Beginner lesson
Five chess tactics that win games
Tactics are short combinations that win material or deliver checkmate. You do not need to calculate ten moves ahead—start by recognizing these five shapes.
1. Fork
One piece attacks two or more targets at once. Knights are famous for forks because their unusual jump is easy to overlook. Before moving a knight, count every square it will attack.
2. Pin
A pinned piece cannot safely move because something more valuable is behind it. A piece pinned to its king cannot legally move if that would expose the king to check.
3. Skewer
A skewer attacks a valuable piece first. When that piece moves away, the piece behind it is captured. Bishops, rooks, and queens create skewers along open lines.
4. Discovered attack
Moving one piece uncovers an attack from another. The moving piece may create its own threat too, forcing your opponent to answer two problems at once.
5. Remove the defender
If one defender is the only thing protecting an important piece or square, capture, pin, or distract that defender before taking your real target.
Your before-every-move checklist
- Am I in check?
- What checks can I play?
- What can I capture?
- What is my opponent threatening?
- Does my move leave anything undefended?
Checks and captures are forcing moves, so inspect them first—but never play one automatically.
Try the patterns now
Use today’s puzzle to look for checks, captures, forks, and pins.