checkmate noun The winning position in chess in which a player's king is under attack and cannot escape capture. With a swift bishop move, she declared checkmate and ended the tense match. + stalemate noun A situation in which neither side in a dispute or contest can make progress, resulting in a deadlock. Contract negotiations reached a stalemate after both sides refused to compromise. + gambit noun An action or remark, especially in negotiation or chess, intended to gain an advantage, often through an early sacrifice. Offering a small discount upfront was just an opening gambit in the negotiation. + pawn noun The chess piece of the lowest value, able to move forward one square at a time. She sacrificed a pawn early in the game to gain a stronger position later. + knight noun A medieval warrior of noble rank who served a king or lord, typically fighting on horseback. The knight pledged his loyalty to the king before riding into battle. + bishop noun A senior member of the clergy who oversees a district of churches, or a piece in chess. The bishop visited each parish in the diocese once every two years. + rook noun A chess piece that moves in straight horizontal or vertical lines, shaped like a small castle tower. She moved her rook across the board to capture her opponent's undefended bishop. + castling noun A chess move in which the king moves two squares toward a rook, which then jumps beside it. She secured her king's safety early in the game by castling. + tactic noun A specific action or method used to achieve a particular short-term goal, especially within a larger plan. Lowering prices during the holidays was just one tactic to boost sales. + strategy noun A planned approach for reaching a goal or dealing with a problem. Our strategy is to repair the busiest paths first. + opening noun The initial part of something, or a gap, hole, or available position that allows entry or opportunity. The novel's opening introduces the narrator through a single, vivid memory. + endgame noun The final stage of a process, contest, or plan, especially when the outcome becomes clear. In the endgame, only a few pieces remained on the chessboard. + fork noun A utensil with prongs used for lifting food, or a point where a road divides. She set a fork and knife beside each plate before dinner. + pin noun A short, thin piece of metal or plastic with a point, used to fasten or attach materials together. She used a pin to hold the hem in place before sewing it. + skewer noun A thin metal or wooden rod used to hold pieces of food together, often for grilling. She threaded chicken and peppers onto a skewer before placing it on the grill. + sacrifice noun The act of giving up something valued for the sake of something more important. Her parents made many sacrifices so she could attend university abroad. + tempo noun The speed or pace at which a piece of music is played, or the overall pace of an activity. The conductor raised the tempo sharply for the symphony's dramatic final movement. + blunder noun A careless or stupid mistake, often one with embarrassing or serious consequences. Forgetting the client's name at the meeting was an embarrassing blunder. + draw verb To make a picture or diagram using a pencil, pen, or similar tool. She drew a quick sketch of the harbor while waiting for the ferry. + tournament noun A competition involving a series of contests among many players or teams to determine an overall winner. The tennis tournament drew top players from around the world. + grandmaster noun The highest title a chess player can earn, awarded for exceptional skill and tournament performance. She became a grandmaster at just sixteen years old, one of the youngest ever. + notation noun A system of symbols used to represent information, especially in music, mathematics, or science. Musical notation lets performers read a piece exactly as the composer intended. + capture verb To take control of a person, place, or thing by force, often after a struggle or pursuit. Soldiers worked together to capture the enemy stronghold before dawn broke over the hills. + promotion noun Advancement to a higher rank, level, or position, often as a reward for good performance. She celebrated her promotion to senior manager after five years of hard work. + en passant phrase A special chess move allowing a pawn to capture an opposing pawn that has just moved two squares past it. The grandmaster captured en passant, surprising his opponent with the rarely used rule. + zugzwang noun A situation in chess, or by extension in strategy generally, where any move a player makes worsens their position. The grandmaster resigned once he realized he was in zugzwang and had no safe move left. + fianchetto noun A chess opening move in which a bishop is developed to the second rank of a knight's file, one square diagonally from the corner. White played an early fianchetto, tucking the bishop onto g2 to control the long diagonal. + underpromotion noun In chess, the choice to promote a pawn reaching the last rank to a piece other than a queen. The grandmaster surprised everyone with an underpromotion to a knight, forcing checkmate. + discovered check noun In chess, a check delivered when one piece moves aside and reveals an attack on the king by another piece. He set up a discovered check by moving his bishop away from the rook's path. + smothered mate noun In chess, a checkmate delivered by a knight against a king that is trapped by its own pieces. The grandmaster delivered a smothered mate, trapping the king behind its own defenders. +