Appendix I
PCCC Terminology Subcommittee 2004
M O T I F S
Motif – the fundamental intellectual component of chess game/composition.
It takes the form of the mutual interaction of the material (unit), spatial
(square), and temporal (move) elements of chess.
The essence of a motif can be material (enabling or disabling the movement
of a unit), spatial (guarding or attacking a square or squares, or cancelling
an attack or guard), temporal (manoeuvring so as to gain or lose a tempo), relating
to mate (creating or releasing a mating position), or relating to the king (checking
the king, or preventing or disabling a check).
A motif can be realized by one move (direct) or by more moves (indirect).
These moves can be executed by one unit (simple) or by more units (compound).
The motif can be related to the present position of the units (immediate) or
with a position which will appear after some moves (anticipatory).
Each motif has its content (what it is trying to achieve) and form (how it
is realized).
Content of a motif – the basic intellectual purpose
of the motif, expressing how it contributes to the fulfilment of the stipulation.
Disabling of a move – (content of a) motif as a result of which a
given move cannot be realized.Enabling of a move – (content of a) motif as a result of which a given
move can be realized.Attack on a square – (content of a) motif as a result of which a given
square comes into range of a white unit (square control by positive motifs).Cancellation of an attack on a square – (content of a) motif as a
result of which a given square is taken out of range of a white unit (square
control cancellation by negative motifs).Guarding of a square – (content of a) motif as a result of which a
given square comes into range of a black unit (square control by negative
motifs).Cancellation of a guard on a square – (content of a) motif as a result
of which a given square is taken out of range of a black unit (square control
cancellation by positive motifs).Closure of a mating position – (content of a) motif as a result of
which the degree of control of the squares around the relevant king is increased.Release of a mating position – (content of a) motif as a result of
which the degree of control of the squares around the relevant king is decreased.Tempoing – a motif, as a result of which one side arrives in zugzwang.
Anti-tempoing – a motif, as a result of which one side is prevented
from arriving in zugzwang.Check – a motif which consists in an attack on the king.
Anti-check – a motif which consists in the prevention of an attack
on the king.
Form of a motif – the outward and visible nature
of the motif, expressing how its content is realized.
Line opening – form of a motif, as a result of which the mobility
of a line-moving unit is increased. It consists in the move of a unit away
from any square (except the end square) of the line controlled by the line-moving
unit.Line opening – a move of a unit away from any square (except the end
square) of a line controlled by a line-moving unit.Line closing – form of a motif, as a result of which the mobility
of a line-moving unit is decreased. It consists in the move of a unit on to
any square (except the end square) of the line controlled by the line-moving
unit.Line closing – a move of a unit on to any square (except the end square)
of a line controlled by a line-moving unit.Hurdle insertion – form of a motif, as a result of which the mobility
of a leaping unit is increased. It consists in the move of a unit on to the
line of leap.Hurdle removal – form of a motif, as a result of which the mobility
of a leaping unit is diminished. It consists in the removal of a unit from
the line of leap.
Battery motifs – a general term for line opening
and line closing motifs.
Battery – a positioning of two or more men which allows the mobility
and control of squares of one of them to be increased by the removal of a
second from its line of action.If this control refers to
– the square on which the adverse king stands (direct battery) – check
by line opening– a square forming part of a mating position menacing the adverse king
(indirect battery) – closing of a mating position by line opening– a square on which an adverse unit stands – enabling capture by line
opening– any other square – enabling a move by line opening
Arrival – increasing the mobility of a unit towards a thematic square
as a consequence of its move.Departure – destroying the mobility of a unit towards a thematic square
as a consequence of its move.
Obstruction motifs – a general term for blocking
and unblocking motifs.
Blocking – form of a motif, as a result in which the motif materializes
through the arrival of a unit on the target square of another unit of the
same colour.Unblocking – form of a motif, as a result in which the motif materializes
through the departure of a unit from the target square of another unit of
the same colour.
Hurdle motifs – a general term for motifs in which
the movement of a hopping unit is enabled or prevented by the arrival of another
unit on its line of action.
Antibattery – a placing of two or more units, which enables one of
them to start to act on certain squares as a consequence of the arrival of
another unit on its line of action or on the line of another unit by which
its mobility is controlled.
Paralyzing motifs – a general term for motifs
involving paralyzing and freeing from paralysis.
Paralyzing – form of a motif in which the power of movement of a unit
is disabled by another unit with paralyzing ability.Unparalyzing (release from paralysis) – form of a motif in which the
power of movement of a paralyzed unit is restored by cancelling the effect
of a unit with paralyzing ability.
Negative motif – a motif acting against the fulfilment of the stipulation.
Positive motif – a motif acting towards the fulfilment of the stipulation.
Attacking motif – a positive motif in a move by White.
Harmful (error) motif – a positive motif in a move by Black.
Defensive motif – a negative motif in a move by Black.
Weakening motif – a negative motif in a move by White.
Classification and designation of motifs
1. According to aim (how they influence the fulfilment of the stipulation)
| positive | negative | active | passive | |
| in a move by White | A (attacking) | W (weakening) | A (attacking) | W (weakening) |
| in a move by Black | H (harmful) | D (defensive) | D (defensive) | H (harmful) |
2. According to content (to which object of chess composition they refer)
| space | material | time | mating position | king | |
| in a move by White | A | B | C | D | E |
| in a move by Black | a | b | c | d | e |
3. According to form (how they are realized – how many units are used, how
many moves and in what space)
| number of units | one | simple | 1 arrival | withdrawal | |
| more | compound | 2 line opening | line closind (interference) | battery | |
| 3 unblocking | blocking | obstruction | |||
| 4 capture | not capture | X mover / Y capturer | |||
| 5 creation of a hurdle | removal of a hurdle | antibattery | |||
| 6 unparalyzing | paralyzing | ||||
| number of moves | one | direct | |||
| more | indirect | by the same side | a (anticipatory) | ||
| by both sides | m (masked) | ||||
| place | in place of the object | near | |||
| out of the object | d (distant) |