Terminology
- major pieces are queens and rooks
- minor pieces are knights and bishops
- a rank is a row of squares on the chessboard
- a file is a column of squares on the board
- If a player has two bishops, they are assumed to be on opposite colors unless stated otherwise.
When the number of moves to win is specified, optimal play by both sides is assumed. The number of moves given to win is until either checkmate or the position is converted to a simpler position that is known to be a win. For example, with a queen versus a rook, that would be until either checkmate or the rook is captured, resulting in a position that leads to an elementary checkmate.
Read more about this topic: Pawnless Chess Endgame