Every Single Chess Tactic Explained (Yes, Every Single One)
Chess is a game of brilliant ideas, deep strategy, and… completely hanging your queen in one move (trust me, I’m only around 1500 Elo at the time of writing this blog, I know the struggle). That’s where tactics come in. This blog breaks down every major (and not-so-major) chess tactic from forks and skewers to whatever the heck a 'pigs on the seventh' tactic is, in a way that actually makes sense. The goal isn’t just to memorize patterns, but to spot them in your games so you can punish mistakes… instead of being the one making them.
So strap in as we go on a roller coaster from the most common tactics to the absolute weirdest and rarest ones!
Basic Tactics(#1-5)
#1 The fork
By far the most common tactic in chess, the fork (or double-attack) is a tactic in which a piece (most commonly the knight because of its unique movement) simultaneously attacks 2 pieces at once and both cannot be defended in a single turn! This results in winning material. Although forks most commonly occur with knights they can be played by all pieces including the king and pawns!
Now let's see what you're made of! Pay close attention to this position now. How can you fork black's king and rook?
#2 The pin
This is the second most common tactic and it's done by positioning one of your pieces so that it is looking straight at one of your opponent's pieces except that piece cannot move because in doing so the opponent will expose one of their pieces of higher value. This often results in winning material but not all the time(in some cases it is done simply to prevent that piece from moving especially in openings) Here's an example of a pin:
Now try to find a way to pin black's knight to his king with the rook.
#3 The skewer
Think of this tactic as a pin...but in reverse. Instead of hitting the lower value piece so that it cannot move because a higher value piece is behind it, you instead hit a higher value piece which is then forced to move revealing a lower value piece behind it which you can then capture. Take this example:
Here's a quick and easy puzzle on skewers.(hint: this one involves a check)
#4 The discovered attack
Now this one's theme is a bit different from the rest. It involves a double attack but unlike a fork it uses 2 separate pieces to attack 2 different pieces. This is done by moving one piece out of the way of one of your own to reveal 2 separate attacks(often including a check). Now this can be done without 2 attacks though it's often less potent than with a double-attack. Here's an example:
I think you get how this is going to go. Try and figure out how to reveal a discovered attack on black's queen!
#5 The X-Ray
This one is also sort of similar to both the pin and skewer. This involves moving a bishop, rook, or queen to defend or attack a piece or square through another piece. Take this for example:
And here's a puzzles for you.(hint: this one involves a check)
Intermediate Tactics(#6-30)
#6 The deflection(or decoy)
This is exactly what it sounds like. The purpose of this tactic is to distract or remove a certain piece away from a position where it is guarding an important square or piece. This tactic often involves sacrifices and other tactics so they can be tricky to find but here's an example:
And the puzzle:
#7 Removing the defender
Well if you haven't already figured it out... this tactic is all about removing the defender. This tactic is fairly easy to find and only requires a bit of simple calculations. When a piece is only guarded by one piece and that defending piece is already getting attack it can create huge problems such as in this example.
Now try it yourself!
#8 Overloading the defender
This one is very similar to both #6 and #7(none of this 67 stuff intended...). When a piece is tasked with defending multiple pieces or threats at once you can attack an area or capture a piece the defender is defending which leads to that piece dropping its defense on another one of their pieces or an important defensive square. Now that was a mouthful but everything will make sense with this example.
You know the drill now. Here's the puzzle:
#9 Double-check
As if tactic names couldn't get any more obvious... now obviously you know what it is now even if you've never heard of it but what exactly makes it so important? It's just a check after all right? No. Many times it is more valuable than a regular check because it forces the opponent king to move as both attacks cannot be blocked at once. This can lead to dangerous sequences or even checkmates such as in this example:
Double-checks can seem tricky at first because it may seem as if your pieces can still be captured but remember, your opponent cannot take 2 pieces in 1 turn. Now try it for yourself!(Hint: this one involves 2 tactics!)
