Chess Practice

101
Chess Tactics:
The Art of Attack in Chess.

Written by Michael Angelo Purcell

Developed exclusively for TC4K Chess Classes.
by Think Chess Inc. © 2004
Lesson 2: Geometry of So do you have to know all
Movement those possibilities? Nope
Geometry was the one besides you would not have
subject I really hated in high enough time in a trillion
school. I had a terribly boring lifetimes to look at them even
teacher who had no clue how if you looked at them at a
to make something fun or rate of a trillion per second.
interesting. I tell my The number is just way to
Kindergarten students that large. So how do
chess has a little math and a Grandmasters find the right
lot of geometry. The kids only move almost every time? They
know how to count and recognize the patterns of the
recognize just simple shapes game then make sure it
in geometry. They are too follows the well tested basics
young to hate math yet. I of good positional play. In
have tried the same line on other words they put their
Junior High students and got pieces on the best squares to
a lot of moans. So to remedy do the best job. It’s simple
this I simply state that in and yet because of the
chess you only have to know possibilities there are always
how to count to 9 and know many right ways to move and
the difference between a so no two games have to be
straight line and one with a alike. The simple yet complex
bend in it. That’s all the math game of chess is one
you need to know. oxymoron I can live with.
Ok back to the Geometry. In
Any more and they would run chess there are straight lines
out of time and never finish a in three directions only. Up
game. There are so many and down, across left and
possibilities in the game of right, and diagonally. The only
chess. The number is pieces that move in a straight
estimated at 10 with 75 zeros line are the Rook, Queen and
after it. WOW! That’s a lot! Bishop.
 there are a lot of squares
open for them to move
XABCDEFGHY around. The more crowded
8-+-+-+-+( the board the weaker the
7+-+N+-+-' pieces. One thing you will soon
6-+-+-+-+& learn is that the law in
geometry that states the
5+K+-+-mk-%
shortest distance between
4-+-+-+-+$ two points is a straight line
3+-+-+-+-# does not always work for
2-+-+-zP-+" Kings.
1tR-+L+-+Q!
xabcdefghy Remember the ordinary
In the diagram above notice check? Any Queen, Rook or
the squares that each of Bishop more than one square
those pieces can move to. away from the enemy King is
Each destination square is a looking along a straight line in
straight line away. The only order to have that King in
piece that doesn’t move in a check. The Knight check is
straight line is the Knight. the “L” shaped look at the
The Knight’s “L” shaped move King. The pawn only can
is actually an aerial move that perform an in your face
only effects the destination check. Poor guy. So we can
square. All the other pieces now say that Chess breaks
have to have the line between down in to two basic moves;
square A and square B clear straight lines, and the “L”. A
of any other pieces in order pawn move is actually a
to move to that square. straight line move since it
Naturally the destination only attacks in the in your
square has to be free of Kings face manner.
or pieces of the same color as
your piece. All of this makes The last pattern I want you
those pieces very strong when to discover is the square
doughnut. These are the other King or any piece from
squares immediately attempting to sit on a square
surrounding the King. Kings next to the King without
can be quite powerful protection. You could even call
especially in the endgame. In it a bumper that surrounds
beginning scholastic chess your King helping it to stay
they have been known to safe. The King always carries
perform feats of super human his doughnut. The world of
strength. Many scholastic chess boils down to simple
games have seen the King shapes and lines. You just
boldly going where no sane learn to recognize them. Just
King has gone before. like in life you can see
Around every King is a square patterns every day. Some of
he claims to be his own. If it them dictate the direction of
is safe he can move to one of your life. Drive on the right
those squares he chooses. side of the road and stay in
your lane. Failure to do so and
XABCDEFGHY you might get killed. Chess is
8-+-+-+-+( not that drastic. Whew!
7+-+-+-+-'
6-+-+k+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-mK-+-#
2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy
Each King’s doughnut is
marked by a square. You
might say it is an invisible
shield allowing the King some
breathing room from the
Lesson 3: Tactics three squares. A force of the
Chess is 90% tactics and 10 % rules is at work here. It
strategy. So goes the saying. prevents a piece from doing
Most coaches breakdown the something because the rules
tactics into tricks done by won’t allow it. A force of the
the pieces or pawns to gain rules in life is known as the
material or a winning position. law. You know you can’t break
Before we cover the the law. The chess laws
conventional tactics that prevents a pawn from taking a
were discovered hundreds of pawn or piece directly in
years ago, we are going to front of it. The law forces a
look at some new tactical King to get out of check. And
ideas I came up with to help so on.
the beginners understand
check and mate. Check! The ultimate law:
The King cannot be captured.
