Chess Terms Explained for Parents: A Plain-English Glossary
Last updated: October 2026
This glossary explains the chess words parents hear most often, in one or two plain sentences each. It covers the rules, tournament language, ratings, lesson vocabulary and the terms we use at Trainstein. Rule definitions follow the standard FIDE Laws of Chess.
The pieces and moves
These are the rule words children learn first.
Check: A king is in check when an enemy piece attacks it. The player in check must get out of check on their very next move.
Checkmate: A king is in check and has no legal way to escape. The game ends immediately and the player who gave checkmate wins.
Stalemate: The player whose turn it is has no legal move, but their king is not in check. The game is a draw, not a win.
Castling: A special move in which the king moves two squares towards a rook, and that rook jumps to the square the king crossed. It is only allowed if neither piece has moved, the squares between them are empty, and the king is not in check and does not cross or land on an attacked square.
En passant: When a pawn moves two squares from its starting square and lands beside an enemy pawn, that enemy pawn may capture it as if it had moved only one square. This capture must be made on the very next move or the chance is lost.
Promotion: When a pawn reaches the far side of the board, it must be exchanged for a queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour.
Draw by repetition: If the same position appears three times with the same player to move, a player can claim a draw.
Fifty-move rule: If each player has made 50 moves in a row with no capture and no pawn move, a player can claim a draw.
Tournament words
These words describe how an event is organised and the manners expected at the board. For our own Sunday events in Chatswood, see our tournaments page.
Round: One set of games in a tournament, in which each player plays one opponent.
Pairing: The list showing who plays whom, which colour they have and which board they sit at in each round.
Swiss system: A common tournament format in which players with similar scores are paired against each other each round, and nobody plays the same opponent twice.
Section: A separate group within a tournament, usually set by age or rating. Players only play others in their own section.
Arbiter: The official who applies the rules. If something goes wrong, a player should stop and ask the arbiter.
Time control: The amount of time each player has on the clock for the whole game. Some time controls add a few seconds after every move, which is called an increment.
Chess clock: A clock with two timers, one for each player. After moving, a player presses the clock with the same hand to start the opponent's time.
Touch-move: If a player deliberately touches one of their own pieces, they must move it, and if they touch an opponent's piece, they must capture it, as long as that is legal. To straighten a piece without moving it, the player says "adjust" first.
Notation: The standard way of writing down moves, in which each square is named by a letter (a to h) and a number (1 to 8), for example e4.
Score sheet: The form on which players write down their moves in notation during a game.
Draw offer: A player may offer a draw after making their move and before pressing the clock. The opponent can accept or decline it.
Bye: A round in which a player has no opponent, for example when there is an odd number of players. The tournament rules say how many points a bye is worth.
Ratings
A rating is a number that estimates a player's strength from their results in rated games.
Rating: A running estimate of playing strength that goes up after good results and down after poor ones.
NSWJCL rating: The rating of the NSW Junior Chess League, based on NSW junior tournaments and some Australian junior tournaments. Ratings are published at chessratings.com.au.
ACF rating: Australia's national rating, maintained by the Australian Chess Federation. It has two systems, Classic and Quick.
FIDE rating: The international rating, run by FIDE, the International Chess Federation. It has three categories: Standard, Rapid and Blitz.
Online rating: A Chess.com or ChessKid rating, based on online games. It is a separate system and does not match an over-the-board rating.
For how junior ratings work at our tournaments, see our NSWJCL ratings page.
Learning words
These are the words coaches use in lessons and when reviewing games.
Tactic: A short sequence of moves that wins material or gives checkmate.
Fork: One piece attacks two or more enemy pieces at the same time, so the opponent can usually save only one.
Pin: A piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it. If the piece behind is the king, moving the pinned piece is illegal.
Skewer: A valuable piece is attacked and, when it moves away, a less valuable piece behind it can be captured.
Opening: The first stage of the game, when players bring out their pieces and try to control the centre.
Endgame: The final stage of the game, when few pieces are left.
Blunder: A serious mistake, such as leaving a piece to be captured for free or missing a checkmate.
At Trainstein
These are the words parents see in our timetables and fee lists.
Term: A block of 10 lessons that follows the NSW school calendar, with four terms a year.
Level names: There are six levels; classes often combine two neighbouring levels, so class groups are named in pairs. The class groups are:
New to Chess/Beginner
Beginner/Pre-Intermediate
Pre-Intermediate/Intermediate
Intermediate/Advanced
Advanced/JCL Training
See our chess levels guide for details.
New to Chess: Our first class, designed for ages 4.5 to 6.5, using cartoons, animation and games. The goal is interest, not winning.
JCL Training: Our sixth and highest level, often combined with Advanced in the Advanced/JCL Training class group. JCL refers to the NSW Junior Chess League; as an approximate guide, our coaches place Advanced players at about Chess.com 800+ or NSWJCL 400+.
Trial class: A single class to try before enrolling. It costs the same as a single lesson: $50 for a weekend class or $60 for a weekday class in person, and $38–$56 online depending on level. See our chess classes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between checkmate and stalemate? In checkmate the king is in check and cannot escape, so the game is won. In stalemate the player to move has no legal move but is not in check, so the game is a draw.
What does touch-move mean? If a player deliberately touches one of their own pieces, they must move it. To straighten a piece without moving it, they say "adjust" first.
What is a bye in a chess tournament? A bye is a round in which a player has no opponent. The tournament rules say how many points it is worth.
What is an NSWJCL rating? It is the NSW Junior Chess League rating, based on NSW junior tournaments and some Australian junior tournaments. Ratings are published at chessratings.com.au.
What does JCL Training mean at Trainstein? It is our sixth and highest level, often combined with Advanced in the Advanced/JCL Training class group. JCL refers to the NSW Junior Chess League.
Next step
If a chess word has left you puzzled, call 0415 228 088, email trainsteinchess@gmail.com or visit our contact page. We are at Level 1, 308 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood NSW 2067.
Comments