Trainings
95 trainings graded 1–10. Log in to track what you complete.
Checkmate patterns 3
The Arabian mate
A knight on f6 (or f3) and a rook team up against a king in the corner. The knight protects the rook and guards the escape square.
Back-rank mates II
The back rank is defended. Deflect, overload or exchange the defender with a sacrifice, then mate.
Smothered mate
A knight checks a king that is boxed in by its own pieces. Learn the finish and Philidor's legacy, the queen sacrifice that sets it up.
Tactics 6
Mixed tactics: novice
Forks, skewers and discovered attacks without a label. Work out which weapon the position calls for.
Pins: attack the frozen piece
A pinned piece cannot run. Attack it again, or create a pin that wins the piece outright.
Queen forks
The queen attacks in eight directions. Find the check that also picks up a loose piece.
Skewers
Check the king with a long-range piece and capture whatever stands behind it.
Discovered attacks
Move the front piece with a threat and let the piece behind it strike. Usually the moving piece gives check.
Removing the defender
A piece is safe only because something protects it. Capture or chase away the protector and take what it was guarding.
Endgames 2
Opposition: the only move
King and pawn endings where exactly one king move wins or holds the draw. Find it.
Rook endgame skewers
Checks that line the enemy king up with its own rook or a new queen. Classic tactics of rook and promotion endings.