CHESS CLUB

DON BOSCO COLLEGE TURA (DBCT) CHESS CLUB

ABOUT:

DBCT Chess Club is a platform to bring together students & teachers to share their knowledge and skills in the game of chess. Chess provides a plethora of benefits which can aid in the development of cognitive and life skills in all age groups.

Chess can be an important tool for character building among the young and impressionable students in an educational institution as this game teaches one: (i) to win with grace and accept lose with dignity, (ii) to realize the consequence of one’s actions, (iii) to stay focused on a given task, (iv) to develop creativity and problem solving skills, (v) to remain calm under pressure, to name a few and thus build up one’s confidence. It has been reported from different studies mirroring classroom and competitive examination environment that chess improves one’s IQ.

The DBCT Chess Club is envisaged to be an ‘After-Classes Program’ as part of college extra-curricular activity.

OBJECTIVES:

To promote the game of chess.

To provide a platform for students & teachers to share their knowledge and skills in the game of chess.

ACTIVITIES:

Membership drive.

Orientation about the game of chess and its move/ notations.

To conduct practice chess matches regularly among members after the regular classes.

To generate intra-club ranking among the playing members.

To aid the Organizer/ Convener (for chess) during the College Week.

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership is open to students and faculty members of DBCT who are enthusiastic about the game of chess.

Member fee of Rs 60 per semester (subject to approval by the College Principal)

RULES:

A member should have basic understanding of the game. [Please refer to ‘HOW TO PLAY’]

A member is encouraged to attend to his/her assigned match/matches regularly.

A player should not try to use unfair means during any of the matches held by the club.

Players are to maintain proper decorum inside the venue where chess matches are conducted.

Disputes, if any, will be settled amicably in consultation with the designated arbiter.

HOW TO PLAY:

Legal moves for pieces

King:

The king may move in any direction-to either color. However, unlike the queen, the king moves only one square at a time.

• The King may not move to a square:

• That is occupied by one of his own pieces.

• Where it is checked by an enemy piece

• Adjacent to the enemy King.

Queen:

The queen may move any number of square straight or diagonally in any direction. It cannot jump over another piece.

Rook:

The rook may move in a straight line, any number of squares horizontally or vertically (but not both on the same move).

Bishop:

The bishop can only move diagonally and in one direction at a move. Each bishop is on a different color and commands that color only.

Knight:

The knight is the only chessman that can move over its own or opponent's pieces. The Knight moves two spaces in a row and one over.

Pawns:

The pawn on its first move may move either one or two square straight forward. After its first move the Pawn may only advance one square at a time. The Pawn captures by moving diagonally one square forward in each direction. The Pawn cannot move or capture backwards!

Special moves

Pawn promotion:

If a White Pawn reaches the 8th (or 1st with Black) rank of the board, it must be exchanged. It can be promoted to a Queen, Rook, Bishop or Knight of its own colour. But never to a King!

En passant:

The possibility of en passant Pawn capture arises when the opponent’s Pawn has just moved from its starting position two squares ahead and our Pawn is next to it. This kind of capture is only possible at this time and cannot be done later.

Castle:

Castling involves King and Rook pieces. It can be executed in both short and long Rook directions (either at File 1 for White, or File 8 for Black). The King moves two squares in the direction of the Rook, the Rook jumps over the King and lands on the square next to it.

You cannot castle:

o If the King is in check.

o If there is a piece between the Rook and the King.

o If the King is in check after castling.

o If the square through which the King passes is under attack.

o If the King or the Rook has already been moved in the game.

4. Check:

A King is in check, when it is attacked by the opponent’s piece.

A King must get out of the check immediately:

• By moving the King.

• By capturing the piece that gave the check

• By blocking the check with one of the pieces of his team. This is impossible if the check was given by the Knight.

5. Mate (checkmate):

If the King cannot escape from the check, the position is checkmate and the game is over.

6. Draw:

There are three ways for draw:

I. Stalemate:

When a player whose turn to move comes and there is no legal moves by any of his/her pieces, but is not in check.

II. Perpetual or three time repetition:

When a same position is repeated three times in the game.

III. Draw by settlement:

When both the players agree to a draw (a player can only propose draw in his/her on time before making the move).

Naming Ranks and Files in Chess a

The chessboard is divided into ranks (numbers) and files (letters). This is used as an identifier when the players move their chess pieces. There are eight of each, and each is comprised of eight squares of equal size:

· Ranks are rows that go from side to side across the chessboard and are referred to by numbers. Each chessboard has eight ranks, which are numbered from the bottom of the board (where the white pieces start) on up.

· Files are columns that go up and down the chessboard, and each board has eight of them. Because numbers indicate ranks, letters indicate files, which are labeled from left to right.

· The naming conventions for ranks and files allows you to give an identifier to every square by using what chess people call the file-first method. For example, the lower right-hand square is called h1. This name is shorthand for h-file, first rank (see diagram below).

Chess Notation

1. The chess pieces are denoted with CAPITAL LETTERS: K, Q, R, B, N (for King, Queen, Rook, Bishop & Knight respectively. Pawn has no letter notation; it is simply denoted by the File).

The sign of capture: x Example: Rxf5 means: the Rook captures an enemy piece on the f file and on the 5th rank. This order only changes in case of Pawn moves. We don't write the name of the Pawn, only where it moves to. In case if there is a promotion, first write on which square the promotion is, and the choice of the promoted piece is marked only at the end. For example: d8Q means: On the d file, the Pawn reached the 8th rank and was promoted to Queen.

• Castle king side: 0-0

• Castle queen side: 0-0-0

• Check: +

• Checkmate: #

• Good move: !

• Bad move: ?

• White wins 1-0

• Black wins: 0-1

• Draw: 1/2-1/2

Notation of a short chess game: 1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 f6 3.Nxe5 fxe5 4.Qh5+ Ke7 5.Qxe5+ Kf7 6.Bc4+ Kg6 7.Qf5+ Kh6 8.d4+ Qg5 9.Qxg5# 1-0

REFERENCES: [to be omitted when finalized]

James Eade (2016), Chess for Dummies, 4^th Ed, John Wiley & Sons Inc., https://www.dummies.com/book/home-auto-hobbies/games/board-games/chess/chess-for-dummies-4th-edition-282072