Around 1100 AD chess was well known in royal and noble houses from Spain, France, and Italy. With an enormous variety of artistic and elaborated chess sets, it had to be simplified and unified in order to spread to all social classes. The turning point was in 1849, when “Staunton Chess Set” appears. More 🡢
UPDATED on Jan. 22 with details! We’ve had several requests from our top players to decrease the gaps between scores. Right now, our top players simply can’t find enough similarly-ranked opponents to play against. To refresh your memory, SparkChess uses an Elo-based system for score, but we tweaked its parameters a bit to reward players […] More 🡢
One of the more surprising aspects of chess is that it can actually improve creativity and original thinking. Creativity sounds like a non-measurable attribute, but studies have shown that children who play chess offer more creative and original solutions to problems than those who do not play chess. More 🡢
This is one of the most important chess concepts you’ll ever learn to improve your middle game. Combine it with an active opening repertoire, and you will soon become feared by your opponents. More 🡢
White takes time to exploit a dark square weakness early in the game. Black responds by sacrificing the exchange for quick development and dynamic play. He initially plays well, but fails to target the right weakness at a key moment. This allows White to consolidate, simplify the position, and the exchange suddenly becomes decisive. More 🡢
In Pawn Structure Chess, the tension between two pawns is called a “lever.” Very few things dictate the nature of a contest more than how the player handles this tension. More 🡢
Do a general survey of the key ideas before you start analyzing a specific variation in great depth. On many occasions, I have spent a great deal of time and energy, looking six or seven moves deep in a certain variation, only to find I missed something simple and better way back at the beginning. More 🡢
With the new board design we introduced for SparkChess 10, some people were left wondering if the change was really necessary . After all, the old design has served the community for eight years and people grew attached to it. Far from us to pursue change for its own sake. In this post I’ll try to explain the reasons for the redesign. More 🡢
Learning the rules of chess can be accomplished in one day. There are six different chessmen. Master how each moves and captures, and use them to checkmate your opponents, to succeed in your chess games.
The best way to learn is by playing! Right here on SparkChess you can play against different computer personas (start with Cody if you never played before). The game will highlight all valid moves for a piece, so it's easy to understand and learn the rules. Then you can move to learning strategies and openings with SparkChess Premium, which features an Opening Explorer with over 100 opening variations, 30 interactive lessons and even an AI coach.
While learning chess online is efficient, since software corrects illegal moves, playing chess with others in person can be satisfying. You and a friend or family member could tackle chess together, perhaps reading the rules in a book. Playing on a three-dimensional chess set can be a fun break from our online lives. When in-person chess is not available, SparkChess has online multiplayer for playing with friends (and making new ones).
While learning chess rules takes one day, becoming good at chess takes longer. One proverb states, “Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may bathe.” With intense efforts, chess greatness can be achieved.
The game between Dawid Przepiorka, representing Poland and Erich Eliskases, an Austrian born chess player took place in Hamburg, Germany, 1930. Play, solve and comment