Would you be able to recreate thematic tactical positions on the board without guidance?

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ModestTiger

I"m wondering if you had nothing but a chessboard and pieces and were asked to recreate the positions on the board like for example.. multiple skewer attacks . would you be able to without a book, purely from the memory process? 

MickinMD

Yes, for most of them.  I have made it a point to memorize and be able to demonstrate the Tactical Motifs on the following pages:

https://chesstempo.com/tactical-motifs.html

https://www.chess.com/article/view/chess-tactics--definitions-and-examples

Also, these Positional Motifs should be learned to the point where you can demonstrate them:

https://chesstempo.com/positional-motifs.html

If someone asked me to set up "multiple skewer attacks," I've never thought of that process, but if it means one skewer attack leads to another skewer attack, I can do that, but it seems to me that multiple X-ray Attacks would make a better demo because they don't have to attack a lesser valued piece through the piece they are X-raying.