Part One: Types of Checks It is forced by law to escape
check or the game ends with
The Force Be With You! that King’s side losing if he
can’t escape check. Because
Chess leaves little room for of this we will examine the
error. The quickest way to many types of checks and the
pressure an opponent towards levels of force they exert.
a mistake is to use force. In Each check has a category
life, force is the most rating like tornados.
uncomfortable to those being
forced. So it is in chess. 1. The Ordinary Check
Force in chess has many 2. The Knight Check
levels. But the most common 3. The Discovered Check
and effective is one that 4. The In Your Face Check
makes your opponent follow 5. The Double Check
the rules of the game. For
instance a pawn cannot go
 1. The Ordinary Check Ordinary Check. The Black
This is a category 1 check. It King has all three options.
is the only check where the
King alone is under attack and A. Attack Rxe8!
has all three options to B. Block Qg8??
escape check. C. Chicken run away
to Kh7??
A. Attack Only 1…Rxe8 makes sense.
B. Block 1…Qg8 loses the Queen to 2.
C. Chicken run away! Rxg8 and 1…Kh7 loses to 2.
f6+ and mate in one.
This check is always
performed by a Bishop, Rook 2. The Knight Check
or Queen. Pawns and Knights This is a category 2 check.
cannot perform this type of The reason this check usually
check because the have to be is bad is because of the
up close. nature of how a Knight moves
XABCDEFGHY and the simple fact that a
8-tr-+R+-mk( Knight check cannot be
7+-+-+-zp-' blocked. They can only be
6-+-+-+-zp& attacked or run away from.
5+-+-+P+P% XABCDEFGHY
4P+-+Q+-+$ 8Q+-+-+-+(
3+-+-+-zP-# 7+-+-+-+-'
2q+-+-+-+" 6-+-+-mk-wq&
1+-+-+-mK-! 5+-+-sn-+-%
xabcdefghy 4-+K+-+-+$
The White Rook just moved
3+-+-+-+-#
to e8. He sees the Black King 2-+-+-+-vL"
on h7 therefore it is check. 1+-+-+-+-!
Since there is more than one xabcdefghy
square between them it is an
Black’s Knight moved to e5 mated. It is called a
which is an “L” shape away Smothered Mate. He is
from the White King, check. surrounded by his own pieces
White can capture the Knight and only the pawn on e7 is in a
with his Bishop or run away to position to capture on d6.
any square except d3. The However the poor guy is
White Queen is helpless. pinned to his King by the
Knights are notorious forkers. White Queen on e2. The
Because of this they can fly White Knight discovered the
in and devastate the material x-ray attack by the Queen
count in a single blow. Knights when he moved to d6. An X-
also spring some beautiful ray attack is when a piece is
discovered checks. looking at another piece that
XABCDEFGHY is behind one or more pieces
8r+lwqkvl-tr( which are blocking the view.
7zpp+nzppzpp' In this case the Queen is
6-+p+-sn-+& looking through the White
Knight on e4 and the Black
5+-+-+-+-%
pawn on e7 right at the Black
4-+-zPN+-+$ King.
3+-+-+-+-# 3. The Discovered Check
2PzPP+QzPPzP" This is a category 3 check.
1tR-vL-mKLsNR! Any piece can cause a
xabcdefghy discovered check but only a
This is a very famous mate in Bishop, Rook or Queen can
one problem from an actual actually deliver the check.
game. Grandmaster Paul Keres Confusing? You bet!
of Estonia sprung this one on Definition: Discovered Check.
move 6 in a game he played in When a piece moves and by
1952. I’ll respectfully leave doing so, opens up a line
out his victim’s name. Keres allowing the piece behind it to
moved his Knight to d6! see and check the enemy King.
Wham! The poor Black King is All discovered checks involve
an X-ray attack. The moving better. In this position
piece usually moves off to Black’s Queen is the likely
attack something very target. Is this attack going to
valuable since the enemy King work? Let’s see how the
will now be busy getting out discovered check is delivered.
of check. I call this tactic
Dive Bomber Chess! The XABCDEFGHY
moving piece is the airplane 8-+-+-+-+(
and the checking piece, (Since 7+-+-+-+-'
it can’t move.) is the bomb. 6-+-+-+-+&
Wow! The storm is getting
5+-+-vL-+-%
stronger.
XABCDEFGHY 4-+-+q+-+$
8-+-+-+-+( 3+-+-tR-+-#
7+-+-+-+-' 2-+-+-mK-mk"
6-+-+-+-+& 1+-+-+-+-!
5+-+-vL-+-% xabcdefghy
The rook moves to e3!!
4-+-+q+-+$
Attacking the Black Queen
3+-+-+-tR-# and the Black King is
2-+-+-mK-mk" discovered to be in check by
1+-+-+-+-! the White Bishop. Black’s King
xabcdefghy has all three options. All are
Look carefully at the White bad.
pieces. A Bishop is trying to A. Attack 1…Qxe5??
look at the Black King but the B. Block 1…Qf4??
