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1500 questions
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10 answers

Is there any software or web service for club-level Elo ratings?

Is there any software (or web-based service) that allows you to keep track of local, club-level Elo ratings? These ratings would not have any connection with official Elo ratings, it would be just an Elo rating within the universe of players in a…
Pep
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What does ELO stand for?

What does the acronym ELO stand for in the context of chess, as in the ELO rating system?
ETD
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Bird's Opening and the Dutch Defense

A naturally positional class-C player (c. Elo 1500), I have learned in recent years to push my f-pawn two squares early in the opening, to force myself to play tactical chess. The King's Gambit (which I had never tried until three years ago)…
thb
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To what extent should you prevent your opponent from castling?

I normally try to prevent my opponent from castling if possible, by forcing their king to move or keeping an attacking piece on a diagonal or file. I tend to make this a priority, giving up the opportunity to capture a pawn or pursue a different…
Sonny Ordell
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CPU v. GPU for chess engines

GPUs are better at certain types of calculations, e.g. generating bitcoins and performing climate simulations. Would chess engines benefit if they calculated with GPUs instead of CPUs? Maybe some knowledgeable person can highlight the differences…
Jessica Ortiz
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9 answers

What is positional play in chess?

I have played chess so many times, understood tactics (pins, discovered check, overloading, deflection, skewer), but I never understood clearly the positional play. I have noticed not many tutorials available that explains positional play. What…
pbu
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5 answers

Is Chaturanga/Shatranj an early form of chess or is this altogether different?

I had heard from someone that Chess evolved from Chaturanga then Shatranj. Are there any pointers towards this? I would like to know counter arguments as well, if any.
Binoj Antony
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How can I make a chess exhibition exciting for 'laypeople'?

I've been asked recently to try to put on a few chess exhibitions for some local kids and their parents in a mostly urban setting, and one thing that I'm keenly aware of is the basic 'uncoolness' that surrounds the game for some people. I'm trying…
tmesser
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Is the number of possible chess games infinite?

This question is somewhat related to Can the total number of possible wins/draws/losses be calculated?, but slightly different. There is a recent TV show episode that claims that there are "more possible games of chess than atoms in the universe".…
landroni
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Top sources for opening theory

Can anyone recommend any good sources such as periodicals, websites, or what not to stay up to date on the latest opening theory? I am willing to pay if the source requires such. How do the top Grandmasters stay up to date on the latest theory?
sco-ish
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Who has the advantage at this point in the game?

I was playing the following game and at this point I thought black had the advantage but upon thinking about it for a little while was not sure. At this point in the game who has the advantage and by "how much"? …and I don't mean just counting piece…
bpw1621
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What is the correct definition of a bad bishop?

Is a bad bishop a bishop that is trapped by your own pawns? (For example, all your pawns are on dark squares, so the dark squared bishop is bad.) Or is it when your opponent's pawns trap your bishop's mobility? (For example, they control the dark…
xaisoft
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Why are rooks better than knights?

Generally, rooks are considered to be much better than knights. Why is that? Is it a myth or are they really better? Are there situations where a knights may be better that a rook? I usually think that rooks enter the game a bit later and this…
MozenRath
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What are black's possible plans in the exchange variation of the Queen's Gambit?

I've reached this position, or something similar, a zillion times as both black and white (main line exchange queen's gambit): [fen ""] 1.d4 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Bg5 c6 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 O-O 8.Nf3 Nbd7 9. O-O As white, I typically…
Rebecca J. Stones
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What material handicap would be required to compensate for a single double-move?

Consider the following chess variant: Black can, once per game, make two moves in a row (the second move may not capture the King) To compensate for this advantage, Black gets a material handicap Otherwise, the standard rules of chess apply The…
user2659
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