Trainings
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Tactics 15
Knight forks
Find the knight check that also attacks a rook or queen. Answer the check, lose the piece.
Pawn forks
A humble pawn advance attacks two pieces at once. Only one of them can escape.
What is a fork, a pin and a skewer?
The three most common tactical weapons explained with diagrams: attacking two things at once, freezing a piece in place, and attacking through a piece.
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.
Discovered attacks explained
Move one piece to unleash another. Discovered attacks, discovered checks and the devastating double 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.
Double checks
Two pieces give check at once; only a king move is legal. Use that to win material or mate.
Trapped pieces
A piece with no safe squares is as good as lost. Find the pawn move that closes the net.
Deflection and decoy
Force an enemy piece onto a bad square (decoy) or away from a good one (deflection), then cash in.
Perpetual check: saving lost positions
You are hopelessly behind on material, but the enemy king cannot escape your checks. Find the drawing mechanism.
Mixed tactics: advanced
No theme is given. Each position hides a different idea: decoys, discovered attacks and knight checks that end in mate.