Basic Tactics in Chess
Fork
Definition
A fork is a single move that attacks two or more enemy pieces simultaneously. Knights are the most famous «forking» pieces because of their unique L-shaped leap, but any piece—including pawns and the king—can deliver a fork.
Usage
Players look for forks to win material or deliver a decisive tactical blow. A well-placed fork can transform a quiet position into a winning one in a single move.
Strategic Significance
- Forces the opponent to concede material or suffer checkmate threats.
- Creates psychological pressure; opponents often waste time avoiding potential forks.
Example
Position after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Ng5: White threatens 5. Nxf7, forking the queen on d8 and the rook on h8.
Interesting Fact
The term “fork” dates back to the 19th century English chess literature, likening the simultaneous double attack to the prongs of a dinner fork.
Pin
Definition
A pin occurs when a piece cannot—or should not—move because doing so would expose a more valuable piece (or the king) behind it to capture.
Types of Pins
- Absolute Pin – The piece in front is immobilized because moving it would leave the king in check (illegal).
- Relative Pin – Moving the front piece is legal but would lose significant material.
Strategic Significance
Pins restrict mobility, create targets, and often serve as a springboard for deeper combinations such as piling up attackers on the pinned piece.
Example
After 1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bf4 c6 4. e3 Qb6, Black threatens to pin the bishop with 4… Qxb2, attacking the rook on a1.
Interesting Fact
Anatoly Karpov was renowned for exploiting tiny positional edges by maintaining long-term pins, particularly in the Caro-Kann and Queen’s Gambit.
Skewer
Definition
A skewer is the tactical cousin of the pin: a more valuable piece is attacked first and must move, exposing a weaker piece behind it to capture.
Usage
Typically executed by long-range pieces (bishops, rooks, queens) along ranks, files, or diagonals.
Example
In the famous “Opera Game” (Morphy – Duke of Brunswick & Count Isouard, Paris 1858) 16. Qb8+! skewered Black’s king and rook, ending the game.
Interesting Fact
Because the stronger piece must move first, skewers are often more decisive than pins, frequently netting material immediately.
Discovered Attack
Definition
A discovered attack occurs when a piece moves away, unveiling an attack from a long-range piece sitting behind it.
Double Impact
If the moving piece also creates its own threat, the result is a double attack, often lethal.
Example
After 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4! (Evans Gambit) Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O dxc3 8. Qb3: White threatens both c3-cxd4 (discovered) and Bxf7+.
Interesting Fact
Garry Kasparov famously used a discovered attack in Kasparov – Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999, one of the most celebrated attacking games ever.
Double Check
Definition
Both the moving piece and the uncovered piece give check simultaneously. The only legal response is to move the king; blocking or capturing one attacker is insufficient.
Strategic Significance
Double checks frequently precede mating nets because of their forced nature.
Example
Legall’s Mate (Paris 1750): 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 d6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. h3 Bh5 6. Nxe5! Bxd1 7. Bxf7+ Ke7 8. Nd5# — moves 7 & 8 feature a decisive double check.
X-Ray (or “Indirect Attack”)
Definition
An X-ray is a latent attack where a long-range piece “sees” through an intervening piece, preparing to exert pressure once the obstruction moves.
Usage
Common in rook endings, where one rook “x-rays” through another to the opposing king or pawn.
Deflection
Definition
Deflection forces an enemy piece to abandon a critical square, line, or duty, usually by luring it away with a capture or threat.
Example
In Capablanca – Tartakower, New York 1924, 29. Qxf7+! deflected Black’s king from g8, enabling a mating combination.
Decoy (Attraction)
Definition
A decoy lures an enemy piece (often the king or queen) onto an unfavorable square where it becomes vulnerable to further tactics.
Classic Illustration
The “Lasker Trap” in the Albin Counter-Gambit uses 5… Ng4, baiting White’s queen to g4, only to be trapped after … h5.
Clearance
Definition
Clearance sacrifices or moves a piece to vacate a square, rank, file, or diagonal for another piece’s use.
Notable Game
In Kasparov vs. Deep Blue, 1997 (Game 1), Kasparov’s 28. Rxe6!! was a clearance that opened the long diagonal for the bishop on b1.
Zwischenzug (Intermezzo)
Definition
A zwischenzug is an unexpected intermediate move played before an anticipated recapture or routine continuation, often changing the evaluation of the position.
Example
After 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5 5. Qa4+ Nc6 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. cxd5! exd5? 9. f3! — White’s zwischenzug drives away the knight before recapturing.
Overloading (Overworked Piece)
Definition
An overloaded piece is tasked with defending multiple threats; forcing it to abandon one duty yields material or positional gain.
Example
In Fischer – Benko, U.S. Championship 1963/64, Black’s queen defended both b7 and e6; Fischer’s 19. Bxe6! overloaded it and secured a winning advantage.
Sacrifice
Definition
A deliberate offer of material (sometimes even the queen!) to obtain time, attacking chances, positional trumps, or a direct mating attack.
Types
- Sound (speculative) – Objectively correct or leading to sufficient compensation.
- Unsound – Risky, relying on practical chances or opponent errors.
Historical Significance
The romantic era (19th century) idolized sacrificial play—Anderssen’s “Immortal Game” (1851) remains the iconic example.
Example PGN
Interesting Fact
Modern engines sometimes uncover hyper-modern sacrifices once thought unsound; AlphaZero’s rook sacrifices versus Stockfish stunned the chess world in 2017.