Chessnow: Episode 1

     Thank you, all the readers out there, for checking this out. Today is the first episode in my new series, Chesnow. You'll want to stick around later when the good stuff gets better!

     Since today is Episode 1, we'll start with the basics. If you already know these, then you don't have to check them out. But even if that, these are still good tactics for everyone.

1. Forks

     Forks are definitely the most basic tactic, but it can still ruin a game for your opponent. Forks occur when a piece attacks two or more pieces at once, typically with the knight, as all the other pieces can be taken if checked at the closest point to them. Here's an example of it happening:

     This is a fork involving the knight. However, this may not be the best example because, if the king was castled, for instance, then the rook would still be lost because it's trapped in Black's pieces.

     Forks can also happen with a manner of other pieces. Below are some examples of these:

Fork with the rook.

Fork with the queen.

Fork with the bishop.

Two Pawns Fork!

     You can fork with anything! That's what makes it so powerful.

2. Pins

     Pins are one of the most annoying tactics in chess. A pin is where one piece prevents another piece from moving due to another, more important piece behind it. If this sounds confusing, look down below to see a couple examples of this:

     There are more, but there's too many to include.

     And there you have it! Chessnow Episode 1 takes an official conclude. Thank you for reading and stay tuned for Episode 2, coming out 5/8/2026! See you then!

-Kaden_Zachary