risk is described
as Solid. To be a good chess player, making solid moves is an essential skill to possess.
With that, we come to the end of our article. Having a good understanding of all these terms would act as a first step in your journey of professional development.
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