The Palace Journal
Welcome to the Le Palais des Échecs journal. Just starting out? Our articles on learning chess explain the rules, openings and principles that help you improve. Every morning, a new challenge awaits: a mate in 2 or a mate in 3 taken from a real game. For chess enthusiasts, discover portraits of great chess players, the history of the game in our chess culture section, and our buying guides to help you choose a chess set that will last for generations.
Fork, pin, skewer, discovered attack: these four tactical patterns are enough to win material in most amateur games. Definitions, annotated examples and tips for effective practice.
A haunted automaton, a medieval fresco, a champion who died in Estoril, novels by Nabokov and Zweig: five dark, verified chess stories for a memorable Halloween evening.
Stalemate in chess turns a dominant position into a simple draw. Discover its official definition, its difference from checkmate, and the habits to adopt to avoid or provoke it depending on your situation on the board.
Black Friday on 27 November, Cyber Monday on the 30th: here’s how to make the most of these two dates to choose a wooden chess set, chess board or backgammon set that will last, whatever your budget.
Skeletons, the undead, skulls, Templars or Isle of Lewis warriors: our selection of chess sets for Halloween, plus ideas for a chess evening that gives you chills.
En passant is the only move that allows a pawn to capture an enemy pawn without occupying an adjacent diagonal square. Conditions, a step-by-step example and pitfalls to avoid: the complete guide to this special chess rule.
In 1996 and again in 1997, Garry Kasparov faced IBM’s supercomputer Deep Blue. Revisit these two historic matches, the move that unsettled the champion, and the legacy of this duel for chess and artificial intelligence.
A full portrait of Alexandra and Andrea Botez, the streaming sisters who made chess go viral on Twitch and YouTube: age, FIDE titles, Elo rating and key moments in their careers.
The Elo rating is the international system that measures a chess player’s strength: the higher the number, the stronger the player. Invented in 1960 by physicist Arpad Elo, it ranges from 800 for a beginner to over 2800 for the world elite. This guide explains how the Elo rating is calculated, what level you’re at, […]
Born in Iran and naturalised French in 2021, Alireza Firouzja reached 2804 Elo points as early as 2022, a record for early achievement. A full portrait of the French-Iranian prodigy, from his beginnings in Babol to his place in the world’s top tier alongside Carlsen, Nakamura and the new guard.
