What is the blunder emoji in chess?

The double question mark "??" is one of the most dreaded symbols in chess notation. It indicates a blunder – a very bad move that severely damages a player‘s position. But what exactly constitutes a blunder? And what is the history behind this notation? This guide will explore the meaning of "??" in depth.

An Overview of Key Chess Symbols

Before diving into blunders specifically, let‘s overview some important chess symbols:

?? – Blunder, a terrible move that worsens position
! – A good move, often surprising or skillful
!? – Interesting move, risky idea
?! – Dubious move, strategically suspect
# – Checkmate

There are also symbols for threats like + (check), ± (white is winning), ∞ (black is winning). But we‘ll focus on move assessments here.

The Dreaded Double Question Mark

The double question mark "??" indicates a blunder – a very bad move that severely damages the player‘s position. Some key aspects:

It is much worse than just a mistake marked "?"
Often allows tactics like winning material or checkmate
May overlook a simple refutation
Caused by poor thinking or sloppy calculation

Here is an example of a blunder:

Chess Blunder Example

Black plays 1…e5?? overlooking that the bishop on c4 can now take the pawn with check. This loses black‘s queen after 2. Bxe5+ Qxe5 3. Qxh5

Blunders deserve double question marks because the move is objectively terrible and critically weakens the player‘s position. It often throws away the advantage or even loses on the spot.

Other Important Chess Symbols

Here are some other key chess symbols:

! – This denotes an excellent, clever, or surprising move. It is usually one the opponent may have overlooked.
!? – This interesting move signifies a risky or speculative idea. It may not be objectively best but sets up traps or complicates the position.
?! – This dubious move is strategically suspect and may create weaknesses. But it may be hard to punish over the board.
# – Checkmate ends the game. The # symbol indicates checkmate after the finishing sequence.

Understanding these symbols will help you better assess moves when analyzing master games.

Special Chess Notation

Beyond symbols for individual moves, there are some other special notations:

Triangulation – This refers to repeated zigzag maneuvers, often by kings, to gain opposition or evade zugzwang.
Descriptive Notation – An older notation style using K for king, Q for queen, etc. Much less common today.
Algebraic Notation – The modern way of indicating squares like e4, b3, f6. Much more concise and precise.

These forms of notation help capture unique chess concepts and strategies you‘ll see analyzed in books and games.

Illegal Moves and Their Penalties

All players should know the rules around illegal moves:

Moving into check – You cannot leave/put yourself in check with a move. This is illegal.
Jumping pieces – Knights are the only piece that can jump over others. Other pieces cannot.
Touch move – If you touch one of your pieces, you must move it if possible. If you touch an opponent‘s piece, you must capture it if possible.
Faking a move – You must move the piece you touch. You cannot feint or pull back.

The penalty is usually to move the piece touched if possible. Your opponent may force you to move the touched piece. Forfeiture is also possible for deliberate or repeated illegal moves.

The History of Chess Notation and Symbols

Chess notation has evolved over centuries into the system we use today:

Descriptive notation was used in early chess literature. It described moves in relation to the piece type, like KbP for king‘s bishop to pawn.
The first chess publications started using algebraic notation in the 19th century. This defined the start and end squares, like Bc4.
Symbols like ! ? !? were introduced in the 20th century to add move assessments. ?? for blunders was popularized in chess periodicals and books.
Modern digital transmission of games uses the ASCII symbols ? ? ! for shorthand. But ?? is often written out as "blunder".

So the ?? symbol has its origins in annotating chess games in literature and publications. It became a quick way for annotators to label particularly bad moves that damaged a player‘s position.

Famous Chess Blunders

Looking at infamous chess blunders can help illustrate why they deserve double question marks:

In the 1969 USSR Championship, Sveshnikov blundered with 58…Kf6?? against Korchnoi. This allowed the simple 59. Rf4# checkmate!
Rotlewi vs. Rubinstein 1907 saw White play 19. Bxc7?? which loses material to the fork 19…Rc8 attacking the queen and rook with check.
Short vs. Timman 1991 featured 31…Qe7?? overlooking a basic pin tactic by White after 32.Bg5! winning the queen.

These examples show how "??" moves overlook direct tactics, allow checkmate, or lose substantial material. The errors are obvious in hindsight and critically damage the player‘s position.

Avoiding Blunders as a Chess Player

Here are some tips to help avoid making terrible ?? move blunders in your own games:

Look for checks and captures first – This basic tactic check will catch many oversights.
Calculate forcing variations – See if any checks, captures or threats exist before moving.
Use all your time – Blunders increase in time pressure. Manage the clock wisely.
Double check moves – Take an extra moment to confirm move candidate assessments.
Review games afterward – Identify blunders in post-game analysis for improvement.

Slowing down, managing time wisely, and double checking calculations will help avoid rushing and making game-losing blunders. Reviewing the ??! moves in your games is also instructive.

Blunder Quiz

See if you can spot the blunders in these example positions:

Problem 1:

Problem 1 diagram

White played 1. g3?? in this position. What is the refutation?

Problem 2:

Problem 2 Diagram

In this position, Black erred with 1…f5?? – What should Black have played instead?

Problem 3:

Problem 3 Diagram

Black should have avoided 1…e4?? in this position. How is it refuted?

Conclusion

The double question mark "??" represents one of the worst moves a chess player can make – the blunder. Blunders typically overlook tactics, allow checkmate, lose substantial material, or otherwise critically harm the player‘s position. Understanding common chess symbols like ??, !, !?, ?!, and # will help when analyzing master level games. Avoiding blunders yourself involves thought and calculation techniques. Hopefully this guide provides a helpful overview of what the "??" emoji means in chess and how to avoid making terrible game-losing moves.