Questions tagged [tactics]
Questions relating to maneuvers that take advantage of short-term opportunities, such as forks, discovered attacks, skewers, etc.
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Creating Tactics to practice in Arena chess
This is a two part question.
I have over 2000 tactics from books I would like to create in Arena chess (using Stock Fish), to practice.
How do I load and save these tactics in the Arena Chess GUI/...
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Trying to improve
I have a question hopefully someone can help me out.
3 days ago I won a tournament (25+5) semi-rapid section under 1450 OTB. I scored 5/5 beating some high rated players.
My rating OTB semi-rapid ...
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What's wrong with the way white is playing?
I have played an opening I can't find anywhere online. So I'm guessing it's wrong. Can someone tell me what are the weaknesses in white's strategy? Or is it simply a matter of black not being able to ...
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Is there any program which I can use to train custom tactics puzzles?
Essentially, I would like to have the following features/workflow:
I obtain a .pgn file with (puzzle) positions and moves (the solutions)
I load that .pgn into the program and then solve (...
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What is the terminology for a move which allows the opponent to attack two pieces without making another move?
In the position below (Short vs Ponomariov 2003), White has just played Re4-f4, which is allowing the g5 pawn to attack both the rook and the bishop.
In general, what do we call a move that allows the ...
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What does FIDE rating 1800 entail?
I have a classical rating of around 2000 on Lichess. I’m aware that FIDE Classical time control is much longer than Lichess classical, so I just made it as some kind of reference point.
I’m mainly ...
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Material that doesn't actually hang (Training)
(One of) My chess kiddie (U8!) is an aspiring grandmaster (I would lean that much out of the window), but we are just a small club. Still, I'm a life long chess kiddie trainer and want to give him the ...
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Anti-Tactics Chess Puzzles?
Many websites (such as chess.com) provide chess tactic puzzles and I am wondering about the value of "anti-tactic" puzzles. By anti-tactic, I mean a position where if I make a careless move, ...
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Is there a way to use Stockfish to see tactics that aren't necessarily great?
Basically - I want to utilize an engine to see tactics through the whole game, regardless of whether they're a good move or not. Sometimes, Stockfish may say a position is absolutely winning, but the ...
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What is the reasoning behind the suggested move?
In this game, my actual move was Qg6, leaving the knight on f3.
Why does chess.com suggest Ne1+ ?
I figure it would just be taken by the rook, but the engine suggested white would have played Kf1.
The ...
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Does having played the actual game make it easier to spot a tactic?
So, I looked at a tactic quiz for my kiddies. I needed whopping five seconds to see that a fork (yes, that was given too!) could be applied on a square that wasn't really protected due to a pin. (I'm ...
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Can you make a lucky brilliant move?
Is it possible to make a brilliancy (a brilliant move) with luck? Or is it so rare that it can only be spotted by the best chess players?
user33533
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Are knights more powerful in Duck Chess?
In the chess variant Duck Chess (full rules), each player moves the shared blocking "duck" piece to any free square on their turn, taking away one or more moves for the opponent.
One ...
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Why do chess puzzles need a unique solution?
Why do chess puzzles need a unique solution?
This is different from real games, where such situations do occur, but more frequently, there are multiple avenues to success. Contrary to what one might ...
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How to convert better positions and not to get swindled OTB?
For context I am new to OTB chess with 30 games under my belt and a rating of around 1930 fide. I have a very definite problem. Last tournament I dropped 3 pieces in 3 consecutive games in either ...
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Mental block on a tactics challenge
We do a lot of tactics training with our kiddies in the chess club. This one was a real migraine maker for them, none found the solution. (I'm not 100% sure if I remember each piece correctly, but it ...
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What goes through the mind of a chess player in the endgame?
What goes through the mind of a chess player in the endgame?
After learning how to move the pieces, after understanding how the game is divided into stages, and after finding that openings can provide ...
user33089
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What goes through the mind of a chess player in the middlegame?
What goes through the mind of a chess player in the middlegame?
After learning how to move the pieces, after understanding how the game is divided into stages, and after finding that openings can ...
user33089
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As regards the opponent's moves, what things do you usually pay more attention to in the openings?
As regards the opponent's moves, what things do you usually pay more attention to in the openings?
After learning how to move the pieces, after understanding how the game is divided into stages, and ...
user33089
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What practices do you recommend for handling openings and variations?
What practices do you recommend for handling openings and variations?
After learning how to move the pieces, after understanding how the game is divided into stages, and after finding that openings ...
user33089
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What helps you choose the right opening?
What goes through the mind of a chess player in the opening? In particular, what helps you choose the right opening?
After learning how to move the pieces, after understanding how the game is divided ...
user33089
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Non-Tactical Puzzles
Its surprisingly hard to find chess puzzles where the solution is not necessarily tactic resulting in checkmate or a heavy win of material. The problem with these tactical puzzles is that they do not ...
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Advice for "wild" positions
Played by me (White) lately. Rev up engine of choice and weep.
[FEN ""]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 e6 3. e4 h6 4. Bxf6 Qxf6 5. Nc3 Bb4 6. Qd2 d6 7. a3 Bxc3 8.Qxc3 Qe7 9. e5 O-O 10. Nf3 b6 11. Rd1 Bb7 ...
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How to find 'Thermopylaes' with engines?
Motivation
“You must take your opponent into a deep dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one." – Michail Tal
I am looking for ways to systematically find ...
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Does this tactic (Bxf7+ KxB, Ng5+...QxB) have a name? [duplicate]
I'm not sure whether this qualifies as a trap, but I sometimes do this tactic. My opponent pins my knight on f3 against my queen, but by sacrificing my bishop to f7, I can move the knight with check ...
