A B C D E F G-H I-L M-N O P Q-R S T U-Z

Imbalance: Any difference between the White and Black positions. Material advantage, superior pawn structure, superior minor piece, space, development and the initiative are all typical imbalances.

Initiative: When your opponent is defending and you are attacking or putting pressure on him, it is said that you have the initiative.

Innovation: A new move in an established position or opening.

Intuitive: Usually a sign of experience, it enables a player to choose a move or plan by feel or common sense as opposed to detailed analysis.

Isolated Pawn: A pawn with no friendly pawns on either adjacent file. A common opening that allows an isolated pawn is 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.exd5 exd5 5.Ngf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 Nge7 9.Nb3 Bd6 10.Nbd4. The negatives of an isolated pawn are its inability to be guarded by a friendly pawn and the fact that the square directly in front of it usually makes a fine home for an enemy piece since no pawns can chase it away.

On the positive side, it offers plenty of space and the use of two half open files (on either side of it), with the result that one’s pieces usually become active.

Kingside: The half of the board originally occupied by the King, K-Bishop, K-Knight and K-Rook. The kingside is on the right of the player with the White pieces and on the left of the player with the Black pieces.

Liquidation: A term used to denote a series of exchanges that are initiated to quell an enemy attack or to trade off to a drawn or won endgame.

Luft: Literally meaning “air.” In chess it describes a pawn move in front of one’s King that prevents back rank mate possibilities.

A B C D E F G-H I-L M-N O P Q-R S T U-Z