Chess Dictionary — T

Terms starting with T (9)

Tactic Goblin Intermediate

A tactic goblin is an intermediate player who habitually searches for forcing sequences such as forks, pins, and discoveries to gain material or initiative, often prioritizing calculation over positional planning.

Tactics Intermediate

Tactics are short sequences of forcing moves that win material, deliver checkmate, or gain a decisive advantage by exploiting immediate threats like forks, pins, or discovered attacks.

Tall Pawn Intermediate

A tall pawn is a bishop so hemmed in by its own pawns that it has little more scope or value than a pawn despite its greater height.

Tempo Intermediate

Tempo is the advantage of making a useful move while forcing the opponent to respond without progress, often gained by a check, threat, or capture that compels a reply.

Threat Intermediate

A threat is a move or plan that would win material, deliver check, or gain another advantage if the opponent does not prevent it on their next turn.

Tilting Intermediate

Tilting is the self-reinforcing spiral of errors that begins when frustration from one setback causes a player to lose emotional control and play impulsive moves that compound the damage.

Time Control Beginner

Time control sets the total time each player has to complete all moves, typically including an increment added after each move.

Time Troll Intermediate

A time troll is an opponent who deliberately slows play or makes nuisance moves to provoke time trouble, errors, or frustration without seeking a normal chess win.

Triangulation Intermediate

In endgames, triangulation is a king maneuver along a three-square triangle that returns the king to its starting square after an odd number of moves, losing a tempo to place the opponent in zugzwang.