Glossary

The standard method for recording chess moves. Each square is identified by a letter (a-h) and number (1-8). For example, "e4" means a piece moved to the e4 square.

ChessStake's security system that analyzes move patterns, timing, and accuracy to detect players using chess engines. Cheaters are banned and forfeit their stakes.

Permission granted to a smart contract to spend a specific amount of your tokens. Required before staking USDC in ChessStake games.

A designated smart contract role that can resolve disputed games. The arbiter can override game results in cases of cheating or technical issues, ensuring fair outcomes.

When a piece threatens to capture an opponent's piece on the next move. A piece is "under attack" when it can be captured.

A unique identifier (starting with 0x) that represents your wallet on the blockchain. Used to send and receive tokens like USDC.

A chess piece that moves diagonally any number of squares. Each player starts with two bishops, one on light squares and one on dark squares.

A fast time control format where each player has 3-10 minutes for the entire game. ChessStake offers 3+0, 3+2, and 5+3 blitz formats.

A decentralized, immutable digital ledger that records transactions. ChessStake uses the Polygon blockchain for fast, low-cost transactions.

A very bad move that significantly worsens your position, often losing material or the game. Marked with "??" in notation.

A protocol that allows transferring tokens between different blockchains. For example, the Polygon Bridge lets you move USDC from Ethereum to Polygon.

An exceptionally creative or beautiful move, often involving a sacrifice. Marked with "!!" in notation.

The fastest time control format with 1-2 minutes per player. ChessStake offers 1+0 and 1+1 bullet formats. Requires quick thinking and premove skills.

A special move where the king and rook move simultaneously. Kingside castling (O-O) or queenside (O-O-O). Used to protect the king and activate the rook.

When the king is under attack by an opponent's piece. The player must get out of check on their next move by moving the king, blocking, or capturing the attacking piece.

The winning condition in chess where the opponent's king is under attack and cannot escape. Results in immediate victory and payout of 80% of the pot.

A direct game invitation to a specific player. You can challenge friends or players from the leaderboard with custom stakes and time controls.

Verification that a transaction has been included in a block. More confirmations = more security. Polygon transactions confirm in ~2 seconds.

The process of linking your crypto wallet (like MetaMask) to ChessStake. This allows the platform to read your address and request transaction signatures.

Custodial platforms hold your funds; non-custodial platforms like ChessStake never touch your money. Funds go directly between player wallets via smart contracts.

A unit of measurement for position evaluation. 100 centipawns = 1 pawn advantage. Used by engines like Stockfish to show who is winning.

An application that runs on a blockchain rather than centralized servers. ChessStake is a DApp that uses smart contracts for trustless game settlements.

A system not controlled by a single entity. Blockchain networks are decentralized, with transactions validated by many independent nodes.

Protecting pieces from capture or preventing threats. Also refers to opening systems played by Black, like the Sicilian Defense or French Defense.

How many moves ahead a chess engine calculates. Higher depth = stronger play but slower. ChessStake's Stockfish uses depth 1-18 for different skill levels.

A game that ends without a winner. Can occur by agreement, stalemate, threefold repetition, or 50-move rule. In ChessStake, each player receives 80% of their stake back.

A numerical rating system that measures player skill. Higher ratings indicate stronger players. ChessStake uses ELO for matchmaking and leaderboard rankings.

The final phase of a chess game when few pieces remain. King activity becomes crucial, and pawn promotion is often the key to winning.

A computer program that calculates the best chess moves. Using engines during games is considered cheating. ChessStake uses Stockfish for AI opponents only.

A special pawn capture. If a pawn moves two squares from its starting position and lands beside an opponent's pawn, that pawn can capture it as if it had only moved one square.

A mechanism where funds are held by a third party (smart contract) until conditions are met. ChessStake's smart contract acts as trustless escrow for game stakes.

A standard for fungible tokens on Ethereum-compatible blockchains. USDC is an ERC-20 token, meaning it follows this standard interface.

A standard notation for describing chess positions. Used to record and share specific board states. ChessStake uses FEN for game analysis and replays.

The International Chess Federation (Fédération Internationale des Échecs). The governing body for international chess competition, titles, and official ratings.

A draw can be claimed if 50 moves pass without a pawn move or capture. Prevents endlessly prolonged games.

When a player's clock runs out of time, they "flag" and lose the game. In ChessStake, flagging triggers automatic payout to the opponent.

A tactic where one piece attacks two or more enemy pieces simultaneously. Knight forks are particularly powerful since knights can jump over pieces.

An opening strategy that sacrifices material (usually a pawn) for compensation like faster development, better position, or attacking chances.

The cost to execute transactions on a blockchain. Polygon has very low gas fees (typically under $0.01), making it ideal for ChessStake transactions.

The highest title in chess, awarded by FIDE. Grandmasters typically have ratings above 2500. ChessStake's Stockfish AI can play at GM level.

A unique identifier assigned to each game on ChessStake. Used to track, reference, and verify games on the blockchain.

A unique fixed-length string generated from data. Transaction hashes identify blockchain transactions. Game state hashes verify game integrity.

An undefended piece that can be captured for free. Leaving pieces hanging is a common beginner mistake.

Cannot be changed or altered. Blockchain records are immutable - once a transaction is confirmed, it cannot be reversed or modified.

Extra time added to a player's clock after each move. For example, "3+2" means 3 minutes initial time plus 2 seconds added per move.

The second-highest chess title awarded by FIDE, below Grandmaster. IMs typically have ratings above 2400.

