The Palace Journal
Born in India nearly fifteen centuries ago, chess has never ceased to fascinate. This section brings together our in-depth articles on the “noble game”: its history, from its Indian origins to the digital age, essential concepts such as checkmate or the Elo rating, and the champions who have shaped it, from Bobby Fischer to Magnus Carlsen. To explore further, discover our Learning chess and Great players sections, or browse our wooden chess sets.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Chessboxing is one of the most unusual sports in the world: competitors alternate between boxing rounds and rapid chess games, testing both their physical strength and their strategic intelligence. Born from a comic book and now a genuine international sport, chessboxing fascinates and intrigues. Here’s everything you need to know. What is chessboxing? Chessboxing (or […]
Scholar’s Mate delivers checkmate in just 4 moves, exploiting the f7 square, the only square in Black’s camp defended solely by the king at the start of the game. The white queen and bishop combine to strike the fatal blow if Black fails to react in time. A single defensive move is enough to neutralise […]
Checkmate is the situation where the king is attacked with no way to flee, be defended or capture the attacking piece: the game stops immediately and the player delivering the mate wins. The expression comes from the Persian shah mat, “the king is helpless”, passed on through Arabic into European languages. These words denote a […]
Bobby Fischer is the most fascinating and tragic chess player in history. World champion at 29 after defeating Boris Spassky in the “Match of the Century” at the height of the Cold War, a genius with an estimated IQ of 180, inventor of Chess960 — then a fugitive, a recluse and an exile. Here is […]
