Use this free tool to estimate your USCF rating after a chess tournament and see if you earned a norm or official title!

As per Wikipedia, a changelog is “a log or record of all notable changes made to a project.” This post is to document the evolution of Chess Intellect from the very beginning. The list goes in reverse chronological order (i.e. the most recent changes are at the top). Some of the early dates are just […]

Chess Intellect’s mission is to provide the best resources and tools to help all chess players become chess masters. To this end, we make a significant portion of the provided services, tools, and resources free. However, it costs a substantial amount of money to operate a business and keep publishing top-quality content. We offset these […]

With all the hype chess is now getting, you might wonder if you should buy a premium Chess.com membership. I have had a Chess.com Diamond membership for 10 years and absolutely love it! My goal in this article is to give you a better understanding of the different plans and if you really need a […]

So you want to be a chess master – but how will you get there? Simple – just practice your tactics, endgames, strategy, and openings! Reading the 7 best chess books below will help you improve dramatically. I also included links to free resources just in case you’re on a tight budget. Affiliate Disclosure: Some […]

KEY TAKEAWAYS Decoy sacrifices are so effective they result in almost insta-wins. There are two steps to the decoy sacrifice: 1] Lure piece onto square 2] Spring a tactic to win it, other material, or checkmate. Decoys are close relatives to deflections. The difference:  Decoy: Lure a piece onto a key square Deflection: Lure a […]

KEY TAKEAWAYS Deflection: Lure a piece away from a key square or defensive task. Strike while it’s on vacation. Overloading: when one piece has too many defensive tasks, it can’t complete all of them. Deflections are similar to decoy sacrifices. The difference:  Decoy: Lure a piece onto a key square Deflection: Lure a piece away […]

KEY TAKEAWAYS Intermezzo, or zwischenzug,  means an “in-between” move. Usually an in-between check – after the opponent is forced to get out of check, you resume your original plan. Effectively using the intermezzo is the highest signs of chess mastery. “For me art and chess are closely related, both are forms in which the self […]

The desperado sacrifice is a neat escape hatch that can save seemingly hopeless positions. As the old adage goes, “If you’re doomed anyways, do as much damage as you can.”

KEY TAKEAWAYS A discovered attack except both pieces check the King! Enemy King can only escape check by moving out of the way  Can’t block two checks simultaneously Can’t take two checking pieces at once If the King can’t move, then it’s checkmate! Sadly triple checks are impossible 🙁 Double Check Double checks are an […]

KEY TAKEAWAYS Also called the “see saw” – a repetitive discovered attack on the King that can win lots of material for free. Most common example: Have a Rook on g2/g7 and a Bishop on the long diagonal Move your Rook (and take a piece) to unleash a discovered attack on the King. Then move […]

Discovered attacks and checks are powerful tactics that are unexpected and can win loads of material instantly! Read more here.