Rook is in the way. When the C. Chicken 1…Kh1!
Rook moves the Black King will 1…Qe5
have to get out of check. The 2. RxQ
Rook then has a wonderful 1…Qf4
opportunity. Move to the best 2. BxQ
possible square and attack
something big. The bigger the 1…Kh1
2. Rh3# CHECK! The little White pawn
If White takes the Queen?? clears the e-file for his
Stalemate! Queen to deliver a powerful
discovered check. Black’s King
XABCDEFGHY does not have all three
8rsnl+kvl-tr( options. Only two and both
7zppwq-+pzpp' are bad. No one can take the
White Queen so A. Attack is
6-+p+-+-+&
out of the question.
5+-+pzP-+-% B. Block 1… Be6, Be7,
4-+L+-+-+$ Qe7
3+-+-+N+-# C. Chicken 1…Kh8
2PzP-zPQzPPzP" In every option White simply
1tR-vL-mK-+R! plays 2. d6xQ.
xabcdefghy
Here is a great example. Wow! Discovered checks,
Remember the law! Black just really cool.
played 1…d7 d5? What
discovered check is now 4. The In Your Face Check
available to White. This is a category 4 check.
XABCDEFGHY This check is one of the most
8rsnl+kvl-tr( common and forceful. Like the
Knight Check it cannot be
7zppwq-+pzpp'
blocked. Ironically only the
6-+pzP-+-+&
Knight is unable to deliver
5+-+-+-+-% this check. Everyone else can.
4-+L+-+-+$ When you get hit by an in
3+-+-+N+-# your face check it can easily
2PzP-zPQzPPzP" be mate if a Queen is doing
1tR-vL-mK-+R! the dirty work. This is
xabcdefghy because she also attacks so
Yes! 2. e5xd6 en passant many of the escape squares
around the King.
In Your Face Checks!
Examples:
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+( 8k+-+-+-+( 8k+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+-+-' 7+p+-+-+-' 7+P+-+-+-'
6-+-+-+-+& 6-zPq+-+-+& 6-+-+-+-+&
5+-mkQmK-+-% 5+pmK-+-+-% 5+-+-vL-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$ 4-zP-+P+-+$ 4K+-+-+-+$
3+-+-+-+-# 3+Q+P+-+-# 3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-+-+-+"
1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
The Classical Check The Classical Check Pawn Kiss on the check.
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+-+( 8k+-+-+-+( 8r+r+-+-+(
7+kwQ-+-+-' 7+Q+-+-+-' 7+p+-+-+P'
6-+-mK-+-+& 6-+K+-+-+& 6-zP-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-% 5+-+-+-+-% 5+p+-+-zp-%
4-+-+-+-+$ 4-+-+-+-+$ 4-zP-zpRmk-+$
3+-+-+-+-# 3+-+-+-+-# 3+Q+P+-sN-#
2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-+-+-+" 2-+-wq-+PzP"
1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+K!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
The Classical Check The Cornered Mate The Brick in the Face
XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8q+-trksn-+( 8ksn-+-+-+( 8-+-+-+-mk(
7zp-+-+Qzpp' 7tR-+-+-+-' 7+-+-sN-vL-'
6Pzp-+-zp-+& 6-mK-+-+-+& 6-+-+-mK-+&
5+-+-+-+-% 5+-+-+-+-% 5+-+-+-+-%
4-+L+-+-sn$ 4-+-+-+-+$ 4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-zP-+-# 3+-+-+-+-# 3+-+-+-+-#
2-+-+-zPPzP" 2-+-+-+-+" 2-+L+-+-+"
1+-+R+-mK-! 1+-+-+-+-! 1+-+-+-+-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
The Peck on the Cheek The Brick in the Face The Pope’s Blessing
 5. The Double Check f3 would win the White Queen.
This is a category 5 check. But is the Queen all you want.
Finally we come upon the rarest and
Look at the White King. Poor guy
most powerful of checks. The thing
is in check and winning the
that makes this check more deadly
then all the others is the fact that Queen loses both a Rook an
the opposing King will have only one Bishop for the Queen. But if the
way to get out. He must use Chicken Rook goes just one square
Run Away. There is no time to Attack further to f2 then the storm
one check because the other is still begins.
on. And blocking also falls to the rule XHGFEDCBAY
you can only make one move at a time.
1-tR-+-tR-+!
