Pronounce the 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

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