chess
chess
Pronunciation
Syllable 1:
/tʃ/ - voiceless palato-alveolar affricate
/ɛ/ - open-mid front unrounded vowel
/s/ - voiceless alveolar fricative
Word Form Variations
Singular: chess
Plural: chess (Note: "chesses" is sometimes used, but "chess" is the more common and generally accepted plural for the game itself. When referring to individual pieces, "chess pieces" or specific piece names like "pawns," "rooks," etc., are used.)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
A strategic board game for two players, each controlling sixteen pieces of different powers, moved according to specific rules across a checkered board of sixty-four squares, with the objective of checkmating the opponent's king.
Synonyms: none (as it's a proper noun for a specific game)
Antonyms: none (as it's a proper noun for a specific game)
The set of pieces used to play the game of chess, typically comprising pawns, rooks, knights, bishops, a queen, and a king for each player.
Synonyms: chess set, chessmen (dated), chess pieces
Antonyms: none
Verb
(Transitive, informal) To outmaneuver or strategically defeat an opponent in a clever or calculated way, as if playing a game of chess.
Synonyms: outwit, outthink, strategize, outmaneuver, foil
Antonyms: concede, yield, surrender, be outmaneuvered, be outwitted
Examples of Use
Books:
"The protagonist, a reclusive grandmaster, found solace and meaning only on the sixty-four squares, lost in the intricate dance of a chess game." (From The Queen's Gambit by Walter Tevis, 1983)
"His mind was like a chess board, always several moves ahead of everyone else, anticipating every potential outcome."
Newspapers:
"Local chess club hosts annual tournament, drawing players from across the region." (The Daily Chronicle)
"The political negotiations resembled a high-stakes chess match, with each side carefully weighing their next move."
Online Publications:
"Why learning to play chess can improve critical thinking skills." (Psychology Today)
"Esports: The rise of online chess streaming and its impact on the traditional game." (TechCrunch)
Various Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television Series: "In the climactic scene of House of Cards, Frank Underwood often used chess analogies to describe his political machinations."
Film: "The film Searching for Bobby Fischer tells the true story of a young chess prodigy."
Video Games: "Many online platforms offer digital versions of chess, allowing players to compete globally."
Music: "The song's lyrics metaphorically describe life as a complex chess game, full of strategic decisions."
General Public Discourse:
"Our foreign policy needs to be more like a chess game, thinking long-term rather than just the immediate reaction." (Statement by a political commentator)
"You can't just make a rash decision; you have to play chess with your finances, considering all the future implications." (Common advice given in personal finance discussions)
"He's always five moves ahead of everyone else, it's like he's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers."
10 Quotes Using Chess
"Chess is the gymnasium of the mind." (Blaise Pascal)
"Life is like a game of chess. To win you have to make a move. Knowing which move to make comes with insight and knowledge, and by the end of the game you have these two things." (Alan Rufus)
"Chess is everything: art, science, and sport." (Anatoly Karpov)
"I am still of the opinion that chess is a game. If it were a science, it would be possible to prove something." (Mikhail Botvinnik)
"Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe." (Indian Proverb)
"When you see a good move, look for a better one. That is the essence of chess wisdom." (Emanuel Lasker)
"In chess, as in life, opportunity seldom knocks twice." (Bobby Fischer)
"Chess is a war over the board. The object is to crush the opponent's mind." (Bobby Fischer)
"Chess is a cold bath for the mind." (Sir John Simon)
"The game of chess is not merely an idle amusement; though it is often nothing more, yet, it is susceptible of being allied to all the higher grades of mental improvement." (Benjamin Franklin)
Etymology
The word "chess" has a fascinating journey through different languages!
It ultimately comes from an ancient Indian game called chaturanga, which existed in the 6th century CE. Chaturanga meant "four limbs" or "four parts," referring to the four divisions of an army (infantry, cavalry, elephants, and chariots) that the pieces represented.
When the game traveled to Persia, it became known as shatranj, and the king piece was called shah, which simply means "king." This "shah" sound is really important for where "chess" comes from.
From Persia, the game spread to the Arab world, and then into Europe. As it moved, the Persian word "shah" changed slightly. In Medieval Latin, it became scaccus. Then, in Old French, it evolved into eschiec (singular) and eschiecs (plural), meaning "check" and "chessmen" or "the game of chess," respectively.
The English word "chess" comes directly from this Old French plural form, eschiecs, which referred to the game itself or the chess pieces. So, the first known use of "chess" in English (around the 13th-14th century) carried the meaning of the strategic board game we know today, largely derived from the concept of "checking" or threatening the king. You can still see this connection in the word "checkmate," which comes from the Persian "shah mat," meaning "the king is helpless" or "the king is dead."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Chess
Chess match: Refers to a situation involving complex strategy and an opponent, like a political debate or business negotiation.
Play chess: To engage in the game of chess; metaphorically, to think strategically and several moves ahead.
Chess game of life: A metaphor for life as a series of strategic decisions and challenges.
A chess player's mind: Describes someone who is highly strategic, analytical, and capable of anticipating consequences.
To make a chess move: To take a calculated and strategic action.
The chess pieces are in place: Indicates that all the necessary elements or conditions for a plan are ready.
King's Gambit (or Queen's Gambit): While specific chess openings, they are sometimes used metaphorically to describe a bold, risky opening move in any strategic situation.
A game of chess, not checkers: Emphasizes a situation requiring deep strategic thinking rather than simple, straightforward actions.
Checkmate situation: A point where an opponent is trapped or defeated with no way out, similar to the end of a chess game.
To be in check: To be in a vulnerable or threatened position, requiring an immediate response.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of chess from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
