Tactics
The short, forcing patterns that win material or the game outright.
30 topics, all written
- 1The PinPawnAn attacking piece paralyzes an enemy unit because moving it exposes a higher-value target.
- 2The SkewerPawnAn attack on a valuable piece forcing it to move and expose a weaker piece behind it.
- 3The ForkPawnOne single piece attacks two or more enemy targets at the exact same time.
- 4Discovered AttackKnightMove one piece aside and the piece behind it does the attacking.
- 5Double CheckBishopTwo pieces check at once, so the king has to move — nothing else answers both.
- 6Removal of the Defender (Undermining)KnightTake the piece that was guarding, then take the piece it guarded.
- 7X-Ray AttackBishopA long-range piece hitting a target straight through the piece standing in the way.
- 8DeflectionBishopForce a defender away from the job it was doing, then take what it was defending.
- 9DecoyBishopDrag an enemy piece onto a square where a tactic works that did not work before.
- 10InterferenceRookDrop a piece between a defender and what it defends, and the line is cut.
- 11Zwischenzug (In-Between Move)QueenSlip a more forcing move in first. The recapture will still be there afterwards.
- 12ClearanceRookGet your own piece out of the way of a better one, ideally with check.
- 13OverloadingRookBurdening a single enemy defensive unit with too many critical defensive tasks at once.
- 14Trapped PieceKnightA piece with no safe square is already lost, whether or not it is attacked yet.
- 15King HuntQueenChecking a king out of its shelter and walking it across the board to mate.
- 16Perpetual CheckKnightChecks that never end, which is a draw however much material you are down.
- 17Stalemate TricksKnightGiving away everything so that the king has no legal move, and losing becomes a draw.
- 18UnderpromotionPawnPromoting to a knight, rook or bishop because a queen would be worse.
- 19BlockingRookPhysically obstructing a square or path.
- 20DesperadoQueenA doomed piece takes something on the way out rather than being lost for nothing.
- 21Back Rank MatePawnCheckmating a king on the 1st or 8th rank because its own pawns block its escape.
- 22Smothered MateKnightA knight mates a king that is completely boxed in by its own pieces.
- 23Boden's MateBishopTwo bishops on crossing diagonals mate a king castled queenside.
- 24Opera MateKnightA rook mates on the back rank, defended by a bishop from far away.
- 25Arabian MateBishopA rook and a knight mate a king in the corner, with the knight guarding both.
- 26Anastasia's MateBishopUsing a knight to control escape options while a rook traps the king against the side file.
- 27Hook MateRookRook, knight and pawn holding one another, with the enemy pawns closing the net.
- 28Swallow's Tail MateRookA supported queen in front of the king, whose own pieces block the retreat.
- 29Greco's MateRookA bishop covers g8 so the rook or queen can mate down the open h-file.
- 30Morphy's MateRookA bishop mates on the long diagonal while the rook covers the last square.