Definition

1. Noun:
   • A strategic board game: A game for two players, each beginning with 16 pieces (one king, one queen, two rooks, two bishops, two knights, and eight pawns) on a checkered board of 64 squares. The objective is to checkmate the opponent's king.
   • A plant (archaic/obsolete): A weedy annual plant (Bromus secalinus), native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed, especially in wheat fields. This meaning is now rare and primarily of historical or botanical interest.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Board Game):
  • She learned to play chess from her grandfather.
  • They are studying chess strategies every afternoon.
  • The final match of the chess tournament was thrilling.

Advanced Usage

• "to be in chess": This phrase is not standard. The correct preposition for playing the game is "to play chess."
• "chess of the mind": A metaphorical phrase describing something requiring great strategic thought, akin to the game.
  • The corporate takeover was a complex chess of the mind.

Variants and Related Words

• Chessboard (n): The checkered board used for playing chess.
  • He set up the pieces on the chessboard.
• Chessman (n) (plural: Chessmen): Any one of the pieces used in the game of chess.
  • This antique chessman is carved from ivory.
• Chess player (n): A person who plays chess.
  • She is a ranked chess player.

Synonyms

• Board game: A general category of games played on a board, which includes chess.
• Game of strategy: A term emphasizing the tactical nature of chess.

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "A chess match": Can refer literally to a game of chess or metaphorically to any prolonged strategic contest.
  • The negotiations were a delicate chess match between the two diplomats.
• "To play chess with someone": Can mean to engage in a real game or to deal with someone in a cunning, strategic manner.
  • You have to be careful; he's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.

Noun

1. a board game for two players who move their 16 pieces according to specific rules; the object is to checkmate the opponent's king
2. weedy annual native to Europe but widely distributed as a weed especially in wheat