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Stuff Every Chess Scout Should Know: the Study Guide

Practice facts for the Chess merit badge. Not an official Scouting America credential. Grab a snack: this guide is the friendly version, with the answers explained and a groan-worthy joke waiting at the end of most cards.

Knowing Chess Scout saves you money, time and the occasional embarrassment.

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Chapter 1: Emergencies and First Aid

What is checkmate?

Short answer: A king in check with no escape

Checkmate happens when the king is in check and no legal move can save it.

Groan of the day: Checkmate: the royal game over!

Sources: Chess

Which is one way to get out of check?

Short answer: Capture the checking piece

You can capture the checking piece, block it, or move the king to safety.

Groan of the day: Capture the checker and save the king!

Sources: Chess

What is an en passant capture?

Short answer: A pawn captured in passing

En passant lets a pawn capture an enemy pawn that just advanced two squares.

Groan of the day: En passant: a passing capture, not a passing fancy!

Sources: Chess

Where does the white queen start?

Short answer: On a light square

The white queen starts on a light square, remembered as queen on her color.

Groan of the day: Queen on her color keeps things bright!

Sources: Chess

What is stalemate?

Short answer: A draw with no legal move

Stalemate is when the player to move has no legal move but is not in check.

Groan of the day: Stalemate: stuck but not checkmated!

Sources: Chess

What is a draw by agreement?

Short answer: Both players agree to draw

Players may agree to a draw, often in a balanced position.

Groan of the day: A draw by agreement: a friendly handshake!

Sources: Chess

What is threefold repetition?

Short answer: Same position three times

If the same position occurs three times, a player can claim a draw.

Groan of the day: Same position three times? That is a repeat draw!

Sources: Chess

What is the fifty-move rule about?

Short answer: Fifty moves without a pawn move or capture

A player can claim a draw after 50 moves with no pawn move or capture.

Groan of the day: Fifty quiet moves and you can call it a draw!

Sources: Chess

What is the dead position rule?

Short answer: Neither side can checkmate

If neither player can possibly checkmate, the game is drawn.

Groan of the day: Dead position: nobody can win, so everybody draws!

Sources: Chess

What is a discovered attack?

Short answer: Moving a piece to reveal another piece's attack

Moving one piece can uncover an attack from a piece behind it.

Groan of the day: Surprise! The piece behind was ready!

Sources: Chess

What is zugzwang?

Short answer: Being forced to move and worsen your position

Zugzwang means any move you make hurts your position, common in endgames.

Groan of the day: Zugzwang: moving is the problem!

Sources: Chess

What is a Swiss system tournament?

Short answer: Players with similar scores are paired

In the Swiss system, players with similar scores are paired each round.

Groan of the day: Swiss system: similar scores meet!

Sources: Chess

What is a round robin tournament?

Short answer: Everyone plays everyone once

In a round robin, every player plays one game against every other player.

Groan of the day: Round robin: everybody meets everybody!

Sources: Chess

What does the word checkmate come from?

Short answer: Persian for the king is dead

The word checkmate comes from the Persian phrase shah mat, meaning the king is dead.

Groan of the day: This fact is a real mate!

Sources: Chess

The cheat sheet

The whole guide on one screen. Screenshot it, print it, stick it on the fridge.

  • A chessboard has 64 squares arranged in an 8 by 8 grid.
  • Each side begins with sixteen pieces, including eight pawns.
  • The knight jumps in an L shape and is the only piece that leaps over others.
  • The bishop travels diagonally any distance across the board.
  • The queen moves like a rook and a bishop combined, along ranks, files, and diagonals.
  • The king steps one square in any direction and must stay safe.
  • Pawns capture diagonally forward, though they move straight ahead.
  • A pawn may move one square, or two on its first move if both squares are empty.
  • A pawn reaching its last rank is promoted, usually to a queen.
  • The king is most valuable because checkmate ends the game.
  • When the king is under immediate attack, it is in check.
  • Checkmate happens when the king is in check and no legal move can save it.

Pop quiz

Think of your answer first, then peek.

  1. How many squares are on a chessboard?
    • 64
    • 32
    • 100
    Show the answer

    64. A chessboard has 64 squares arranged in an 8 by 8 grid.

  2. What is it called when the king is under attack?
    • Castling
    • Check
    • Stalemate
    Show the answer

    Check. When the king is under immediate attack, it is in check.

  3. What is stalemate?
    • A checkmate
    • A win for White
    • A draw with no legal move
    Show the answer

    A draw with no legal move. Stalemate is when the player to move has no legal move but is not in check.

  4. What are the three phases of a chess game?
    • Opening, middlegame, endgame
    • Start, middle, finish
    • Attack, defend, draw
    Show the answer

    Opening, middlegame, endgame. Chess theory divides games into opening, middlegame, and endgame phases.

  5. How are tournament points usually scored?
    • Three for a loss
    • One for a win, half for a draw
    • Two for a draw
    Show the answer

    One for a win, half for a draw. A win scores one point and a draw scores half a point.

Now make it stick

Read a chapter, then play the deck and see how much stuck.

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