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Unique tactic motif? Surely not
Played by me yesterday in the Hamburg team championship.
[FEN ""]
1. d4 f5 2. h3 Nf6 3. g4 fxg4 4. hxg4 Nxg4 5. Qd3 g6 6. Nf3 d6 7. Bh3 Nc6 8. Bxg4 Bxg4 9. Rxh7 Bf5 10. Rxh8 Bxd3 11. Bh6 ...
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Does chess intuition take over when you can't see all of the moves ahead? What does chess intuition look like?
This is a broad question about intuition and chess.
I imagine that there is a limit to how far ahead even the best chess masters can see into the future, and how far they can stretch their memory. ...
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Explanation of Hard Puzzle #34
Wikipedia defines a chess tactic as:
In chess, a tactic refers to a sequence of moves that limits the opponent's options and may result in tangible gain.
I'm having a hard time understanding a ...
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How will the queen be lost just the same in 206 of Winning Chess by Chernev?
How will the queen be lost anyway here?
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Are resignations by expert players naive?
During recent online chat with gamers, I asserted that 'go' (and possibly othello) had a larger decision space than chess.
After reading Wikipedia, I realized I failed to account for othello and go '...
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Elo disadvantage due to one pawn move in Indian Chess
In Indian chess, the pawn doesn't move two squares, however in the western chess, pawn can move two squares. Now, since the pawn can't move 2 in the Indian style, the fianchetto is a natural square to ...
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Why wasn't Ne5 a mistake when I could just win the exchange in one move?
I had this position arise in a game:
[FEN "4qrk1/3rppbp/1p4p1/p2P4/1pBP1B2/1P2PN2/5PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 2 21"]
[White "Kevin"]
[Black "lichess AI level 3"]
1. Ne5 {I ...
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What is the best approach when an opponent's queen is in the center and all of their pieces are developed?
I have played several games where my opponent's queen is somehow placed in the center of the board. However, this type of aggressive move positions my king in a dangerous spot. I can't castle because ...
user26887
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What is this tactic called?
[FEN "6k1/rp3ppq/p2p4/1p1Pr1nQ/1P2P3/4R1N1/P1B2P2/4R1K1 b - - 0 1"]
1... Nh3+ 2. Qxh3 (2. Kh2 Rxh5) 2... Qxh3
Black to move.
After Nh3+ white can move the king or take with the queen. ...
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Which opening contains this trap?
The sequence of moves for White is Nd5, Bb4, and then Bb5, capturing the queen by a fork. The pattern should look something like the below position. I remember that I've seen this trap in some opening,...
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Woodpecker method on chess sites
Is there any chess site that allows you to train tactics by repeating some number of problems over and over again?
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Why does Stockfish suggest h4 here?
Analyzing my latest game on chess.com, Stockfish says that h4 is the best move here:
I followed the line, but I failed to understand the reasoning of this move. Is it for some long-term advantage? ...
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Opening specific tactic material source
My chess course kiddies requested KID specific tactics material. Now I never play KID. For Sicilian, I would say "specific" means, for example, Nxb5,Nxe6,Nd5,Nf5...had my fair share of these ...
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{Landa vs Zhu Chen, Bad Wiessee, 2006} Lichess giving a +4.7 to white. Why?
Here is the lichess study for the game which is often presented as study.
I am curious here, as to why White is given a strong advantage, even though the material is equal and Black has a lot more ...
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Are tactics or endgames more important?
I’ve seen a lot of strong players say at lower levels all you need to do is get really good at tactics, but, I’ve also seen a lot of people say that you should study the endgame before the opening or ...
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What are the objective criteria which suggest the position needs immediate tactical attention?
In even the most quiet-looking position there might be a tactical bolt of the blue, but consider a game might last 50+ moves, and your time and your concentration are limited resources. Thus it is not ...
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Chess visualization exercises
As beginner chess player I need an advice from more expert players.
After one month I will partecipate to an OTB tournament and I want to improve my skills doing tactic exercises.
Is it useful to do ...
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Pattern Recognition - Chess Tactics
I have a collection of ten thousand games of a player.
Is there a way to look which kind of tactics does the player miss on most often?
Which tactics does he need to focus on?
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Does this bishop sac when your knight is pinned to your queen have a name?
This is a common tactic in various openings. It goes like this:
A bishop pins your knight to your queen
You sacrifice your bishop with check to attract the king forward
You give a check with your &...
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Looking for tactical Sicilian lines besides the Dragon and Najdorf
I am looking for a tactical Sicilian. But I don't want a really popular line like the Najdorf or Dragon that has been analyzed to death.
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How to quickly calculate two pawns facing two pawns
A situation that often seems to confuse me is when I push a pawn alongside two pawns that are head-to-head and my opponent pushes the opposing pawn, such as when Black plays c5 to my c4.
rnbqkbnr/...
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Who is actually winning here?
I came across this interesting position:
[Title "Black to move (with full castling rights)"]
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp1nn1p1/7p/5N2/3p4/2P2N2/PP2QPPP/R1B3K1 b kq - 0 1"]
On first glance, ...
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Lasker (?) on strategy and tactics
Many years ago I read (in a Russian book) a saying
Strategy is creating true values; tactics is refuting the false ones.
which the book attributed to Emmanuel Lasker.
Does anybody know where Lasker (...
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Normal puzzles vs puzzle rush performance on chess.com
I have been doing normal puzzles and puzzle rush on chess.com for the last 6 months. And I noticed that my performance in normal puzzles now jumped from 2100-2200 to 2400-2500. However, in puzzle rush,...
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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 ...
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