Chess Tactics
Tactics are short-term sequences of moves that win material or achieve checkmate. Recognising tactical patterns is the single most important skill for improving at chess.
Forks
- Knight Fork - A knight attacks two or more pieces at once. The opponent can only save one.
- Bishop Fork - A bishop attacks two pieces along different diagonals simultaneously.
- Rook Fork - A rook attacks two pieces along the same rank or file.
- Queen Fork - The queen attacks multiple pieces using her combined rook and bishop movement.
- Pawn Fork - A pawn attacks two pieces diagonally.
- Royal Fork - A fork that attacks both the king and queen simultaneously.
Pins
- Absolute Pin - A piece is pinned to its king and cannot legally move.
- Relative Pin - A piece is pinned to a more valuable piece behind it.
Skewers & X-Rays
- Skewer - The reverse of a pin. A more valuable piece is attacked and forced to move, exposing a less valuable piece behind it.
- X-Ray Attack - A piece attacks through another piece on the same line.
Discovered Attacks
- Discovered Attack - Moving one piece reveals an attack by another piece behind it.
- Discovered Check - A discovered attack where the revealed attack is a check.
- Double Check - Both the moved piece and the revealed piece give check simultaneously.
Removing Defenders
- Removing the Defender - Capturing or driving away a piece that defends a key square or piece.
- Deflection - Forcing a defending piece away from its defensive duty.
- Overloading - Giving a piece too many defensive duties at once.
Other Tactical Motifs
- Trapped Piece - A piece has no safe squares to move to and will be captured.
- Interference - Placing a piece between two enemy pieces to disrupt their coordination.
- Zwischenzug - An in-between move played instead of the expected recapture.
- Attraction - Forcing an enemy piece to a vulnerable square.
- Clearance - Moving one of your own pieces to open a line for another.