XHGFEDCBAY 2mK-tr-+-+P"
1-tR-+-tR-+! 3P+-+Q+-+#
2mK-+-+-+P" 4zp-+LvLPzP-$
3P+-+Q+-+# 5-+-vl-+-+%
4zp-trLvLPzP-$ 6+-+lzp-+-&
5-+-vl-+-+% 7-+-+-zppzp'
6+-+lzp-+-& 8tr-+-+-mk-(
7-+-+-zppzp' xhgfedcbay
8tr-+-+-mk-(
Wham! The White King has to absorb
xhgfedcbay two checks at once. His only legal
This position shows Black ready move is Kh1. White can’t take out the
to let lose a powerful category 5 Rook with his Bishop on d4 because
check. Notice the Bishop on e5 the Black Bishop would still be
aiming at the White King. In the checking the White King. White, for
the same reason, cannot block the
way his own Rook. We know this
Black Rook with his own Rook going to
allows a discovered check and
g2. He cannot take the Black Bishop
the Rook is free to attack whom on e5 either because the Black Rook
ever he wants. For instance Rook is checking his King. So White moves
Kh1. And the Black Rook slides over check you first have to see it. To see
to checkmate. it and to recognize it. For instance
XHGFEDCBAY the ordinary category 1 check. All you
1KtR-+-tR-+! need to see is the straight line
2tr-+-+-+P" between a square and the other King.
3P+-+Q+-+# Move your Queen, Rook or Bishop to
that square and that’s it. Check. The
4zp-+LvLPzP-$
line is a pattern. A geometric
5-+-vl-+-+% pattern. In lesson three you learned
6+-+lzp-+-& that chess has many geometric
7-+-+-zppzp' patterns to see. As you play the game
8tr-+-+-mk-( over and over you begin to see these
xhgfedcbay patterns. Soon you can even see the
You now have seen the power of the patterns a move or two in the future.
double check. There is an old saying This is called pattern recognition. All
in chess. “Always check it might be of chess is pattern recognition. From
mate.” This basically means before the first move to the last. You can’t
you move look further at the checks escape this fact. In order to become
you have just in case you have a good at this game you must be good
chance to end the game right away. at pattern recognition. Tactical or
In the above problem Black did just positional it does not matter. There
that. He chose not to just attack the is only one thing you need to win at
White Queen but deliver a second chess. Great pattern recognition.
check on the Black King to deliver a
mate. Chess games are divided into three
parts. Opening, Middle Game and the
Part Two: Basic Tactics and End Game. Pattern recognition is
Pattern Recognition. involved in all three phases. We will
now examine the Tactical Tricks
Chess is loaded with tactics yet involved in all three phases but
there are a limited number of types. mostly found in the middle game.
Above we talked about the five types
of checks. To perform a type of
Middle Game Tactics: 02 The Discovered Attack:
The Heart of Chess Magic The dive bombers of chess.
XABCDEFGHY
Chess tactics discussed here will be 8r+-+-+r+(
easy and get harder as the lesson 7zpp+Q+Nvlk'
progresses. There will be the top 4 6-+-+-+pzp&
traditional tactics and 12 of what I
5+R+-+-+-%
call secondary tactics. Along the way
there will be a series of descriptions
4q+-+-+-+$
that fit multiple tactics. Study each
3+n+-+-zP-#
tactic until you are thoroughly 2PvL-+-zP-zP"
familiar with the pattern involved. 1+-+-+-mK-!
xabcdefghy
01 The Double Attack or Fork:
This is the most common tactic in 03 The Pin
Chess. XABCDEFGHY
XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-mk-+(
8r+l+-tr-mk( 7+-+-+-zp-'
7zpp+-+Rzpp' 6p+-wq-+-zp&
6-+p+-+-+& 5vl-+-+-+-%
5+-wq-+p+-% 4-+QvL-+-+$
4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+P#
3+L+-+-+-# 2P+-+-+P+"
2P+-+QzPPzP" 1+-+-+-mK-!
1+R+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
xabcdefghy
04 The Skewer or X-ray Attack: 06 Decoying
XHGFEDCBAY XHGFEDCBAY
1-mK-vLR+-+! 1-mK-+l+-+!
2zP-zP-+-zPP" 2zP-zP-+-vLP"
3q+PzP-+-+# 3-zP-+-+P+#
4+-+-+-+-$ 4+-+-+-+-$
5-+-wQ-+-+% 5-+-+-+-+%
6+-+-vl-zp-& 6zpQzp-+q+p&
7pzpp+-+-zp' 7-zp-tR-+p+'
8+k+-tr-+-( 8+k+-tr-+-(
xhgfedcbay xhgfedcbay

05 Deflection 07 Interception:
XABCDEFGHY XHGFEDCBAY
8-+qtr-+k+( 1-+-+-vL-tR!
7+-+-+-zPn' 2+-zPK+-zPP"
6p+-+-zpQ+& 3p+P+-zP-+#
5+p+-+P+-% 4+-zpN+-+-$
4-+p+Lzp-zP$ 5-+-sn-+-+%
3+-zP-+P+-# 6zp-+-+-+-&
2PzP-+-+-+" 7-vl-+-+pzp'
1+-+-+-tRK! 8+-+-trk+-(
xabcdefghy xhgfedcbay