Questions tagged [tactics]
Questions relating to maneuvers that take advantage of short-term opportunities, such as forks, discovered attacks, skewers, etc.
263
questions
19
votes
5answers
2k views
Examples of forced stalemate
The usual case one often sees specially in blitz play is when one side (usually the winning) mis-plays and then stalemate occurs with the losing side dodging a loss. But are there positions where ...
5
votes
8answers
946 views
Opening as a Beginner: Mainlines or Offbeaten path?
I am approximately 1500 OTB (Lichess Classical 1750, chess.com 1540, internal rating in my club ~1500), and of course I would like to improve. Work and family are demanding, so naturally I would like ...
6
votes
4answers
394 views
Most common tactic motifs in the opening phase of chess
On analyzing my games, I found that I usually miss tactics in the opening than during middlegame and endgame. To supplement my study by solving tactical problems based on motifs, it would be helpful ...
1
vote
1answer
95 views
Attacking as Black in the Caro-Kann
Is it possible to play the Caro-Kann aggressively/tactically as Black?
What are the attacking chances/ideas for black in the Caro-Kann? Or is it simply the wrong opening for that?
I found a few ...
4
votes
3answers
283 views
What's the deep idea behind this puzzle?
I'm trying to get better by doing many tactics puzzles a day. This one I found very interesting.
[FEN "6rk/6rp/p3pQ2/3pP3/3Pb3/1PP1PRR1/4q2P/6K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. Qxg7+! Rxg7 2. Rf8+ Rg8 3. ...
2
votes
0answers
45 views
Percentage of decisive games decided by tactical mistakes?
In their book, The Woodpecker Method, Axel Smith and Hans Tikkanen give these percentages of decisive games decided by tactical mistakes:
GMs 42%
2200-2400 44%
2000-2200 63%
1800-2000 72%
They say:
...
3
votes
1answer
82 views
How to train tactics methodically
In sports, there are often times methodical ways to practice. In tennis, for example, you don't just play matches or just practice forehands, you practice hitting forehands cross-court deep into the ...
1
vote
2answers
126 views
What was the best move for white? Could white have won?
Could white have won this game? What was the best move in this position for white?
Or could Black have won?
6
votes
5answers
1k views
How many windmills types exist in chess?
I'm interested in chess patterns similar to the windmill. If you think there are none more than the ones that I'm listing I'm interested in a proof that satisfies me to stop looking for more of them. ...
7
votes
2answers
2k views
How could I have prevented this long drawn out game?
Consider the following game. I am black.
[FEN ""]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 e6 4. Nf3 b6 5. Nc3 Bb7 6. Bg5 Be7 7. h4 Nc6 8. Bd3 Qd7 9. Qd2 O-O-O 10. Nb5 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. a4 h6 13. Bxf6 ...
4
votes
1answer
213 views
Puzzle rush vs. Puzzles
I'm wondering what would be, in terms of efficient fast improvement, the best training module between puzzle rush (fast calculation and pattern recognition strengthening) and traditional timeless ...
3
votes
5answers
4k views
How to get to 1600
I've often heard people say that, to get to a FIDE rating of 1600, one doesn't need a coach, and that one can do it by oneself.
I'd be glad if you could help me see what one can do to achieve that. ...
4
votes
1answer
212 views
I need help understanding this puzzle
With White to play, I have trouble understanding what goes on in this puzzle. First of all, how exactly Kh1 is preferable to Kxh2? I know that Black can give checks after Kxh2, but there really is no ...
14
votes
4answers
3k views
Giving up a knight and bishop for castled rook and pawn
The opening shown here is quite common. Is it generally a good or a bad idea to give up a kKnight and a bishop for the castled Rook and the f-pawn? In terms of their "standard" value, both ...
4
votes
1answer
91 views
Chess tactics software which can read files
Lichess publishes tactics problems which can be downloaded from database.lichess.org.
The file is in csv format. Which software can be used to read and play positions from this csv file?
4
votes
1answer
137 views
Pinning Combination
There are are four types of pins.
Absolute Pin-A piece is pinned to the king and cannot move due to the resulting illegal check.
Partial Pin-A piece is pinned to the king and can move along pinning ...
13
votes
6answers
1k views
What are some helpful chess tactics training websites? [closed]
I like Chesstempo and chess.emrald.net[1].
Are there any others?
