A colloquial abbreviation for Passed Pawn, commonly used in casual speech, game commentary, and English-speaking chess conversations

Groups of pawns that are not connected to each other (isolated). When vertically adjacent pawns are broken, the resulting isolated pawn groups are called islands. The more pawn islands, the more vulnerable the structure tends to be

An aggressive technique of advancing pawns continuously to pressure the opponent's king or pieces. The aim is to advance pawns together on either the kingside or queenside to break down the opponent's defense

The harmony of pieces. A state where multiple pieces work together and support each other

Being ahead in material. Generally refers to having one more piece (knight, bishop, rook, or queen) than the opponent. When ahead in pawns, it's expressed as "pawn up"

A pawn that appears capturable but leads to an opponent's attack or trap when taken

The position. The arrangement and state of pieces on the board (including castling rights and en passant squares). Strategic elements arising from the game progress and piece placement

A playing style that builds advantageous positions based on piece placement and long-term plans. Play that emphasizes overall piece harmony, pawn structure, and square control rather than individual piece moves

Latin for "after death examination," referring to the time after a game when both players review the position and analyze the moves played

Not just defense, but moves that anticipate and prevent what the opponent wants to do. A key element of positional play and one of the advanced techniques frequently used by top players

A state where a piece is defended by another piece or pawn. Unlike Connection where pieces defend each other, this refers to a one-way defensive relationship

While the word means provocation or inducement, in chess it refers to moves that lure the opponent into playing specific moves. The purpose is to induce mistakes or worsen the opponent's position

Severely exploiting the opponent's bad or inaccurate moves. Not missing the opponent's mistakes and playing appropriate moves to gain an advantage