FAQs

What exactly is Rookhouse.com?

How can I learn to play chess?

Where can I play chess online?

What does this strange notation like “17.Rac1 Rxc1+” mean?

Why do games end even though nobody is checkmated?

What is PGN?

How can I flip the board, so that Black is on the bottom?

I found a mistake on your website that requires correction.

How can I learn to play stronger chess?

I have a question not answered on this page.

 

What exactly is Rook House?

Visit the About Us page for more information about Rook House.

How can I learn how to play chess?

Visit the Rules of Chess page for basic instruction on how to play chess.

If you wish to start learning about chess in greater detail (openings, strategy, endgames, etc.), there are thousands of excellent books out there.  Here are a select few that I highly recommend:

• Chess For Beginners (I.A. Horowitz)
• The Complete Chess Course (Fred Reinfeld)
• Let’s Play Chess (Bruce Pandolfini)
• An Invitation to Chess (Irving Chernev)

Where can I play chess online?

There are several places to play chess online against other players. Rookhouse.com may have this capability in the future, but until then, here are a couple of sites that I recommend:

• Game Knot – www.gameknot.com
• Red Hot Pawn – www.redhotpawn.com

What does this strange notation like “17.Rac1 Rxc1+” mean?

Visit the Chess Notation page for more information about chess notation.

Why do games end even though nobody is checkmated?

Newcomers to chess sometimes assume that games are played until one player is in checkmate, or stalemate. While this occasionally happens during grandmaster games, it is usually not the case. Among strong players, the game usually ends when one player realizes the hopelessness of the situation, at which point he or she will resign. This is indicated on the score sheet as 1-0 (Black resigns) or 0-1 (White resigns).

What is PGN?

PGN stands for Portable Game Notation. It is a method for storing chess games in simple text format which can then be imported into various software packages.

How can I flip the board, so that Black is on the bottom?

Press the “f” key on your keyboard while the chessboard is in focus.

I found a mistake on your website that requires correction. What should I do?

E-mail me directly at admin@rookhouse.com with the page link and a description of the error.

How can I learn to play stronger chess?

This can be accomplished in multiple ways, but here a few of our suggestions:

• Play often, and play against opponents who are good enough to beat you at least half of the time.
• Review games of great players.
• Read books.
• Study endings.
• Analyze your own games.
• Play over the board as often as you can, be it with someone you know or at a local tournament.

I have a question not answered on this page.

Any questions not answered on this page can be directed by e-mail to admin@rookhouse.com