Chess Sets - A Description Of The Origin And Types Of Pieces

Chess is an abstract strategy board game played on a square board of eight rows (called ranks) and eight columns (called files). There are sixty four squares of two alternating colors, usually black and white. There are 32 pieces in all; sixteen of them are black, and sixteen are white. Each set of sixteen has six types of pieces: one King, one Queen, two Rooks, two Bishops, two Knights and eight Pawns.

Chess pieces used for play are usually tall figurines. Pieces of the Staunton set are the standard design. The height of the king should be between 85 mm and 105 mm. The other pieces should be in proportion to the king. The size of the squares on the board is based on the King and should be approximately 1.25-1.3 times the diameter of the base of the King.

Each piece in a chess set represents a sector of medieval life. Pawns represent peasants. At that time the peasants were considered unimportant to people in power, and hence Pawns are the weakest pieces in the game of chess. They are used primarily as bait to set up an aggressive endgame. Rooks or Castles represent home and sanctuary. Knights represent soldiers who, at that time, were held in high esteem, but not as much as the church or the royal family. Bishops represent priests and are considered more valuable than Knights. The Queen is the most powerful piece on the board, and the King is the one that must be protected at all costs; otherwise the game is lost.

The quality of chess sets vary from cheap plastic ones to expensive, handmade works of art. While many players are content to play chess on a regular board with plastic pieces, others prefer unique chess sets. A variety of different materials are used such as glass, ivory, marble, wood, bone or a composite. Some chess sets are small in size or have magnetic pieces that are convenient for travel.

Natural white wooden pieces of a chess set are usually made of boxwood or sometimes maple. The black pieces in natural wooden sets are made of dark wood such as rosewood, ebony, red sandalwood or walnut.

On the computer, chess pieces are often 2-D symbols on a 2-D board. However, there are some programs with 3-D graphics engines that show the pieces more realistically.

Learn chess opening moves and other chess tips for beginners and experts that will bring your game to a whole new level at http://www.chessmovespro.com

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Chess Rules - Learn The Rules Of The Road

In chess, rules play a very important part in making sure the game is both engaging and fairly played. The game is popular across the globe, and the rules are also of a global nature; they need to be uniformly followed regardless of where the game is played.

The basics are simple and designed to make the game one of strategy and wile rather than knowledge. No doubt some skill is required, but one also needs a degree of intelligence in order to anticipate the opponent's moves and plan counter moves effectively.

In the modern version of chess, the rules specify that the chessboard should be an 8x8 board consisting of alternating black and white squares. The board has a total of sixty four squares to accommodate the 32 chess pieces (16 pieces to a player). The player with the white pieces moves first: "Smoke before fire".

The rules are also set up to determine the way in which each of the different pieces will move across the board. The different pieces move in their own unique styles and directions. The Rook moves any number of vacant spaces vertically or horizontally. The Bishop moves any number of vacant spaces diagonally. The Queen can move any number of blocks diagonally, horizontally or vertically. The King moves only one square horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Only the Knight is allowed to jump over occupied squares. The Knight has a different pattern of movement than the other pieces, moving two squares horizontally and one square vertically. This means that each time a Knight moves, it lands on a square that is different in color from the one it started on. Pawns can move forward one vacant square. This rule is relaxed to two moves at a time if it happens to be the first move of the game.

The flow of the game is determined by the requirements. An attacking piece must try and capture an opposing piece. The attacking piece eliminates an enemy piece as the game proceeds. The King cannot be captured but can only be 'checked'. A King is said to be 'checked' when he finds himself trapped among enemy players. If the trap is such that there is no way out, the King is said to be checkmated. The player whose King is trapped in a checkmate is the loser.

Chess rules do not require a game to always end as a victory or loss. If there seems to be no way to end the game, it is also possible for it to be a draw, or stalemate. A player can also resign his move, thereby handing a victory to his or her opponent.

