Improve Chess Tactics - Burn the Enemy

You have to improve chess tactics to capitalize on your positional strategy. Tactics come in many guises but all are based on introducing double or multiple threats that can't all be parried.

The most common tactical motifs are the fork, the pin, the skewer, the discovered attack and the double check. These can be used on their own in a single move or in conjunction with each other in a combination.

As we set up we think about getting organized positionally. We make sure we're not vulnerable to danger. Then we have to think about turning the tide in our favor. We turn to tactics to get a decisive advantage in the game.

The first tactic that comes to mind is probably the fork. Any piece can fork two enemy pieces. This tactic is the Knight's speciality. In amateur games you will often see the horse forking a King and Rook on their home squares.


You may be able to round off a combination by attacking two pieces at once. Your opponent can only keep one of them, he will save the more valuable one. Then you take the remaining piece.


The reason that the Knight is especially adept at this is probably it's unique move. The Knight can attack two pieces without being vulnerable to capture from his targets.

Pins are used to demobilize the enemy in order to gain positional superiority and also to hopefully win material. You can often prevent your opponent from castling by pinning pieces to the central King.

If the pinned piece needs the King's protection he can't very well castle can he? Other defenders see their mobility reduced if they have to guard a pinned piece. This can all lead to paralysis in some cases.

You can also benefit directly from a pinning a piece. If a minor piece is pinned to a King or Queen, you can pile up attackers on it. If you manage to get more forces attacking the piece you can take it.

You can also win material through a skewer which is the reverse of a pin. Again two enemy pieces are attacked along a file or diagonal. One directly and the second behind it feels the x-ray.


The skewer is the reverse of the pin. This time the piece in front is the more valuable unit and must move to escape capture. When it does the path is cleared for the attacking piece to capture the second piece that was standing behind.


This technique can also be used to gain positional dominance. Instead of capturing a lesser piece behind the attacked piece, your goal could be to gain access to a key square formerly blocked by the target. When it is moved your piece can be posted on the newly conquered point.

The discovered attack is one of the most fun ways to really hurt the enemy camp. You can capitalize on the stored energy released by uncorking an attack by a piece not moved.


You have a Rook or Queen on a file or a Bishop or Queen on a diagonal that has an x-ray attack on a loose enemy piece. This attack is blocked only by one of your pieces standing between the two.


Your piece blocking the attack can move with tempo creating a second threat. Your opponent is only able to parry the more serious threat and you can collect the remaining bounty.

Checking the enemy King with two different pieces will mean the King has to flee. This can force him to a square where he will be checkmated.


It could also win you material if your move also attacks other pieces, maybe the Queen. Your opponent's forces are completely vulnerable to whatever attack you can pose while activating the double check.


This motif can help you in a number of ways. Maybe forcing checkmate, winning material or just winning a tempo to bring another piece into the attack.

Okay so having won the positional battle and created an environment ripe for tactical shots, which one do you choose? The beauty is it's not a question of choosing one over the other.

When you put together tactical combinations of two, three, four or several moves, you often blend all kinds of tactics together. You pose double or multiple threats with each move, forcing your opponent into more and more trouble.

You can put together combinations featuring discovered attacks, double checks, piece sacrifices and pins that culminate in a skewer or a fork if not checkmate.

These are just some of the more common forms of tactics that are used in combinations. These ones have been used to win some great games at the highest level.


There are several more forms. You could do worse than to start with these ones and recognize the patterns when you can use them. Put together a Study Plan and work on them regularly. Then put them into practice in your games.


Okay you're up and running with your positional game and your tactical shots. If you want to use them you have to get out of the openings in one piece. Now it's time to build your opening repertoire.