Chess handicap

Handicap in chess is a way to equal chances for players of different strengths. There are two kinds of handicaps in chess: material handicaps and time handicaps.

Material handicap

Material handicaps were quite popular in 18th and 19th centuries, when the chess was often played for money stakes and a weaker player wouldn't accept the challenge without a handicap. The following system was used (in increasing handicap level):

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Move: weaker player gets white.
• Two moves: weaker player gets white and make two moves at the game start.
• Move and pawn: weaker player gets white and the black pawn f7 is removed from the board.
• Knight odds: stronger player plays without a knight.
• Rook odds: stronger player plays without a rook.
• Queen odds: stronger player plays without the queen.