Fatty: game-changing chess move

Fatty

Definition

In modern chess slang, a "Fatty" is an emphatic nickname for a huge, game-changing move — usually a spectacular tactic, a crushing sacrifice, or a capture that swings the evaluation dramatically in your favor. Think "chunky" impact: a fat queen sacrifice, a decisive deflection, or a knockout tactic that ends the game on the spot. The term is informal, often heard in fast time controls and streamer commentary, and has no official status in classical chess literature.

Important note: "Fatty" in chess refers to the move or idea — not people. It’s playful hype for a high-impact shot, akin to saying "that’s a brilliancy."

How it’s used in chess

Players use "Fatty" to celebrate or call out a decisive idea:

• "There’s a Fatty on f7 — Nxf7! wins by force."
• "Spot the Fatty: a queen sac on b8 sets up mate."
• "I missed the Fatty clearance move and my attack fizzled."

You’ll hear it especially in Blitz and Bullet when commentators or streamers hype a big tactic. It’s cousins with terms like Cheapo (a quick trick) and Swindle (a comeback tactic), but a "Fatty" is usually objectively strong, not just a trap.

Strategic and historical significance

While "Fatty" is new-school slang, the idea is timeless. Many classics hinge on a single "fat" idea: a Queen sac to force mate, a deflection that wins the opponent’s queen, or a clearance that opens a mating net. Training yourself to recognize these high-impact moments improves calculation, evaluation, and killer instinct.

Typical triggers that a "Fatty" may exist:

• Loose pieces: remember LPDO / Loose pieces drop off.
• Overworked or pinned defenders that can be Deflection or Decoy-ed.
• Open king and converging pieces: look for Discovered check or Double check.
• Lines ready for Clearance or Line clearance.

Culturally, "Fatty" surfaced with online blitz commentary, where big momentum swings and flashy shots are celebrated. In classical games, the same ideas appear — they’re just described with traditional terms like "brilliancy," "decisive sacrifice," or "winning tactic."

Examples

Example 1 — The "Fatty" queen sacrifice in the Opera Game (Morphy vs. Duke Karl/Count Isouard, Paris 1858). Morphy’s 16. Qb8+!! Nxb8 17. Rd8# is the archetypal Fatty: a clean queen sac leading to immediate mate.

Try the final combination here:

Why it’s a "Fatty": 16. Qb8+!! is a forcing queen sacrifice that eliminates the last defender and sets up a simple back-rank mate. One move transforms the position from complex to completely winning.

Example 2 — A "Fatty" deflection wins material. When a defender guards multiple critical squares, a single high-impact move can rip it away. Look for moves that force …Qxd4, …Rxd1, or …Bxd4, leaving a back rank or fork undefended. Even without a full queen sac, the "fat" idea is the decisive deflection that collapses the defense.

Spotting and executing a "Fatty"

• Check forcing moves first: checks, captures, threats. The "Fatty" is often the top candidate.
• Count defenders/attackers and look for overload.
• Calculate cleanly to the end: a "Fatty" should be sound, not just flashy.
• In Blitz/Bullet, verify just enough to be practical — but avoid the unsound "Cheap shot".
• Beware of your own king safety and back rank — don’t drop a "Fatty" and get back-ranked in return.

Usage notes and etiquette

"Fatty" is lighthearted hype for a move, common in casual play, streams, and the Skittles room. In formal commentary or annotated books, you’ll see terms like "brilliant," "decisive," "Real sacrifice", or "winning tactic" instead. As always, aim the term at the move, not a person.

Interesting facts and anecdotes

• Many famous brilliancies could be marketed today as "absolute Fatty" moments — from the Immortal game (Anderssen vs. Kieseritzky, 1851) to modern engine-approved queen sacs.
• Streamers popularized parallel slang like Juicer (pawn), Harry (the h-pawn), and "Fatty" for the mega-tactic that blows the game open.
• Players often remember games by their "Fatty": "the b8 queen sac game" is an instant mnemonic for the Opera Game finale.

Related and contrasting terms

• Queen sac / Exchange sac / Sac — common forms of a "Fatty."
• Cheapo — a quick, often unsound trick; a "Fatty" should be objectively strong.
• Swindle — a come-from-behind tactic; a "Fatty" can be a swindle if it flips a lost game.
• LPDO — create "Fatty" opportunities by targeting loose, overloaded, or pinned pieces.
• Coffeehouse — flashy attacking style where "Fatty" shots are common (but must be checked!).

Quick checklist

• Are there forcing lines that lead to mate or decisive gain? If so, search for the "Fatty."
• Does a sacrifice open decisive lines or remove the last defender?
• Can you foresee the final position clearly? Don’t rely on hope-chess.

Bonus

Track how often finding "Fatty" ideas correlates with your results in fast chess — many players notice their jumps when they routinely scan for big, forcing moves instead of only small positional tweaks.