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CHESS STRATEGY

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Basics

Pieces

Tactics

Openings

Middle Game

End Game

Glossary

	Throughout the game, players must be alert to the possibilities of combinations that win material or, occasionally, lead to checkmate. Forks and skewers are two of the most basic tactics; both involve attacks on two or more targets, not all of which can be defended. In the following diagram, for example, the White knight is forking the black king and queen, the White Queen is forking the bishop and knight, and the White bishop is skewering the two rooks.  Back to Top Pins are another common tactic for winning material. A piece may be pinned against a king or against another piece. In the following position, Black's knight cannot move without putting the king in check. Even if Black defends the knight with d7-d6, White can win it by playing f2-f4.  Back to Top Forks, skewers, and pins can often be brought about by making a temporary sacrifice. In this position, Black has just moved the queen to g6 to threaten Qg6xg2 mate. This was a fatal mistake, however. White now plays Re1xe4, forcing Re8xe4, and now the Black rook is pinned against the queen by White's bishop. White now plays f2-f3, and Black will come out a piece behind.  Back to Top Pieces can become overworked when they try to do two or more jobs at once. In the following position, Black has just blundered by moving a knight to h4. The trouble is that Black's bishop on f6 is tied down to the defense of g7. If the bishop stops defending g7, White can play Qg2xg7 mate. Therefore, the Black bishop is not really defending the knight on h4, and White wins a piece by playing Nf3xh4.  Back to Top The following position shows two other standard themes, deflection and back-rank weakness. Black seems to have an equal position at first glance, but White wins by playing Re1-e8+. The only way out of check is Rd8xe8, after which White plays Qd3xd5 and has an easily won game.  Back to Top Players must be wary of the possibility of interpolations, or zwichenzugs-- moves made prior to answering a threat, and which must be answered. In the following position, White has just played Nc3-d5. If Black plays Qa5xd2, White will not recapture the queen immediately, but instead will play Nd5xe7+. After Kg8-h8, Rd1xd2, White has won a pawn. (To avoid this, Black had to retreat the queen to d8.) A common kind of interpolation is one in which an attacked piece gets away by giving check or attacking another piece. Before answering an opponent's attack on one of your pieces by attacking one of his or her pieces, be sure the piece you're attacking cannot make a new attack, leaving you with two pieces hanging. Of course, if your piece the opponent is attacking can itself give check ... well, it can get complicated (that's chess).  Back to Top