Introducing the Biggest Tactical Indicator: The Exposed Piece
Have you ever had that game where you just "knew" there was a winning tactic lurking on the board? It's an exhilarating moment when, after scanning the position, you have a "Eureka!" moment and discover the winning move. Conversely, it's frustrating when you search in vain, unsure if you missed a winning tactic, and eventually make a move just to continue the game. Personally, I can't wait to consult my computer to see what brilliant tactic the silicon gods reveal that I missed.
But what triggers this tactical intuition, this "Spidey sense"? More often than not, it’s the presence of one or more exposed pieces on the board.
Understanding the Exposed Piece
An exposed piece is any piece (usually excluding pawns) that has the same or fewer defenders than attackers. To execute a tactic that results in material gain, such as a fork, you typically need to target two or more of these vulnerable pieces. If your opponent has no exposed pieces, finding an effective tactic becomes significantly harder.
A Simple Example: The "Win a Piece" Variation
Before diving into the example, I want to give credit where credit is due to National Master (NM) Brian Wall, a highly creative player based in Colorado, USA, who popularized—or possibly even invented—this variation. Here’s Brian showing one of his favorite games to the popular chess streamer, zefcatt:
Also, the name of this variation came from chatting about this variation, and in particular, how often I was winning a piece in this variation, with my good friend, @philomathbret. Bret is a strong OTB player in his own right, earning A-player status in USCF tournaments. I don't know who came up with the name but it just stuck from that point forward, at least in my tiny chess circles.
Now that credit has been given out, let's get to the actual variation!
The "Win a Piece" Variation
Trap #1: Black plays the most natural move but it's a blunder!
Trap #2: Black doesn't fall for the first trap but...
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When you see or calculate a position with one or more exposed pieces, stay alert for potential tactics. Without exposed pieces, there may simply be no viable tactical opportunities.
I hope this insight helps you stay impressive on the board!