#10 Zugzwang
The zugzwang is when all of a player's available moves are losing. Of course you cannot "skip" a move and so the player is put at a disadvantage simply because they moved. Now this seems unlikely and it really is in the opening(not sure how you'd achieve that though) and in the middlegame(it is very rarely seen but possible) but during the endgame it becomes much more common. Take this king and pawn vs king endgame for example.
Now this position may seem drawn at first but take a careful look at the board. Here there is a zugzwang tactic opportunity!
#11 The in-between move(or Zwischenzug)
Normally what would you do if your pieces were threatened? Move it away right? Except sometimes instead of playing the expected move(usually a capture or retreat) you can play what's called an in-between move to save it and sometimes even create threats of your own by playing a move which creates an immediate threat before dealing with your own problems(ex: checks, checkmate threats, etc). The in-between move can be used both offensively and defensively! Here's a defensive example!
Now try to use this tactic offensively!(hint: this puzzle involves a fork and potentially an X-Ray tactic!)
#12 The clearance sacrifice
Ever had one of your own pieces get in the way of your own tactics? You're not alone. But in some cases you can actually get rid of those numbnut pieces by sacrificing them and then executing your plan! Take this one for example:
And you guessed it! Here's the puzzle:
#13 Attraction
This tactic involves attracting a certain piece(usually by sacrificing one) where it can later be attacked with another tactic. Take this one for example:
Your puzzle:
#14 The battery
This one is fairly simple and more positional. It involves combining 2 or more long-range pieces(bishops, rooks, queens) to align on a file, rank, or diagonal to create much stronger control and increase pressure. Here is an example using a battery nicknamed the "Alekhine's gun" which completely dominates the d-file.
Now try to use this bishop and queen battery to force checkmate.
#15 Interference
This tactic involves cutting off the connection between 2 pieces(usually 2 long range pieces) which can then force a gain in material. This is done by putting a piece between the 2 pieces to disrupt their connection. This tactic can also be done by disrupting a long-range piece's control over a key square!
Now you try doing this!
#16 Trapping pieces
I don't think I have to explain this one to you since... it's all about trapping pieces. This usually occurs in closed positions so you likely won't find many opportunities to trap a piece in the endgame but it is still possible.
Now try trapping black's queen in this puzzle!
#17 Counter threat
A counter threat is a provocative tactic in which you ignore an opponent threat by creating a much stronger and urgent threat of your own. Basically you're pushing the whole "offense is the best defense" strategy to the extent! They can be played using any tactic or by simply threatening a piece of higher value. Here is an example of that:
And now here's a puzzle on this using an opening that I personally love(the Classical Dutch)
#18 Mating net
This is a tactical setup in which a player uses multiple pieces to surround the enemy king and cut off all its escape squares to set up a checkmate. Look at this example:
Now it's your turn
#19 Desperado
Ever seen one of those movie scenes where the good guy confronts the bad guy and then the good guy thinks he's won but then the villain goes "if I'm going down, then you're going down with me!"? Well that's exactly what this tactic is all about. In a Desperado you sac a piece you already know is going to be captured to gain a little more material. As you already know, here's the example:
In this puzzle try to find a certain tactic before playing a Desperado.
#20 The windmill
This tactic typically involves a rook and bishop in which you trap the king in a corner and constantly swing back and forth with your rook to capture a huge amount of material while giving checks(basically you spam discovered checks). This tactic is often game ending because it can be repeated so many times.
Now you try to find the windmill tactic in this puzzle while capturing the most amount of material possible!
#21 Perpetual check
This tactic unlike the rest is often used to draw lost games. It is done simply by putting the opponent's king in an infinite checking cycle that they cannot escape which then leads to a draw by 3-fold repetition. Just look at this example:
Now try and find the perpetual check here.
#22 Cross-check
Perhaps one of the only times you're ever allowed to play uno in chess and hit your opponent with a reverse card is by playing a cross-check. After all what better way to respond to a check is there than a counter check!
