Pattern recognition is key to chess mastery. Learn more about the importance of pattern recognition and how you can improve this vital skill.
Pattern recognition is key to chess mastery. Learn more about the importance of pattern recognition and how you can improve this vital skill.
The one tactic every player must know is the fork. Learn about this especially deadly chess tactic which almost guarantees the advantage.
Learn about pins – the most essential chess tactic. Also, learn 3 ways to get out of a pin and how to pile on pinned pieces to win them!
KEY TAKEAWAYS Skewers are like backward pins – a valuable piece is forced to move, leaving a piece behind it to be taken Skewers occur infrequently but are extremely powerful Only Bishops, Rooks, and Queens can skewer Background From all tactics, the skewer is perhaps one of the deadliest as it almost guarantees you will […]
Discovered attacks and checks are powerful tactics that are unexpected and can win loads of material instantly! Read more here.
KEY TAKEAWAYS Also called the “see saw” – a repetitive discovered attack on the King that can win lots of material for free. Most common example: Have a Rook on g2/g7 and a Bishop on the long diagonal Move your Rook (and take a piece) to unleash a discovered attack on the King. Then move […]
KEY TAKEAWAYS A discovered attack except both pieces check the King! Enemy King can only escape check by moving out of the way Can’t block two checks simultaneously Can’t take two checking pieces at once If the King can’t move, then it’s checkmate! Sadly triple checks are impossible 🙁 Double Check Double checks are an […]
The desperado sacrifice is a neat escape hatch that can save seemingly hopeless positions. As the old adage goes, “If you’re doomed anyways, do as much damage as you can.”
KEY TAKEAWAYS Deflection: Lure a piece away from a key square or defensive task. Strike while it’s on vacation. Overloading: when one piece has too many defensive tasks, it can’t complete all of them. Deflections are similar to decoy sacrifices. The difference: Decoy: Lure a piece onto a key square Deflection: Lure a piece away […]
KEY TAKEAWAYS Decoy sacrifices are so effective they result in almost insta-wins. There are two steps to the decoy sacrifice: 1] Lure piece onto square 2] Spring a tactic to win it, other material, or checkmate. Decoys are close relatives to deflections. The difference: Decoy: Lure a piece onto a key square Deflection: Lure a […]
KEY TAKEAWAYS “For me art and chess are closely related, both are forms in which the self finds beauty and expression.” – Former World Champion Vladimir Kramnik. The Intermezzo truly shows a chess player’s artistic side. Using it effectively in battle is the highest sign of chess mastery and shows a deep positional awareness and […]
