Chess Practice Test 1 — Questions and Answers

Question 1: In chess, which piece could be "checkmated"?

Knight
King (Correct answer)
Queen

Correct answer: King

In chess, the objective of the game is to 'checkmate' the opponent's King. Checkmate occurs when the King is under attack (in 'check') and has no legal move to escape the attack. While other pieces can be captured or trapped, only the King can be checkmated, leading to the end of the game.

Question 2: On a chess board, how many squares are there in total?

64 (Correct answer)
128
32

Correct answer: 64

A standard chessboard is an 8x8 grid. This means it has 8 rows and 8 columns, and multiplying these dimensions (8 * 8) gives the total number of individual squares, which is 64. These squares alternate in color, typically black and white.

Question 3: What is the name of the organization that governs international competition?

International Chest Organization – ICO
International Chest Association – ICA
International Chess Federation – FIDE (Correct answer)

Correct answer: International Chess Federation – FIDE

FIDE, an acronym for Fédération Internationale des Échecs (French for International Chess Federation), is the international governing body of the game of chess. It regulates all international chess competitions and awards titles like Grandmaster.

Question 4: What is the total number of pieces on a chess board at the beginning of a game?

32 (Correct answer)
8
16

Correct answer: 32

At the start of a chess game, each player has 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. Since there are two players, the total number of pieces on the board is 16 + 16 = 32.

Question 5: On a chessboard, which piece is the most powerful?

Knight
King
Queen (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Queen

The Queen is considered the most powerful piece in chess because of its versatile movement. It can move any number of squares in any straight direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally—combining the powers of a Rook and a Bishop.

Question 6: On a chessboard, what is the least powerful piece?

Rook
Bishop
Pawn (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Pawn

The Pawn is generally considered the least powerful piece due to its limited movement; it typically moves only one square forward and captures diagonally. However, pawns are crucial as they can be promoted to more powerful pieces if they reach the opponent's back rank.

Question 7: What is the highest chess player's title?

Grandmaster (Correct answer)
Super master
Life-time master

Correct answer: Grandmaster

Grandmaster (GM) is the highest title a chess player can achieve, awarded by FIDE for exceptional skill. It is a lifetime title, and once earned, it is rarely revoked.

Question 8: In a chess game, who gets to move first?

The player with white pieces (Correct answer)
Decided by tossing a coin
The player with black pieces

Correct answer: The player with white pieces

By convention in chess, the player controlling the white pieces always makes the first move. This rule ensures fairness and consistency in competitive play, giving white a slight initial advantage.

Question 9: In 1886, who was highly recognized as the first World Chess Champion?

Alexander Pavlov
Wilhelm Steinitz (Correct answer)
Stefan Leibniz

Correct answer: Wilhelm Steinitz

Wilhelm Steinitz is widely recognized as the first official World Chess Champion. He defeated Johannes Zukertort in a match in 1886, solidifying his claim to the title.

Question 10: From which country did chess originate?

England
India (Correct answer)
China

Correct answer: India

Chess originated in India around the 6th century AD, where it was known as 'Chaturanga.' The game then spread to Persia and subsequently to the rest of the world, evolving into the modern game we know today.

Question 11: Which of the following moves allows a rook and a king to swap positions and be put side by side?

Castling (Correct answer)
Dwarfing
Hooking

Correct answer: Castling

Castling is a special move in chess involving the king and one of the rooks. It allows the king to move two squares towards a rook, and then the rook moves to the square the king crossed, providing king safety and bringing the rook into play.

Question 12: In each move, which piece can only move one square to any side?

King (Correct answer)
Knight
Pawn

Correct answer: King

The King is unique in that it can move only one square in any direction—horizontally, vertically, or diagonally. Despite its limited movement, it is the most important piece, as its checkmate ends the game.

Question 13: In a move, which piece can jump over another piece?

Knight (Correct answer)
Rook
Queen

Correct answer: Knight

The Knight is the only piece in chess that can jump over other pieces, whether they are its own or the opponent's. It moves in an 'L' shape: two squares in one direction (horizontal or vertical) and then one square perpendicularly.

Question 14: Which piece in a move can only move diagonally?

Queen
Rook
Bishop (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Bishop

The Bishop is restricted to moving only diagonally. It can move any number of squares along a diagonal line, but it must stay on squares of the same color as its starting square.

Question 15: What is the condition in which one player is unable to make any move while the other has not yet checked?

Batchmate
Stalemate (Correct answer)
Checkmate

Correct answer: Stalemate

A stalemate occurs when the player whose turn it is to move has no legal moves, but their king is not currently in check. This results in an immediate draw, as neither player can win.

Question 16: A pawn is exchanged for any lost piece when it reaches the other side of the chessboard. What do you call this strategy?

Queening (Correct answer)
Promoting
Reigning

Correct answer: Queening

When a pawn reaches the eighth rank (the furthest row from its starting position), it must be promoted to another piece, typically a queen. This process is commonly called 'queening' because promoting to a queen is almost always the best strategic choice due to its power.

Question 17: Which of the pieces can only move forward?

Pawn (Correct answer)
Knight
Rook

Correct answer: Pawn

Pawns are unique in that they generally only move forward. They advance one square straight ahead (or two squares on their first move) and capture diagonally forward, but they cannot move backward.

Question 18: How does a chess game ends in a draw?

Both B and C (Correct answer)
The game reaches a stalemate
Both players agree with a draw

Correct answer: Both B and C

A chess game can end in a draw in several ways. Two common methods are when the game reaches a stalemate, meaning the player to move has no legal moves but is not in check, or when both players mutually agree to a draw.

Question 19: Which chess piece is the only one that can't check a king?

Pawn
King (Correct answer)
Queen

Correct answer: King

A King cannot check another King because it is illegal to move a king into a square attacked by an opposing king. Kings must always maintain at least one square between them, preventing them from directly checking each other.

Question 20: What is the rooks' other name?

Fortresses
Castles (Correct answer)
Churches

Correct answer: Castles

Rooks are often referred to as 'castles' due to their appearance, resembling castle towers. This nickname is also reinforced by the special move 'castling,' which involves the king and a rook.

Question 21: What is the name of the FIDE-designed official ranking system for professional chess players?

ELO (Correct answer)
ALO
ILO

Correct answer: ELO

The ELO rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in competitor-versus-competitor games such as chess. It was invented by Arpad Elo and is used by FIDE to rank professional chess players worldwide.

Question 22: What year was the World Chess Federation founded?

1938
1900
1924 (Correct answer)

Correct answer: 1924

The World Chess Federation, or FIDE, was founded on July 20, 1924, in Paris, France. Its establishment aimed to standardize rules and organize international chess competitions.

Question 23: How many moves might be needed to achieve the Scholar's Mate?

6
4 (Correct answer)
5

Correct answer: 4

The Scholar's Mate is a common checkmate pattern that can be achieved in as few as four moves. It typically involves an early attack on the f7 square (or f2 for Black) using the Queen and Bishop.

Question 24: On a chessboard, what do we call the rows?

Bars
Ranks (Correct answer)
Rows

Correct answer: Ranks

On a chessboard, the horizontal rows of squares are called ranks, numbered 1 through 8. The vertical columns are called files, labeled a through h.

Question 25: In an en passant strategy, which piece is involved?

Bishop
Rook
Pawn (Correct answer)

Correct answer: Pawn

En passant is a special pawn capture in chess. It occurs when a pawn moves two squares forward from its starting position and lands beside an opponent's pawn, which then has the option to capture it as if it had only moved one square.

Chess Practice Test 1

In chess, which piece could be "checkmated"?