60+ Chess Quiz Questions and Answers (inc. a picture round)

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Looking to put your chess knowledge to the ultimate test? Then you’ve come to the right place! We’ve put together a stimulating and informative chess quiz that’s bound to challenge even the most seasoned player.

From easy questions to more complex puzzles, this quiz about chess is a captivating journey into the rich and complex world of this ancient game.

Chess is one of the most popular strategy board games in the world and there is a lot to know about it.

In round 1, expect to answer chess trivia questions that probe into the game’s fundamentals. You’ll delve into the significance of colors, the pivotal role of the King, and the alternate name for a Rook.

It also pays homage to renowned players and popular chess-related media. This round is an excellent warm-up for more challenging queries.

Round 2 brings multiple-choice chess questions and answers. Here you’ll explore the origins of chess, discover word origins, and uncover the mysteries of the Ruy Lopez opening.

If you’ve got your eye on becoming a Grandmaster, this round will certainly get you thinking.

As we move into round 3, you’ll face ‘True or False’ propositions. This section offers intriguing facts about chess, from the history of grandmasters to the surprisingly extensive reach of the game’s many variations.

Then, with round 4, the stakes rise. Here, you’ll answer medium-level questions that take you further into the game, from the scandal involving Magnus Carlsen to the standard chess set used in tournaments.

And then, there’s round 5 – the ultimate challenge! This round poses hard chess trivia questions that are bound to test your mastery of the game.

With questions about unique chess moves, FIDE’s rating system, and ancient chess sets, you’ll surely feel the pressure.

Finally, for a change of pace, round 6 presents a picture quiz. This engaging visual round adds another dimension to the chess quiz, asking you to identify chess pieces, prominent players, and distinct chess variants.

So, ready to checkmate this chess trivia? Embrace the challenge, have fun, and let’s see how much you truly know about the riveting world of chess!

Round 1: Easy Chess Trivia Questions

This round is perfect for people who were looking for a chess quiz for beginners since they are easy questions.

1. The first move of a chess game is always made by the player with which colour pieces?
2. A game of chess is won when there is no way for which piece to escape capture?
3. What is an alternate name for a rook?
4. Which chess piece can only move diagonally?
5. Which player has been ranked world number-one since 2011?
6. How many knights does each player have at the start of a game?
7. What is the highest title that a chess player can attain?
8. What is the term for the first moves in a chess game?
9. Which hit 2020 Netflix show told the story of chess prodigy, Beth Harmon, in her quest to become the world’s greatest chess player?
10. What organisation acts as the governing body of international chess?

Round 1: Easy Chess Trivia Questions and Answers

Here are all the answers to these chess questions for beginners.

1. The first move of a chess game is always made by the player with which colour pieces? White
2. A game of chess is won when there is no way for which piece to escape capture? King
3. What is an alternate name for a rook? Castle 
4. Which chess piece can only move diagonally? Bishop
5. Which player has been ranked world number-one since 2011? Magnus Carlsen
6. How many knights does each player have at the start of a game? Two
7. What is the highest title that a chess player can attain? Grandmaster
8. What is the term for the first moves in a chess game? Opening
9. Which hit 2020 Netflix show told the story of chess prodigy, Beth Harmon, in her quest to become the world’s greatest chess player? The Queen’s Gambit
10. What organisation acts as the governing body of international chess? FIDE

Round 2: Chess Multiple Choice Questions

1. Chess originates from which country?
   1. China
   2. Iran
   3. India
   4. Egypt
2. Which chess piece will always end a move on the opposite colour square than it started on?
   1. King
   2. Rook
   3. Pawn
   4. Knight
3. The word ‘Checkmate’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘shah mat.’ What does this mean?
   1. The king is dead
   2. The game is over
   3. The kingdom has fallen
   4. You have lost
4. The classic film The Seventh Seal centres around a returning Medieval soldier playing chess against whom?
   1. The king
   2. The pope
   3. The Ottoman Sultan
   4. The Grim Reaper
5. What is the only piece on the board that can promote?
   1. Pawn
   2. Rook
   3. Queen 
   4. King
6. The longest ever game of chess had how many moves?
   1. 169
   2. 269
   3. 369
   4. 469
7. What is the first piece to move in the Ruy Lopez opening?
   1. King Pawn
   2. King Knight
   3. Queen Pawn
   4. Queen Night
8. What is the minimum rating for a player to be considered a candidate master?
   1. 1500
   2. 1800
   3. 2000
   4. 2200
9. What piece starts on f1?
   1. Black queen
   2. White queen kight
   3. Black king rook
   4. White king bishop
10. Bobby Fischer has the world record for the longest winning streak in master chess. How many consecutive victories did he celebrate?
    1. 15
    2. 20
    3. 25
    4. 30

Round 2: Chess Multiple Choice Questions and Answers

1. Chess originates from which country? C. India
2. Which chess piece will always end a move on the opposite colour square than it started on? D. Knight
3. The word ‘Checkmate’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘shah mat.’ What does this mean? A. The king is dead
4. The classic film The Seventh Seal centres around a returning Medieval soldier playing chess against whom? D. the Grim Reaper
5. What is the only piece on the board that can promote? A. Pawn
6. The longest ever game of chess had how many moves? B. 269
7. What is the first piece to move in the Ruy Lopez opening? A. King Pawn
8. What is the minimum rating for a player to be considered a candidate master? C. 2000
9. What piece starts on f1? D. White king bishop
10. Bobby Fischer has the world record for the longest winning streak in master chess. How many consecutive victories did he celebrate? D. 20

Round 3: Chess Quiz – True or False

1. Chess is internationally recognised as a sport.
2. The king always begins on his own colour square.
3. Magnus Carlsen has had the longest reign as world champion of any player in history.
4. In the Réti Opening, the first piece that a player moves is their king knight.
5. The United States has more grandmasters than any other country.
6. The cleric who invented the first folding chess board  in the 12th century became so famous from his invention that he was able to get private audiences with the Pope.
7. The first chess grandmasters were given their titles by Tsar Nickolas for being finalists at the 1914 tournament in St. Petersburg.
8. There are more possible variations of chess games than there are atoms in the observable universe.

