1. What is Chessgames.com?
2. Is Chessgames.com free?
3. Who is Chessgames.com?
4. How do I find a chess game?
5. I want to play chess!
6. What are the rules of chess?
7. What does this strange notation like "17.Rac1 Rxc1+" mean?
8. Why do games end even though nobody is checkmated?
9. What is PGN?
10. What is kibitzing?
11. How do I register, so I can kibitz?
12. How do I put colors, links, and chess symbols in my messages?
13. How do I put a little graphic (avatar) next to my messages?
14. How do I ignore a user?
15. I forgot my password.
16. What is annotation?
17. What's an "ECO code"?
18. What are "Notable Games"?
19. What is a "Chessgames Biography"?
20. What are WCC History Pages?
21. What does "Find Similar Games" do?
22. What are "Game Collections"?
23. Where do you get your games?
24. Help! I can't see the games!
25. Is there software that will help me use this site?
26. What are the differences between the Java viewers?
27. Can I download the games in one big PGN file?
28. I found a mistake in your database which requires correction.
29. What is the ChessBookie Game?
30. How can I learn to play stronger chess?
31. I have a question not on this page.

Chessgames.com is an online database of chess games. Our easy interface allows you to search to search a vast library of historic chess games for educational and entertainment purposes. It is an excellent tool for intermediate and advanced players, and even the novice will find much value in seeing how the world's best players play the game.

If you came here to play live chess, please see our list of free chess sites where you can play. If you want to improve your chess by studying the games of the great masters, and discussing them with other participants, you will feel right at home at Chessgames.com. Enjoy!

Is Chessgames.com free?

Yes, it is 100% free to register an account with Chessgames. However, we support our site by selling Premium Memberships which give you all of the normal features plus some extremely useful extras. For more information on becoming a premium member, click here.

Who is Chessgames.com?

Chessgames.com is the kibitzers. Without them, we'd be nothing. The software and conceptual design that makes this possible is a combined effort among several south Florida chessplayers, including Alberto Artidiello, Daniel Freeman, and the talented staff at 20/20 Technologies.

How do I find a chess game?

The best way is to fill out the Advanced Search form on the homepage, and push the button labelled Find Chess Games. You don't have to fill out every field; in fact, most people only fill out one.

For example, suppose you are looking for all Fischer-Spassky games in 1972. First type "1972" into the year slot. Then fill out one player as "Fischer" (either use the pulldown, or type 'Fischer') and the other player as "Spassky." Press Find Chess Games and you will get the list.

There are many kinds of searches that produce interesting results. Would you like to learn the Taimanov variation of the Sicilian? Take a lesson from Taimanov himself: type "Taimanov" as the first player (or find his name in the pulldown list), then select "Sicilian, Taimanov" as the opening.

Some find it enjoyable to review games with a small number of moves. First pick your favorite Grandmaster or opening, and in the "Number of moves" line, set it to "no more than 20." Voila, miniatures! Or perhaps you want review some endings? Try setting it to "at least 60."

HOT TIP: The search line at the very top of the homepage is called the EZ Search. It is ideal for very simple queries. If you want to find a game between Capablanca and Reti from 1922, simply type "Capablanca-Reti 22" and the search engine will return the game you asked for. For more information, see our EZ Search Help Page.

HOT TIP: If you're not particular about what chess game you want to see, try clicking on the random game link found on the home page. You'll be whisked away to a game between (usually) world-class players, selected randomly from our database.

I want to play!

Good! Studying chess games is one way to get better, but that's no substitute for actually playing the game.

There are dozens of excellent places on the internet where people can play chess. Here are just a few:

• Yahoo! Games: Chess - Thousands of players, from beginners to masters, come here to play using the java interface.
• www.freechess.org (FICS) - Free Internet Chess Server, the oldest chess server on the internet, and 100% free to all. In order to play, you can either download the client software, or play with the java client.
• www.pogo.com - Totally free game site, but it's loaded with advertising. Sign-up takes about a minute, then you're playing chess on their java site.
• uschesslive.org - The official chess server of the United States Chess Federation (USCF). Very nice java interface is available, or you can download free software. Guest users and free accounts are limited in the number of games they can play per day.
• XYMYX - This site not only offers traditional chess, but also a chess variation called Xymyx in which both players move simultaneously.
• GameKnot.com - If correspondence chess is more your speed, check these guys out. No software to download, you can play an opponent through the web at a leisurely pace.
• International Correspondence Chess Federation - The ICCF is the official world body governing correspondence chess. Whether you are a beginner or an aspiring world champion, the ICCF is the ultimate chess club for the correspondence enthusiast.

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• BlackJack - Not a chess game, but playing casino online is a really nice form of recreation for your grey matter.

