Chess Games
Chess is a two player game which takes place on a grid made up of eight columns and eight rows. The rows are referred to as ranks, and the columns as files. The rows are labeled one through eight, and the columns labeled a through h. The formal notation of each square allows the game to be played by mail, with players on opposite sides of the globe. On a traditional chess board each grid of the board alternates between black and white squares. Each side starts the game with 16 pieces. The pieces are able to move in six different manners, with the eligible movement patterns determined by which of 6 kinds of pieces is in play. Each side has eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen, and one king. The two sides are often referred to as "Black" and "White" after the traditional colors of the pieces.