Pronounce That Chess Word

 


Here is a list of chess terms and personalities and their pronunciation.

Abramov (ah-BRAHM-ahf), Lev - Russian arbiter and Correspondence International Master (IM)
Acs (larch), Peter - Hungarian GM
Adorjan (A-door-yan), Andras - Hungarian Grandmaster
Akhmilovskaya (akh-mih-LOEV-ska-ya), Elena - woman grandmaster
Akhsharumova (akh-sha-ROO-ma-va), Anna - woman grandmaster; Boris Gulko's wife
Alapin (ah-LAH-pin), Semyon - Russian master
Alatortsev (a-LAH-tahrt-seff), Vladimir - honorary Soviet grandmaster
Alburt, (AHL-bert), Lev - grandmaster
Alekhine (ahl-YO-KHeen), Alexander - former world champion
Alexandria (ah-lek-SAHN-dree-ya), Nana - woman grandmaster
Antoshin (ahn-TOE-sheen), Vladimir - Soviet grandmaster
Aronin (a-ROE-neen), Lev - Soviet International Master
Averbakh (ah-ver-BAKH), Yuri - Soviet grandmaster
Balashov (bah-lah-SHOFF), Yuri - Soviet grandmaster
Barcza (BAR-tza), Gedeon (GEH-deh-on) - Hungarian Grandmaster
Belyavsky (bel-YAHV-skee), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Bernstein (BERN-shtyne), Ossip - Russian Grandmaster
Bisguier (BIS-gire), Arthur - American Grandmaster
Bogolyubov (bah-gah-LYU-bahf), Efim - German Grandmaster
Boleslavsky (ba-leh-SLAV-skee), Isaak - Soviet Grandmaster
Bondarevsky (bahn-da-REV-skee), Igor - Soviet Grandmaster
Book (Boeroerk), Eero - Finnish Grandmaster
Botvinnik (baht-VIHN-ik), Mikhail - former world champion
Bronstein, David (brahn-SHTAYN) - Soviet Grandmaster
Bykova (BY-kah-va), Elizveta - former world women's chess champion
Caissa (KI-suh) - goddess of chess
Caro Kann (KAH-ro KAHN) - opening named after Horatio Caro and Marcus Kann
Chajes (HA-yes) - strong master
Charousek (Kha-ROO-sek), Rudolf - Hungarian master
Chernin (chair-NEEN), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Chiburdanidze (tchee-boor-dah-NEED-zeh), Maya - former women's world champion
Ciocaltea (Cho-calta-ya)
Colle (KAW-lee), Edgard - Belgium champion
Csom (Chom), Istvan - Hungarian Grandmaster
Dolmatov (dahl-MAH-tahf), Sergei - Soviet grandmaster
Dorfman (DOHRF-mahn), Josif - Soviet Grandmaster
Dvoretsky (dvahr-YET-skee), Mark - chess trainer
Duz-Khotimirsky (dooz-kha-tih-MEER-skee), Fyodor - Russian master
Dzindzichashvili (jin-jee-khash-VEE-lee) - Grandmaster
En passant (ahn pah-SAHN) - special method of capturing
En prise (ahn preez) - piece hanging
Euwe (UH-vuh), Max - former world champion
Fedorowicz (Fe-do-RO-vich), John - American Grandmaster
Fianchetto (fee-an-KETT-toe) - development of the bishop on b2, g2, b7, or g7

FIDE (Fee-Day) – acronym for World Chess Federation in French
Florian (FLAW-rey-aan), Jaromir (YAH-raw-meer) - Czech master
Foltys (FAWL-tiss), Jan (Yon) - Czech GM
Ftacnik (ff-tach-nick) - Slovak GM
Furman (FOOR-mahn), Semyon - Soviet Grandmaster
Gaprindashvili (gah-prin-dahsh-VEE-lee), Nona - former world women's champion
Gelfand (GEHL-fahnd), Boris - Belarus born (1968), Israeli GM (immigrated in 1998)
Geller (GEH-ler), Yefim - Soviet Grandmaster
Gligoric (Glee-GO-rich), Svetozar - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Gruenfeld (GREWN-feld), Ernst - Austrian Grandmaster
Giuoco Piano (JOKE-o Pee-AH-no) - Italian Opening
Gufeld (GOO-feld), Eduard - Grandmaster
Gulko (gool-KOE), Boris - Grandmaster
Gurevich (goo-RAY-vich)
Hou Yifan (Ho Ee-fahn) - world women's champion
Ilyin-Genevsky (ih-lee-IN-zheh-NYEV-skee), Alexander - Russian master
Ivanchuk (ee-vahn-CHOOK), Vasily - Soviet Grandmaster
J'adoube  (Zha-DOOB) - I adjust
Jaenisch (YAY-nish), Carl - Russian player and author
Janowsky (Yan-OF-sky), Dawid - Polish master
Karjakin (car-yack-kin) - youngest grandmaste ever at age 12
Karpov (KAHR-pahf), Anatoly - former world chess champion
Kasimdzhanov (Kah-zeem-jha-nov), Rustam - grandmaster
Kasparov (Kah-SPAHR-off), Garry - former world champion
Kavalek (kuh-VAHL-ek), Lubomir - American grandmaster
Keres (CARE-ess), Paul - Soviet Grandmaster
Khalifman (kha-leef-MAHN), Alexander - former FIDE world champion
Kholmov (KHOEL-mahf), Ratmir - Soviet Grandmaster
Kmoch (k-MOTCH), Hans - chess master and writer
Konstantinopolsky (kahn-stahn-ti-NOE-pahl-skee), Alexander - Russian master
Kortchnoi (kahrch-NOY), Viktor - Swiss Grandmaster
Kotov (KOE-tahf), Alexander - Soviet Grandmaster
Kottnauer (CAWT-now-ehr), Cenek (CHEH-nyeck) - Czech master
Labourdonnais (lah-boor-do-NAY), Louis - 19th century player
Lange (LAHN-guh), Max - German player and author
Lein (Lane), Anatoly - American Grandmaster
Levenfish (leh-ven-FISH), Grigory - Russian master
Levitina (leh-VEE-ti-na), Irina - woman grandmaster
Liberzon (lee-ber-ZONE), Vladimir - grandmaster
Ljubojevic (Luh-BOY-yuh-vitch), Ljubomir - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Lucena (Lou-CHAYN-uh), Luis - 15th century chess author
Maroczy (muh-ROT-see), Geza - Hungarian Grandmaster
Najdorf (NIGH-dorf), Miguel - Argentine Grandmaster