If you don't know how to play at all, or if you're shaky on some of the rules, here are some sites that will be much more instructive for you than Chessgames.com:

1. Let's Play Chess! from the US Chess Federation
2. So You Wanna Learn How to Play Chess? from SoYouWanna.com
3. Learn2 Play Chess from Learn2.com

That is chess notation: a method of describing moves played on the chessboard. Of the several forms of chess notation popular in the world today, we use what's known as the English Algebraic notation. Understanding how to read this will greatly enhance your ability to read and understand chess analysis. If you do not know how to read chess notation, here are some resources to help you:

1. Understanding Chess Algebraic Chess Notation from about.com
2. Keeping Score - by the US Chess Federation (Adobe Acrobat required)

Newcomers to chess may believe that games are always played out until one side is in checkmate, or stalemate. While this happens on occasion during grandmaster games, it is usually not the case. Among strong players, the game usually ends when one payer realizes the hopelessness of the situation, at which point he or she will resign. This is indicated on the score sheet as 1-0 (Black resigns) or 0-1 (White resigns).

When you play in person, a resignation is usually is indicated by tipping your king on its side, or by extending your hand for a handshake.

PGN stands for Portable Game Notation. It is a method for storing chess games in simple text format which can then be imported into various software. Because Chessgames does all of its PGN processing automatically "behind the scenes", you don't need to understand anything about PGN to enjoy Chessgames. However, if you use software that can import from PGN, Chessgames.com offers several ways to download this data to your computer. Please see How do I download PGN files? from the Chessgames Premium Membership FAQ for more information.

External links:

1. Overview of PGN from about.com
2. PGN Specification and Implementation Guide (technical)

Kibitzing is a Yiddish expression, popular among chessplayers, that means "to overlook somebody's work while offering unwanted or meddlesome advice." At Chessgames.com, however, kibitzers are very much wanted, for they are our most valuable resource. Each game on this site contains a "Kibitzer's Corner" where users of this site can exchange comments. Games in our database with kibitzing are denoted with this symbol:

We have discussion forums on all major chess topics: the players, the tournaments, the openings, and of course, the games. If you have a question, or advice, or anything to say about matters related to chess, the procedure is simply to locate the appropriate page then scroll down to the Kibitzer's Corner where you can engage other chessgames users in discussion. This approach of community-learning allows everybody to be both a student and a teacher in the wonderfully rich world of chess.

Posting Policy Please observe our guidelines. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts. No personal attacks against other users. Nothing in violation of United States law. Chessgames.com reserves the right to delete messages that are deemed inappropriate, distasteful, or off-topic.

There are also kibitzer corners for chess players and openings. Users are encouraged to post commentary, ask questions, and share URLs to other sites that may be of interest.

The homepage will always list the most recent kibitzes, so that you can see the topics that have been recently discussed. Our Recent Kibitzing page gives you an even more detailed view of recent discussions.

If you see somebody who has posted something that violates a Chessgames.com policy, you may report it to use by clicking on the "Blow the Whistle!" link found at the bottom of the kibitzing area.

What not to use the kibitzing areas for. Do not write about subjects not related to the page's intended topic. We offer over one million discussion forums, so if you post something off-topic you will bury your message where its intended readers will never find it, and dilute the content for what it is intended for. If you want to write on subjects not specifically covered in the database, you can always use the Kibitzer's Café. Do not ask for general help with the site on the discussion areas to games, players, tournaments, etc. For example, the post "Can somebody tell me how to post links to games in the database?" would best belong on the Chessgames.com Chessforum or the Kibitzer's Café. Do not make casual conversation with other users outside of designated areas such as the Kibitizer's Café. E.g., to post "Hi there Fred, how have you been? Did you get my email?" serves no purpose on the page of a game, tournament, or player. Do not alert the administrators to possible corrections in the kibitzing area. E.g., to post "Hey <chessgames.com> the last move of this game is checkmate!" will be confusing to those who read it after the correction is made, and will probably not be read by the administrators anyhow. The proper method of submitting a correction is explained below in the corrections procedure section. Do not discuss administrative actions, or report violations of posting guidelines, outside of the designated areas. For example, to post "Hey <chessgames.com> why did you delete my post?" is an off-topic comment which dilutes the actual purpose of the page, and probably won't be read by an administrator anyhow. The appropriate venue for such discussion is to email us (chess@chessgames.com) or the Chessgames.com Chessforum. In the case of a violation of posting guidelines, use the "Blow the Whistle" link to report the offending post. Do not use the kibitzing area as a storage area for your personal notes. For example, to post "Went over this game on 12/15/2006" is a selfish use of a public resource. Do not play games with the kibitzing area. For example, it is not productive to post "First!" (announcing that you are the first person to post to a thread) or to decorate a thread by posting <<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>. If everybody follows these guidelines then the kibitzing areas of Chessgames will be the most powerful and useful feature of our site. Thank you!

HOT TIP: Visit your profile page to see where you have posted, and a star will appear by some of your posts. These are the posts that somebody has replied to.

HOT TIP: Visit your preferences page and check Display newest kibitzes on top -- that way, you'll see the new messages at the top of the page.

HOT TIP: If you cut-and-paste a URL (web address) into your message, the system will automatically create a link. What's more, if you supply an URL to a page on chessgames.com it will sometimes change the hyperlink to a text description of the page. For example, if you provide a link to a game page, the link will appear with the names of the players.

HOT TIP: If you enclose text between < and > symbols, it will change color. You can use this to set apart quotations of other users, or subvariations in the lines you discuss.

