Chess Tactics

2025-07-26   blogpage sketch

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Fundamentals

Forks

Attacks multiple pieces simultaneously, forcing losses. chess.com/terms/fork-chess

• Knight: Jumps to hit unguarded targets.
  

• Pawn: Diagonal forks in endgames.
  

• Queen: Multi-directional but risky.
  

Pins

Immobilizes piece shielding higher value (e.g., king). chess.com/terms/pin-chess

• Absolute: To king; can't move.
  

• Relative: To queen/other; movable but costly.
  

• Exploit: Attack pinned piece repeatedly.
  

Skewers

Attacks valuable piece fronting lesser one. chess.com/terms/skewer-chess

• forces move, exposes rear.
  

• By queens/rooks/bishops on lines.
  

Discovered Attacks

Moving piece unveils attack from behind. chess.com/terms/discovered-attack-chess

• Potent with checks; double threats.
  

• Variants: Double discovered.
  

Decoys and Deflections

Decoy lures to bad square; deflection overloads. chess.com/terms/decoy-chess and chess.com/terms/deflection-chess

• Decoy: Sacrifice for position.
  

• Deflection: Force abandonment of duty.
  

Zwischenzug

Intermediate move disrupting sequence. chess.com/terms/zwischenzug-chess

• Often check before recapture.
  

Overloading

Piece defends too much; exploited. chess.com/terms/overloading-chess

• Attack one duty to collapse others.
  

Interference

Blocks enemy lines, disrupting coordination. chess.com/terms/interference-chess

• Sacrifice to sever paths.
  

Back-Rank Weakness

Exploits trapped king on rank 1/8. chess.com/terms/back-rank-mate-chess

• Rook/queen checks if pawns block escape.
  

Battery

Aligned pieces reinforce attack. chess.com/terms/battery-chess

• Queen behind rook, etc.
  

X-Ray Attacks

Indirect attack through pieces. chessfox.com/x-ray

• Long-range pressure.
  

Windmill

Repeated discovered checks, capturing. chess.com/terms/windmill-chess

• Rook-bishop combo.
  

Double Check

Two pieces check king simultaneously. chess.com/terms/double-check-chess

• Forces king move only.
  

• Aaron Nimzowitsch: "Even the laziest king flees wildly in the face of a double check."
  

Clearance Sacrifice

Sacs to vacate square for own piece. chess.com/lessons/champion-tactics-with-gm-wolff-clearance-sacrifice

• Opens lines/attacks.
  

Trapped Piece

Piece immobilized, capturable. chess.com/terms/trapped-piece-chess

• No safe moves.
  

Removal of the Defender

Captures guardian, exposes target. chess.com/terms/removing-the-defender-chess

• Quick collapses.
  

Promotion Tactics

Pawns advance to queen/other. chess.com/terms/pawn-promotion

• Underpromotion rare but key.
  

Decoy

Sacrifice lures enemy piece to vulnerable square. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decoy_(chess))

• Similar to decoy.
  

GM Example: Morphy vs. Duke of Brunswick, 1858 – Attracts king to mating net.

Desperado

Piece about to be captured sacs itself first. chess.com/terms/desperado-chess

• Minimizes loss.
  

Smothered Mate

Knight mates king surrounded by own pieces. chess.com/terms/smothered-mate

• Often queen sac draws knight in.
  

Greek Gift Sacrifice

Bishop sac on h7/h2 vs castled king. chess.com/terms/greek-gift-chess

• Opens h-file for attack.
  

Alekhine's Gun

Two rooks behind queen on file. chess.com/terms/alekhines-gun-chess

• Massive pressure.
  

Perpetual Check

Repeated checks for draw. chess.com/terms/perpetual-check-chess

• King can't escape.
  

Zugzwang

Any move worsens position. chess.com/terms/zugzwang-chess

• Often endgames.
  

En Passant Capture

Special pawn capture after two-square advance. chess.com/terms/en-passant

• Disrupts structures.
  

Attacking the Castled King

Sacs/pawn storms vs castled position. chess.com/blog/ChessPawn921/attacking-the-castled-king-same-side-castling-edition

• Breaks defenses.
  

Simplification

Trading to winning endgame. chess.com/terms/simplification-chess

• Secures result.
  

Anastasia's Mate

Knight and rook/queen mate on edge. chess.com/terms/anastasias-mate-chess

• Knight blocks escapes; heavy piece attacks.
  

Cross-Check

Block check with own check. chess.com/terms/cross-check-chess

• Bc2 blocks and checks.
  

Double Attack

Multiple pieces attack targets. chess.com/terms/double-attack-chess

Hanging Piece

Undefended piece capturable. chess.com/terms/hanging-piece-chess

• Loose targets.
  

Opening Traps

https://www.chess.com/article/view/10-opening-traps-that-work

• Noah's Ark
  

• Legal's Mate
  

• Cambridge Springs Trap
  

• Lasker Trap
  

• Rubinstein Trap
  

• Siberian Trap
  

• Fajarowicz Gambit
  

• Blackburne Shilling Trap
  

• Budapest Gambit Smothered Mate
  

• Fishing Pole Trap
  

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