Nakamura (NAH-kuh-muh-rah) - top American GM
Nepomniachtchi (nyea-porn-NYASHCH-ee), Ian (Yahn) - Russian GM
Opocensky (AW-paw-CHEN-skee), Karel  (CAH-rell) - Czech master
Pachman (POKH-mon), Ludek (LOO-deck) - grandmaster
Petroff (PEHT-roff), Alexander - Russian master
Petrosian (Peht-rahs-YAHN), Tigran - former world champion
Pirc (Peerts), Vasja - Yugoslav Grandmaster
Polugaevsky (pah-loo-gah-YEV-skee), Lev - Soviet grandmaster
Ponomariov (ponn-no-MAH-rre-ov), Ruslan (ROOS-lahn) - former world champion
Przepiorka (pshe-PURER-ka), David - Polish master
Psakhis (SAHK-iss), Lev - Soviet Grandmaster
Reti (RAY-tee), Richard - Hungarian master
Robatsch (RO-bahtsch), Karl - Austrian Grandmaster
Ruy Lopez (Rue-y Lopeth) - 16th century Spanish priest and player
Rybka (Ripka) - chess program (means little fish in Czech)
Saemisch (SAME-ish), Friedrich - German Grandmaster
Schevenigen (SKHAY-vuh-nign-en) - pairing system and Sicilian Defense variation
Schliemann (SHLEE-mon), Adolf - German player and opening analyst
Shirov (SHEER-ahf), Alexey - Soviet grandmaster
Smyslov (smih-SLOEFF), Vasily - former world champion
Spassky (SPAHSS-kee), Boris - former world chess champion
Stean (Steen), Michael - British Grandmaster
Stein (Shtayne), Leonid - Soviet Grandmaster
Steinitz (Styne-itz), William - former world champion
Suba (SHOO-ba), Mihai - Romanian Grandmaster
Suetin (soo-AY-teen), Alexey - Soviet grandmaster
Sveshnikov (SVYESH-ni-kahff), Yevgeny - Soviet grandmaster
Taimanov (tie-MAH-naff), Mark - Soviet grandmaster
Tal (Tahl), Mikhail - former world champion
Tarrasch (tuh-ROSH), Siegbert - German master
Tartakower (tart-a-KO-ver), Savielly - Austrain/Polish/Russian grandmaster
Tchigorin (chih-GOE-reen), Mikhail - Russian master
Timman (TIE-mahn), Jan - Dutch Grandmaster
Tseshkovsky (tsesh-KOEV-skee), Vitaly - Soviet grandmaster
Tukmakov (took-mah-KOEFF), Vladimir - Soviet grandmaster
Unzicker (Oontseecker), Wolfgang - German grandmaster
Vaganian (va-gahn-YAHN), Rafael - Soviet grandmaster
Vasiukov (vahs-you-KOEFF), Yevgeny - Soviet grandmaster
Wijk aan zee (vyke ahn zay) - Dutch city famous for chess events
Winawer (VIN-ah-ver), Szymon - Polish master
Xie Jun (she-a-JUNE) - former world women's champion
Yusupov (yoo-SOOP-ahf), Artur - Soviet grandmaster
Zaitsev (ZITE-seff)
Znosko-Borovsky (ZNOE-ska-bah-ROEV-skee), Yevgeny - Russian master
Zugzwang (TSU-ktsvan), position in which the move makes a worse result
Zukertort (SOOK-er-tort), Johann - German master
Zvjiginsev (zvya-GIN-tsev), Vadim - Soviet grandmaster
Zwischenzug (TSVISH-en-tsook) - in-between move


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