Round 3: Chess Quiz Answers- True or False

1. Chess is internationally recognised as a sport. True
2. The king always begins on his own colour square. False
3. Magnus Carlsen has had the longest reign as world champion of any player in history. False, that honour goes to Emanuel Lasker who reigned supreme for 27 years
4. In the Réti Opening, the first piece that a player moves is their king knight. True 
5. The United States has more grandmasters than any other country. False, Russia has the highest number of grandmasters
6. The cleric who invented the first folding chess board  in the 12th century became so famous from his invention that he was able to get private audiences with the Pope. False, he had to hide his invention because chess was banned by the church at the time.
7. The first chess grandmasters were given their titles by Tsar Nickolas for being finalists at the 1914 tournament in St. Petersburg. True
8. There are more possible variations of chess games than there are atoms in the observable universe. True

Round 4: Medium Chess Trivia Questions

1. How many total pawns are there on the board at the start of the game?
2. In October 2022, scandal rocked the chess world when Magnus Carlson accused his opponent of cheating. Who was his opponent?
3. What does the Shannon Number represent?
4. Who is currently the highest ranked female chess player and the youngest even female grandmaster?
5. What style of chess sees the loser of a game immediately eliminated from winning the grand prize?  
6. What chess set is the standard style of chess pieces used in tournaments?
7. What is Sans Voir more commonly known as?
8. The film Queen of Katwe tells the true story of which Woman Candidate Master?
9. What is the only piece to not be represented by a letter in chess notation?
10. Which piece was originally known as the ‘Vizier?’

Round 4: Medium Chess Trivia Questions and Answers

1. How many total pawns are there on the board at the start of the game? 16
2. In October 2022, scandal rocked the chess world when Magnus Carlson accused his opponent of cheating. Who was his opponent? Hans Niemann
3. What does the Shannon Number represent? The estimated number of total move variations 
4. Who is currently the highest ranked female chess player and the youngest even female grandmaster? Hou Yifan
5. What style of chess sees the loser of a game immediately eliminated from winning the grand prize? Single-elimination style 
6. What chess set is the standard style of chess pieces used in tournaments? Staunton Chess set
7. What is Sans Voir more commonly known as? Blindfold Chess
8. The film Queen of Katwe tells the true story of which Woman Candidate Master? Phiona Mutesi
9. What is the only piece to not be represented by a letter in chess notation? Pawn
10. Which piece was originally known as the ‘Vizier?’ The Queen

Round 5: Hard Chess Trivia Questions

If you thought this was all too easy for you, then these hard chess questions will be perfect.

1. How many squares does a Balbo’s Game board have?
2. What is it called when a player is put at a disadvantage simply by their obligation to move?
3. What move can allow a pawn to capture a horizontally adjacent enemy pawn?
4. What rating system does FIDE use?
5. Which opening is defined by the following sequence: 1 e4 d6, 2 d4 Nf6, Nc3 g6?
6. In 2019-2020, who placed second in the World Rapid Champion, finishing just one point behind Magnus Carlson?
7. Discovered in Uzbekistan in 1977, what is the name for the oldest known chess set?
8. The Panov-Botvinnik attack is a variation on what common opening?
9. A player with a ranking of 1750 would be placed in what category?
10. Raumschach is one of the earliest variants of what type of chess?

BONUS QUESTION ABOUT CHESS: Which Spanish Queen was the inspiration for the figure of the Queen in modern chess?

Round 5: Hard Chess Trivia Questions and Answers

1. How many squares does a Balbo’s Game board have? 70
2. What is it called when a player is put at a disadvantage simply by their obligation to move? Zugzwang
3. What move can allow a pawn to capture a horizontally adjacent enemy pawn? En Passant
4. What rating system does FIDE use? The Elo System
5. Which opening is defined by the following sequence: 1 e4 d6, 2 d4 Nf6, Nc3 g6? The Pirc Defence
6. In 2019-2020, who placed second in the World Rapid Champion, finishing just one point behind Magnus Carlson? Alireza Firouzja
7. Discovered in Uzbekistan in 1977, what is the name for the oldest known chess set? The Afrasiab Chessmen
8. The Panov-Botvinnik attack is a variation on what common opening? Cara-Kann Defense
9. A player with a ranking of 1750 would be placed in what category? Category 2
10. Raumschach is one of the earliest variants of what type of chess? 3D chess

BONUS QUESTION ABOUT CHESS: Which Spanish Queen was the inspiration for the figure of the Queen in modern chess? Queen Isabella

Round 6: Chess Picture Quiz

Round 6: Chess Picture Quiz Answers

1. King
2. Pawn
3. Magnus Carlson
4. Cubic chess
5. Anish Giri
6. Catalan opening
7. Bobby Fischer
8. En Passant
9. Hexagonal Chess / Glinski’s Variant
10. Arkady Dvorkovich

If you enjoyed these chess GK questions, make sure to check out our other trivia games. We cover all sorts of topics.

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