This puzzle should be quite easy. Figure out the best possible counter check!
#23 Simplification(to the extreme)
You've all most likely been told to simplify the position when up material(meaning to trade off as many pieces possible) but sometimes you can do this to the absolute extent even if it means losing material. Take this endgame for example:
It may not seem obvious at first but what is the best here?
#24 The Greek gift sacrifice
This is a common and popular attacking pattern in which you sacrifice a bishop to create immediate attacks on the enemy king. This sacrifice consists of 3 primary pieces: the queen, bishop, and knight. It is done usually by sacrificing a bishop for a pawn on the h7 or h2 square while giving check and then bringing the knight immediately to g4 or g5 square which would then follow up with the queen joining the attack. That's probably a little difficult to imagine without an example so here you go:
Now you try and execute one. Remember that all Greek gifts can be different(I suggest watching a video on them to understand when and how to execute them).
#25 The indirect defense
Think of this one as a bit of a poisoned move. You move a piece somewhere where it threatens some kind of tactic or attack and it seemingly feels like a free hanging piece... except it's not because it is tactically defended! Now a lot of beginners may not know what that looks like but regardless I was going to put the example anyway.
Puzzle...:
#26 Pawn breakthrough
This tactic is very important in the endgame especially when both players' kings are far from their pawns but in this example white is actually winning despite the game looking entirely drawn. This tactic involves sacrificing pawns to clear a path for another pawn and promote! Take a look!
Do I even have to say it anymore?
#27 Smothering
Ever heard of a smothered checkmate? It's when the king is completely surrounded by its own pieces and then an enemy knight moves in to checkmate the "smothered" king. Smothering is the exact same thing except it includes all pieces not just the king.
At this point, you already know what to do…
#28 Hit and run
This tactic occurs when you have a hanging piece which is attacking another piece but instead of retreating or capturing you capture another piece while also defending your hanging piece. Here's an example:
Alrighty lads, step on the gas and hit ’em! Not literally, of course but see if you can find the hit and run tactic here!
#29 Attacking f7/f2
This one is actually a pretty common one. Now you may be wondering, what's so important about the f7/f2 pawn? Well it's the fact that it is the only pawn at the start of the game that is only defended by the king and nothing else. This makes it a huge weakness which can often be exploited and used to your advantage. You may have already heard about the scholar's mate or fried liver and if you haven't already noticed, they target the f7/f2 pawn!
Your turn!(Hint: this one involves a sacrifice!)
#30 Pigs on the seventh!(or rooks on the seventh if you're boring)
Finally the moment we've all been waiting for! What in the world is a "pigs on the seventh"?!?! This term is used for when you place both rooks on the opponent's seventh or second rank and create immediate checkmate threats and/or threaten all the pawns on that rank. The term is used because the rooks act like "pigs" while "eating" pawns.
Now using this tactic find a way to chop(pork chops pun intended) away at your opponent's defenses and checkmate the enemy!
Extra puzzles(#31-40)
Now that you've got an idea of what every single chess tactic is about, it's time you learn to spot them during your games without any sort of idea of what you're looking for. In these next 10 puzzles you will not be told what tactic you're supposed to be looking for... it is up to you to figure it out!
#31
#32
#33
#34
#35
#36
#37
#38
#39
#40
Well, this is the end of the blog and while chess might look like a calm, strategic battle, most games really come down to who sees the tactic first(or who misses it completely) and if you made it this far then you probably already know more tactics than most players ever bother to learn. If there’s one thing to take away from all of this, it’s that patterns are everything. The more you recognize, the easier the game becomes and as a fellow 1500, I can promise you—once you start spotting these ideas, your opponents’ “mysterious blunders” start making a lot more sense.
If you know any other tactics I've missed or mistakes I've made, feel free to drop them in the comments! I’ll gladly add them to the list and give you full credit so you can officially contribute to this chaotic collection of tactics!
