Lessons

Introduction to Tactics

Introduction to Tactics

CHESScom
Chess.com Team
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Get ready for a tactical workout!

Are you ready to take your game to the next level? Then this course is for you! This module introduces you to the tactical tools of chess you need to reach the next level. This tactical workout will whip your game into shape!

Here is what you will learn:

  • Practice forks!
  • Work on pins!
  • Spot discovered attacks!
  • Checkmate your opponent!

2 Challenges

Foot Race

White to play
2 Challenges

An Aggressive King

White to play.
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Vulnerable Pieces

White to play
2 Challenges

King Power

White to play
2 Challenges

Royal Invasion

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Salad Time

White to play
2 Challenges

Front and Center

Black to play
2 Challenges

Knightmare

White to play
2 Challenges

Rookey Lookey

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Dagger Thrust

White to play
2 Challenges

First Strike

White to play
2 Challenges

No Mercy

White to play
2 Challenges

Looks are Deceiving

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Shishkabob

White to play
2 Challenges

Beginner's Delight

White to play
2 Challenges

Dream Come True

White to play
2 Challenges

Bare Bones

White to play
2 Challenges

Nice Knight

White to play
2 Challenges

Square Patterns

White to play
2 Challenges

Goodnight

White to play
2 Challenges

In the Saddle

White to play
2 Challenges

Radiance

White to play
2 Challenges

Triple Threat

White to play
2 Challenges

Rank and File

White to play
2 Challenges

Elbow Room

White to play
2 Challenges

In the Line of Fire

White to play
2 Challenges

Strung out Bishops

White to play
2 Challenges

Royal Separation

White to play
2 Challenges

Double Trouble

White to play
2 Challenges

Divide and Conquer

White to play
2 Challenges

Omnipotent Queen

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

A Common Theme

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Royal Fork: The Knight's two handed punch

This problem shows us what a fork is. A fork is a case where two pieces are attacked at the same time by one opposing piece.
2 Challenges

Family Fork

When a lone knight attacks a king, queen, and rook at the same time, we get what is known as a family fork.
2 Challenges

Bishop Fork

A certain symmetry between two Black pieces exists on the board which makes a fork possible.
2 Challenges

Rook Fork

Knights fork on their strange "L" shaped patterns, bishops fork on diagonals, and rooks, of course, can fork on either ranks or files.
2 Challenges

Pawn Fork

It's one of the curiosities of chess that the weakest of pieces can pose a threat to the strongest. Even harmless little pawns can attack two pieces at once.
5 Challenges

Queen Fork

The queen has the ability to move like a rook and bishop combined. Due to this versatility, the lady's forking powers are considerable.
4 Challenges

King Fork

It may surprise you, but even a king can fork pieces! In the present example we see the White king take matters into its own hands and fork the rook and knight.
5 Challenges

Winning Knight

White to play
2 Challenges

Horse Jumping

White to play
2 Challenges

Smiling Pawn

White to play
2 Challenges

Today the Center

Black to play
2 Challenges

The Line Up

White to play
2 Challenges

Stuck in the Mud

White to play
2 Challenges

Adding Pressure

White to play
2 Challenges

A Tight Rein

White to play
2 Challenges

All Pinned Up

Black to play
2 Challenges

Fatal Attraction

Black to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Ladies First?

White to play
2 Challenges

Too Close for Comfort

Why did your opponent play that move?
2 Challenges
3 Challenges

Excellent Teamwork

White to play
2 Challenges

Caught in a Trap

White to play
2 Challenges

Weak Rank

Black to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

To the Rescue

Black to play
2 Challenges

Pinned Pawns

Every piece on the board is subject to a pin, with the sole exception of the king. A king cannot be pinned to something of greater value because there is nothing of greater value!
2 Challenges

Rook pins

The two best pinners are rooks and bishops. Queens also make excellent pinners, since they mimic the movements of these two pieces. In this problem the White rook can initiate a very effective pin.
2 Challenges

Dark Squares

Black to play
1 Challenge

A Handy Tactic

White to play
2 Challenges

Feint and Strike

Black to play
2 Challenges

Distraction

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Promoting a Pawn

White to play
1 Challenge

Black Dagger

Black to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Fatal Line up

White to play
2 Challenges
3 Challenges

Back Stabber

White to play
3 Challenges

The Skewer

A skewer is like a backwards pin in that you threaten a piece, force it to move, and capture a less valuable piece behind it. In a pin you attack a piece that has a more valuable piece behind it.
2 Challenges

Rook Skewer

Skewers are most commonly made by bishops and rooks. In this case a rook wins the game by itself.
2 Challenges
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Wandering Queen

White to play
2 Challenges

Corner Shot

White to play
2 Challenges

A Common Trick

Black to play
2 Challenges

No Room to Roam

White to play
2 Challenges

Trapper John

White to play
3 Challenges

Monarchy

White to play
3 Challenges

Tickle a Horse

White to play
2 Challenges

Houdini

White to play
1 Challenge

Hanging Pieces

Black to play
1 Challenge

Perpetual Check: Two Rooks on the Seventh Rank

Two rooks doubled on the seventh is a glorious thing to have!
4 Challenges

Opening Ambush

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Peek-A-Boo

White to play
2 Challenges

Look What I Found

White to play
2 Challenges
2 Challenges

Double Duty

White to play
2 Challenges

Methodical Gains

White to play
2 Challenges

The discovered check

Black has just played the rook to b2 and called check to the White king. Was this a good idea? What should White do?
2 Challenges
1 Challenge
2 Challenges

Blow for Blow

White to play
2 Challenges

Does the Pin Win?

Black to play
1 Challenge

Breaking a pin

Some pins win decisive amounts of material, while other pins are just of temporary nature and can be defused with careful play. Here we want to find a way to end the pin against Black's c6-knight.
2 Challenges

Basic Mate: King and Queen vs. King

This is one of the most important mates you will ever learn, because it is something you simply HAVE to know! I
5 Challenges

Basic Mate: King and Rook vs. King

A king and rook can mate a lone king in fairly easy fashion, though it must be admitted that the process is longer and more tedious than a king and queen mate.
19 Challenges

Basic Opposition: King vs. King

An invisible force exists between the kings that allows one king to outperform the other. This force is known as the opposition.
2 Challenges

Square of a passed pawn

At times the opponent is pushing their pawn, and your king is far from the action. How can you tell if you can stop their pawn? Here we learn a shortcut that makes the whole process easy!
5 Challenges

Pawn Structure

In general, you are supposed to pick a plan of action based on the state of your pawn structure.
2 Challenges

Introduction to Tactics

Tactics
112 Lessons
No Videos
256 Challenges
Released 11/24/2007

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