Learn more about the rules of chess and other chess tips for beginners and experts alike. Bring your game to a whole new level at http://www.chessmovespro.com

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History of Chess - A Timeless Game

Chess is one of the most popular board games in the world today. It involves two players, and requires strategizing and tactical planning. The game of chess is not a modern invention, and there is a good deal of controversy among chess historians regarding the true time and place of the emergence of chess. Many countries claim to have invented it. However, most historians trace its origins back to northern India or Afghanistan sometime around 600 AD. The most common theory is that the form of chess we play today evolved from a game called 'Chaturanga', which was played in ancient India. Since the Arabic, Persian, Greek, Portuguese and Spanish words for chess are derived from Chaturanga, it is the most accepted view that chess originated in India. However, another theory claims that chess evolved from a game of 'Xiangqi' that existed in China in the 2nd century BC.

Regardless of its origin, chess eventually spread all over the world. In so doing, it took on regional terms. When it entered the Islamic countries, the names of the chess pieces were retained in their Persian form, but the name of the game itself became 'Shatranj'. When the game was introduced to Europe, chess terms were replaced by English words; the 'Shah' became 'King', the 'Begum' became 'Queen', for example.

The entrance of chess into Europe was marked by the enhancement of the powers of the 'Queen' piece. Early on in European chess, the pieces had very limited movement. The Bishop could move forward only by jumping two steps diagonally, and the Queen could move only one step forward diagonally. Pawns could move just one space at a time during the first move instead of the customary two steps on the first move that we see today. There was no castling, either. By the late 15th century, the modern rules for the basic moves of the pieces had been added--Pawns could move two squares on their first move, Bishops could move as they do nowadays, and the Queen became the most powerful of all the pieces. The current rules were finalized in the early 19th century.

For more information about chess strategies and playing tips visit http://www.chessmovespro.com

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World of Warcraft Hunter Pets - The Ravager

Hunters can be very picky about the pets they choose. If you've gotten your hands on our hunters guide we give you a full run-down of the best and not-so-good choices when it comes to actual pet abilities. Now some people may very well like pets that are not as effective statistically, and that's fine. You should use what you like, but when you look at the numbers, there are simply some pets which really shine in certain areas.

Most hunters will use a cat. Cats are one of only two pets which get a 10% bonus to damage. Cats are also easy to feed and learn a most of the best pet skills. You can't really go wrong with a cat, especially if you are a Beast Mastery specialization hunter. A cat will do more damage than any other pet you can have - except one.

We want to put up for your consideration the Ravager. Before the Burning Crusade expansion, cats ruled DPS, but now they have a serious rival. Ravagers look cool and have the potential to do more damage than cats. Possibly the only drawback to a Ravager instead of a cat is that they don't get the prowl skill, but that may not be a big deal to you - especially on a PVE server.

Why are Ravagers at the top of the DPS pile? They get to use the really wicked ability Gore. Gore is an instant cast ability that uses 15 focus, and works a lot like claw (which we prefer over bite - check out our hunter guide for all the details). Even though Gore does similar base damage to claw, it has a 50% chance to do DOUBLE damage. When you average that out, it means that Gore will do 125 damage in the same amount of time as claw will do 100. When you stack the 50% chance at double damage with beast mastery hunter skills like frenzy for the critical hit bonuses, it can get seriously high.

Ravagers have a little more armor than cats, but lower health. They only eat meat and raw meat, and can learn Bite, cower, Growl, Dash, and Gore. Gore is a great skill only used by boars and ravagers. Unfortunately, for Horde players, a ravager can be a real challenge to tame before level 62 especially on PVP servers. The other problem with gore is that there are no known mobs from which to learn gore 5 or 6. So you're stuck with Gore 4 until you get to blasted lands at level 48. Also Gore 3 is only learned from the named mob Bellygrub in Redridge Mountains; and he can be a load to handle at level 24. Overall, gore is the best offensive pet skill to have, but for horde characters, you might not want to consider a ravager until you get to outlands. Even for alliance, for 20-40 levels, your main pet attack skill is going to be way off the pace. Boosting stamina through pet training is also more expensive as far as training points than boosting armor. So we normally give pets with more stamina a better score than pets with higher armor stats.

