Chess is a two-player strategic board game played on an 8×8 grid called a chessboard. Each player begins with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The objective of the game is to checkmate the opponent’s king, which means placing it under threat of capture in a way that it cannot escape.
Chess combines elements of strategy, tactics, and psychology, requiring players to think several moves ahead and anticipate their opponent’s responses. Each type of piece moves in a distinct pattern—pawns move forward while capturing diagonally, rooks move vertically or horizontally, bishops move diagonally, knights jump in an L shape, the queen moves in any direction, and the king moves one square in any direction.
The game has a rich history dating back over a thousand years and has evolved significantly in its rules and style. It is known for its complexity, depth, and the vast range of possible game states, contributing to its standing as a popular and respected pastime, competitive sport, and subject of study in artificial intelligence and psychology. Chess has a well-defined etiquette and is often played in tournaments, with official ratings and titles awarded by organizations such as FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation).
The KING5 2025 tournament has attracted over 32,000 players forming 6,500 teams, spiking participation by 27% from last year. New game mechanics, like automatic team merging, have enhanced strategic alliances,…