Edit (25.12.2020): Since at least 2018, chess.emrald.net has often not been responsive.
2
votes
2answers
305 views
Why Is Black forced to give up the queen in this puzzle?
[FEN "1r4k1/3q3p/p2P2r1/4pNNQ/5p1P/P7/6PK/8 w - - 0 1"]
I got this position as a puzzle with White to play. The correct move was 1. Ne7, followed by 1... Qxe7 and 2. dxe7. To me, it seems ...
4
votes
2answers
167 views
How do I create sharp, tactical positions?
It is said that you shouldn't simply look for combinations every move; rather, you should create positions that tend to create tactical opportunities.
But what does this actually mean? I think my ...
7
votes
2answers
1k views
How come it's actually Black with the advantage here?
I was analyzing a recent game of mine, and I noticed something interesting. After I blundered back a bishop on move 16, the evaluation was -3.4, which is still strongly winning for Black.
[White "...
9
votes
3answers
752 views
How do I trap the queen once it pins my rook?
I am playing as Black in this game, and after 10. Qg4, I realize that White wanted my rook. I knew I could trap the queen once it went for the rook (11. Qxg7), but I forgot how. I went on to win the ...
4
votes
3answers
820 views
Tricky continuation to the Fried Liver “refuted”
Suppose white gets the following opening:
[FEN ""]
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bc4 Nf6
4. Ng5 d5
5. exd5 Na5
This is what I call Fried Liver Refuted, instead of Nxd5 we get instead Na5. From ...
6
votes
5answers
1k views
How do I understand White's +6 advantage here?
[White "White (to move)"]
[Black "Black"]
[FEN "rnq1kb1r/ppp3pp/4pn2/4N3/2QP4/2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1B1K2R w KQ - 0 13"]
In this position, White can still castle, but Black cannot (having moved the king ...
9
votes
3answers
2k views
Why is it a mistake to capture the forked rook?
In a recent game, I forked a queen and rook with a knight. After seeing no immediate threats from 8. Qf4 I immediately captured with 8. ...Nxb3. Apparently this was quite a mistake (a 213 centipawn ...
3
votes
4answers
3k views
Anki Deck for Tactics Traning
Does anybody have Anki decks for tactics training?
If anyone has such decks, can you share them with me?
I am trying to improve my tactics and I heard that space repetition is one way to do that, so ...
6
votes
3answers
578 views
Is it better to start without a queen or without any pawns?
I think that this question really can be answered rigorously with good analysis. It is opinion-based, but not completely since some results in this direction can be obtained, and strict and general ...
8
votes
2answers
531 views
Calculation skills beyond 2000 Elo
[Title "Black to move and win - rated 2179"]
[FEN "2r2r1k/1pq3bp/p3p1p1/P4n2/1P1P4/2P1P2P/3BB1Q1/R3R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
I've been trying to work on my chess a bit more seriously since about mid-March (I ...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
Tips for converting my advantage in the middlegame and the endgame
I'm fairly new to chess. I'm practicing against 1500~ rated opponents/engines on chess.com. My openings and middlegame seem to go well. After every game, the engine analysis says I'm always up +1 ~ +3 ...
4
votes
1answer
156 views
Playing rating is higher than tactics rating
I noticed for a while that in many chess websites that my tactics rating is between 1700-2000, but my playing rating in rapid is between 2000-2250, in blitz between 1900-2100, and in classical between ...
1
vote
2answers
112 views
Is chess.com's tactics trainer any good for actual tactical improvement?
Daniel Naroditsky recommended using this to improve at tactics but I was wondering if it was in any way worse than using a book with tactics for example.
5
votes
5answers
762 views
Do sacrifices work mostly for masters?
Many beautiful and celebrated master games feature heavy sacrifices of material that result in checkmate, or at least the regaining of more material than was sacrificed. In most cases, the original ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Why and when should one make a zwischenzug (in-between move)?
I know enough German to know that the term "zwischenzug " means "in-between move." Another translation I've seen is an "interpolative" move. Why make such a move?
An ...
9
votes
5answers
1k views
Must a player play tactical openings to learn tactics?
As has been said, Chess in 99% tactics/calculation.
So, if a player is aiming to increase his tactical abilities should he play tactical openings like the King's Gambit, or can he play something ...
13
votes
4answers
3k views
Is it good to have a tendency to exchange pieces?