The most important piece in chess. If your king is checkmated, you lose. The king moves one square in any direction.

A chess piece that moves in an "L" shape: two squares in one direction and one square perpendicular. The only piece that can jump over others.

A value that determines how much ELO rating changes after each game. Higher K-factors mean bigger rating swings. New players often have higher K-factors.

A secondary protocol built on top of a main blockchain (Layer 1) to improve speed and reduce costs. Polygon is a Layer 2 solution for Ethereum.

A ranking of players by ELO rating, win rate, or total earnings. Shows top performers and allows you to challenge ranked players.

The matchmaking area where you can see available games, create new matches, or join existing ones with your preferred stake and time control.

The native token of Polygon network, used to pay gas fees. You need a small amount of MATIC/POL in your wallet to approve and stake USDC.

The system that pairs players for games based on stake amount, time control, and optionally ELO rating for balanced matches.

A popular browser wallet for interacting with blockchain applications. ChessStake supports MetaMask for connecting and managing USDC stakes.

The phase between the opening and endgame. Characterized by tactical battles, attacks on the king, and strategic maneuvering.

Games played against other human players (vs AI). In ChessStake, multiplayer games can have USDC stakes managed by smart contracts.

The specific blockchain you're connected to. ChessStake operates on Polygon network. Make sure your wallet is set to the correct network.

Efficiently Updatable Neural Network - a technology that dramatically improved Stockfish's playing strength. ChessStake uses Stockfish 17 with NNUE.

A system where users maintain full control of their funds. ChessStake is non-custodial - the platform never holds your USDC; funds flow directly via smart contracts.

The initial phase of a chess game, typically the first 10-15 moves. Common openings have names like "Sicilian Defense" or "Queen's Gambit". ChessStake tracks your opening statistics.

Data or transactions recorded directly on the blockchain. ChessStake game results and payouts are on-chain, ensuring transparency and immutability.

The most numerous piece (8 per side). Moves forward one square (or two from starting position) and captures diagonally. Can promote to any piece upon reaching the last rank.

A standard format for recording chess games. ChessStake stores all games in PGN format, allowing you to review, analyze, and share your matches.

A tactic where a piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable piece behind it. An absolute pin involves the king; a relative pin involves another valuable piece.

A Layer 2 scaling solution for Ethereum with fast, low-cost transactions. ChessStake operates on Polygon for near-instant game settlements.

The total amount staked by both players in a match. For example, a $50 vs $50 game has a $100 pot. The winner receives 80% of the pot.

Queuing your next move before your opponent plays. The move executes instantly when it's your turn. Essential for bullet chess to save time.

A secret code that gives full control of your wallet. Never share it! ChessStake never asks for your private key - only wallet connections via MetaMask.

The 20% fee taken from the pot to maintain the platform. The winner receives 80% of the total pot; 20% goes to ChessStake.

The most powerful piece, combining rook and bishop movement. Can move any number of squares horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.

A time control format with 10-30 minutes per player. ChessStake offers 10+5 and 15+10 rapid formats, allowing more time for deep calculation.

Voluntarily conceding a game before checkmate. When you resign in ChessStake, your opponent receives 80% of the pot immediately.

A chess piece that moves horizontally or vertically any number of squares. Worth about 5 points. Rooks are powerful in the endgame.

A URL that allows your wallet to communicate with the blockchain network. MetaMask uses RPC endpoints to connect to Polygon.

Deliberately giving up material for a tactical or strategic advantage. Can lead to checkmate, better position, or compensation.

Self-executing code on the blockchain that automatically enforces rules. ChessStake's smart contract handles stake locking, game resolution, and payouts without human intervention.

A cryptocurrency designed to maintain a stable value, usually pegged to a fiat currency like USD. USDC is a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US Dollar.

The amount of USDC you put up for a match. Stakes range from $1 to $100,000. Both players must stake the same amount to start a game.

A draw that occurs when a player has no legal moves but is not in check. Results in a draw with 80% stake return to each player.

The world's strongest open-source chess engine. ChessStake uses Stockfish 17 NNUE for AI opponents, offering skill levels from beginner to grandmaster.

A tactic where an attack on a valuable piece forces it to move, exposing a piece behind it to capture. The reverse of a pin.

A short sequence of moves that gains an advantage, usually through forcing moves. Common tactics include forks, pins, skewers, and discovered attacks.

A draw can be claimed when the same position occurs three times with the same player to move. Often happens in endgames with perpetual check.

The rules governing how much time each player has. Expressed as "minutes+seconds" (e.g., 5+3 = 5 minutes base time + 3 seconds increment per move).

An operation recorded on the blockchain. In ChessStake, transactions include stake approvals, game creation, and payouts. All are publicly verifiable.

A system where you don't need to trust any central authority. Smart contracts execute automatically based on code, not human decisions.

USD Coin, a stablecoin pegged 1:1 to the US Dollar. ChessStake uses USDC on Polygon for all stakes, providing stable value without crypto volatility.

A standard protocol for chess engines to communicate with interfaces. Stockfish uses UCI to receive positions and return best moves.

A specific sequence of moves within an opening or analysis. For example, the Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense.

Software that stores your private keys and allows you to interact with the blockchain. MetaMask, Trust Wallet, and Coinbase Wallet are supported by ChessStake.

The next generation of the internet built on blockchain technology. Features decentralization, token-based economics, and user ownership.

The percentage of games you've won. Displayed on your profile and used for leaderboard rankings alongside ELO rating.

A German term meaning "compulsion to move." A position where any move worsens your position. Common in endgames.