All of that being said - it could be argued that ravagers have the ability to deal more damage than any other pet in the game. If you can be a little patient and wait for one until outlands, you might consider one if you go Beast Master. To save focus and use the really wicked DPS skill, gore, teach this guy Gore, Growl and Dash. Gore is instant cast with no cooldown, so if he gets a few double damage hits in a row, it can really be a killer. We're not sure if giving up prowl is worth the added dps and extra points spent on stamina, but on PVE servers it may be a winner.

Gavin Garrett is one of those nerdy World of Warcraft players who forsakes a normal life in favor of a life within a virtual game. When he returns to the "real world", he posts really great World of Warcraft tips and tricks on his blog, Dominate Your Server.

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Commodore 64 Coming to the Virtual Console

It all started with five systems, the Nintendo Entertainment System, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, Nintendo 64, NEC's TurboGrafx-16 and CD, and Sega's Mega Drive/Genesis. Then, SNK's Neo Geo made their presence felt. Now another former gaming giant is set to put their stamp on the Nintendo Wii's Virtual Console. It comes in the form of the best selling personal computer of all time, the Commodore 64. The Commodore 64 debuted in 1982 as an 8-bit home computer and featured over 4,000 video games. However, there is a catch. As of now, Commodore 64 will only be available on the European Virtual Console.

This is a move that has taken nearly two years to accomplish. In 2006, British Publisher System 3 purchased Epyx, the game developers that created most of Commodore 64's video games. Their intent on the purpose was to re-release the games on the Nintendo DS, PSP, and most importantly, the Virtual Console. The CEO of Commodore Gaming also began working with Nintendo of Europe to try and secure Commodore 64's place on the Virtual Console.

Among the first titles from Commodore 64 which will be made available on Virtual Console are International Karate and Uridium. Commodore 64 games will also cost the same as Nintendo Entertainment System games at 500 Wii Points. Some other famous games from the era of Commodore 64 include California Games, 4th and Inches, Skate or Die, and many arcade ports like Donkey Kong, Breakout, 1942, Bubble Bobble, etc.

While it is currently only slated for release on the European Virtual Console, there is no evidence that the Commodore 64 will not find its way to North America. As mentioned before, the system is still the best selling personal computer of all time and has created many classics. It was perhaps the longest running video game system in history lasting from 1982 to 1994. It began the 8-bit era years before Nintendo got into the home console market and successful sales in Europe is sure to see the Commodore 64 make it's way overseas. Hopefully that is the case, as there are many classic games that gamers never had a chance to play and enjoy.

Mikus is a nintendo advocate and runs a wii site that allows members to share friend codes at our general message boards with other members.

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Master the Gaming Industry With Training From Video Game Design Schools

The video game industry is flourishing in today's world of computers, and there is a great demand for professionals with skills earned from video game design schools. Imagine yourself in a well-paid career that combines your creative skills, computer skills and artistic skills into one exciting job! That dream can become a reality with good training in video game design.

If you are looking to become a master in the video gaming industry, you can quickly learn all the essentials needed to qualify for employment. Typically, courses will cover original conception and production, analytical skills development, software applications, video game design and testing, all aspects of 3D modeling, animation, CAD, 2D design, applied game theories, storyboarding, graphic design, interactive writing, and lots more.

The field covers both art and computer science, and there are several degree options. Game design schools usually offer the option of Associate Degree or Bachelor degree in Graphic Art or Computer Sciences. Some individual colleges offer master degrees, depending on the specific school and the goals of the student.

The field of game design encompasses many areas of both private and public business. For example, publishers of educational software are looking for fresh new artists to fill the ever-growing demand for game software developers and designers who can create interactive, learning games for computers.

A degree program in can give you all the skills and experience you need to compete in today's job market. The career outlook is exceptional for those with a solid computer education, with numerous exciting positions available all across the country. You could soon earn between $35,000 to $75,000 a year, and enjoying a career that you truly love!

If you would like to learn to be a video game designer you can find good computer design schools on our website and submit a request for more information. You will soon have everything you need to take that first step toward a lifelong career.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on our website.

Michael Bustamante is a staff writer for Media Positive Communications, Inc. and ArticleSourcePlus.com. Find Video Game Design Schools, as well as Colleges, Universities, Vocational Schools, and Online Schools at SchoolsGalore.com, your educational resource to locate schools.

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