This is how I am playing nowadays. I can beat ~1500 player 50% of the time (the rest is due to tactical errors):
Play the opening (upto 12 moves)
Don't blunder
At the point where my pawns and pieces ...
4
votes
2answers
665 views
Bishop sacrifices to prevent castling
I have neen playing a higher amount of online chess as opposed to club chess lately and something I have noticed is a significant increase in Bishop sacrifices to prevent kingside castling. Here is ...
11
votes
3answers
745 views
How did classic masters like Alekhine and Anderssen practice tactics?
How did classic masters like Alekhine and Anderssen practice tactics? Surely there was no chess.com or chesstempo at that time. How did the masters back then manage to increase their tactical ...
10
votes
4answers
345 views
What length of time should one spend looking for a combination, and what factors should one consider?
Taking time control into account, how long should one take when looking for a combination? Also, what factors should one consider when looking for a combination?
8
votes
3answers
668 views
When is it right to start learning strategy after tactics
I have been furiously solving tactical puzzles for 6 weeks now and about three weeks ago I reactivated my account on chess.com.
Long story short I have seen my "rating" go from 1280 to 1590 during ...
2
votes
2answers
272 views
French (white) loss to a master - where could I have improved?
[FEN ""]
[Date "6/16/2018"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Me"]
[Black "Opponent"]
[Result "0-1"]
[WhiteElo "1874"]
[BlackElo "2286"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e5 Nfd7 5. f4 c5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be3 Be7 8. ...
0
votes
2answers
93 views
What makes a chess puzzle hard to solve? [closed]
A couple friends and I built a mobile app (Chess Puzzle Blitz) where we allow people to compete for fun or money solving chess puzzles.
We have a pretty large puzzle database but are always adding to ...
6
votes
3answers
194 views
Is memorizing tactics a sign of improvement?
I am currently re-doing a book of tactical exercises. I have not seen some of the exercises for longer than a year, and when I look at the position at first it seems new and I see nothing, until it ...
0
votes
1answer
234 views
Why did Black allow White to capture en passant two times in a row?
I read about this game on Tim Krabbe’s website and found it on chessgames.com. I am severely confused by Black’s 30th and 31st moves.
[Title "Sergey Gennadyevich Kudrin-Rudy C Douven, GMA ...
3
votes
3answers
251 views
I can't figure out how to find tactics
Why is it hard for me to find tactics?
For example, I want to take their queen, but I don't know how can I get to specific back steps, unless I play normally (it would take time).
3
votes
6answers
3k views
Why is my tactics spidey-sense not working?
I have done over 5000 puzzles on chesstempo but still can't sense any tactics. So for the past few days I've been making a mental note each time a signal appears (loose pieces, exposed king, potential ...
32
votes
1answer
5k views
Where can I find this game with a sacrifice followed by a long series of checks leading to a discovered mate?
I am looking for a chess game and frankly, I really know very little about it. I remember seeing it somewhere on the Internet.
The game goes something like this. A player (either White or Black) ...
3
votes
1answer
380 views
Are there exercises besides tactics that beginners should know about?
I'm an adult and I've been playing for a bit over 2 years on chess.com. My rating started at around 800. By playing thousands of blitz games and doing a little post-game analysis/opening review, I was ...
11
votes
4answers
519 views
Lichess puzzle 87510: How much calculation would a strong player do before playing Bg4+ when white has a range of (all losing) responses?
Lichess puzzle 87510 has this position.
[FEN "r1b1k3/pp4R1/2q3RQ/4p3/5P2/bP2P3/2P1K2P/8 b - - 0 1"]
The solution is 1...Bg4+,.after which White has 6 legal moves:
1...Bg4+ 2. Rxg4 Qxh6, ...
8
votes
4answers
7k views
How do GMs “play the man, not the board”?
How do GMs "play the man, not the board" as some books say? Would that work for club level players or could they use other methods? Prepared variations? Trash talk?
What are the ways one can ...
6
votes
3answers
531 views
Relation between checkers and chess
After watching GM Vasyl Ivanchuk's victory against GM Baadur Jobava in checkers, I have a question in my mind:
Is it possible to relate checkers with the tactical knowledge of chess? If so, how?
15
votes
2answers
443 views
How are online tactic exercises ratings calculated?
There are several sites that give you a tactics rating changing while you solve or fail the exercises.
How do they calculate the problems rating?
Do they use engines to calculate the difficulty or ...