LEARN MORE: There are other special features that the advanced kibitzers use as well; you can read about them at our Kibitzing Tricks page.

How do I register, so that I can kibitz?

First you have to go to the preferences page and choose a "Username" (that's what other people will see you as) and a password (to make sure nobody else posts under your name.)

When choosing a username, please obey the following rules:

1. It does not have to be your real name, but it can be if you want.
2. Use only characters A-Z and 0-9, and the space.
3. Do not name yourself after a famous living chessplayer (unless you are really him or her!) Likewise, please do not put "GM" or any other chess title in your handle unless you have actually achieved that title.
4. Accounts with insulting, offensive or obscene usernames will be deleted.
5. Account names that imitate another chessgames user, especially with an intent to mock or confuse, will be deleted.

Once you've done all that, you will receive an email which contains a link that takes you to our Activation Page. This is our way of validating your email address as being legitimate. Unless you change your email address, it should only be necessary to activate your account one time.

NOTE: Please note that we collect your email address only for purposes of validation; we are strongly opposed to spam and would never reveal your email address to any other users, or sell our email list to any third party. More information on these policies can be found at our Privacy Notice.

MULTIPLE ACCOUNTS: While the use of multiple accounts is not prohibited, it is strongly discouraged. You should not establish alternate accounts for trivial reasons, such as: to maintain multiple personas ("sockpuppets"), for humorous effect, to bypass ignore lists, or to cheat in any game or contest. Innocent and useful reasons to create multiple accounts include: providing a public service on your profile, opening a chessforum on a specific subject, or deciding to change your username.

How do I put colors, links, and chess symbols in my messages?

With a little practice, you can embed links to web sites, highlighted colors, and chess symbols in your kibitzes. Please see our special page on Kibitzing Tricks to learn how. While you are kibitzing, a link to this help area will appear during the preview phase.

How do I put a little graphic (avatar) next to my messages?

This feature is reserved for Premium Chessgames Members. There is a detailed discussion of this feature on our Premium Membership Help Page.

How do I ignore a user?

If a certain member of our community annoys you, you have the power to filter our their kibitzes entirely so that you never need to read their messages again. To do this, simply click on their name and visit their profile, then follow the "thumbs down" graphic at the bottom of the page. They will then be added to your ignore-list. If you ever change your mind, you may get back to your ignore-list from your profile page.

I forgot my password.

If you supplied your email address when you registered, you can have your password and username mailed to you.

What is "annotation?"

Annotation is commentary provided on a game. Sometimes this is simply analysis of moves which were not played; other times it seeks to explain the strategies and motives that lie behind the moves. Games in our database with annotation are marked with this symbol:

To find annotated games, you may click the checkbox next to "with annotation" on the homepage search. For example, a simple search would reveal annotated Lasker-Capablanca games.

You can also use the "E-Z Search" at the top of the homepage to find annotated games. For example, to find annotated French Defenses games, you can search for "annotated French Defense" and you'll receive a list of all French Defense games that contain annotation.

What's an ECO code?

The Encylopedia of Chess Openings, or "ECO" for short, is a famous chess publication that attempts to chronicle all major chess opening variations into five volumes (A-E) providing readers with a comprehensive collection of modern opening theory. Contributors to the publication include the very strongest players from around the world, including some world champions. Chessgames.com uses the ECO codes as a method of categorizing the games into the various openings.

We also provide a pulldown menu with some of the most popular openings. This way, you do not need to know ECO codes; you can just select the opening by name.

HOT TIP: Type "000" into the ECO slot to find all odds games, and other chess variants such as Fischer Random, etc.

HOT TIP: You can select a range of ECO codes in the search form. For example, to find all Slav Defence games, you can type "D10-D19" or simply "D10-19."

What are 'Notable Games'?

On some player pages, tournament pages, and opening pages, there is a list of 'Notable Games.' In the case of player pages, this list highlights some important games that the player has won or drawn. On opening pages, you can see some milestones games in its history. If you want to see some interesting games by a player, or of a certain opening, this is a usually a good place to start.

The lists of notable games are calculated by finding the games which most frequently appear in our users' game collections.

Notable games are chosen democratically by Chessgames members, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of the Chessgames.com staff.

If you want to "vote" for a game, simply put it in one of your game collections.

What is a "Chessgames Biography"?

Some player pages have a section near the top called the Chessgames Biography. This area usually includes information such as the date of birth, the date of death for deceased players, the nationality, and a short biography of the player ranging from a single sentence to several paragraphs.

This information is supplied by Chessgames members who have volunteered for the job of supplying biographical data.

DISCLAIMER: The Chessgames.com staff does not author the biographies, nor are we responsible for their content. Although the biographies are generally of high quality, we can make no guarantees to their accuracy.

NOTE: If you have any suggestions to improve the biographies, or a specific biography, you will want to give your suggestions to one of the volunteer editors. One way to make your request heard is to post it to Kibitzer's Café.

NOTE: If you would like to volunteer for the job of writing biographies, contact chess@chessgames.com. Applicants must be skilled in English writing, and be able to accurately research chess history.