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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What are some good podcasts to listen to?
I'm an intermediate player, and I practice chess tactics and play regularly. I'm looking for a good podcast or two to listen to during my day. I don't care if it's a podcast that discusses chess news, ...
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Why does chess.com's tactics player avoid taking the queen in this problem?
Why can't the black pawn take the queen at h6? Instead the computer makes the king go to g8.
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What's a really good tactic trainer rating on chess.com for a Candidate Master?
I'm currently a Class B with a TT rating of 2100. I would like to aim to become a 2100 with norm of Candidate Master. What tactic rating does a CM usually have? How strong are Expert class chess ...
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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. ...
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Simultaneously managing attack and defense
I am an amateur chess player. I have the knowledge of pawn structure, development of the pieces and control of the center in the opening. After that my midgame rationale is attacking the weak pieces, ...
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Why using the queen is not a good idea in this case?
I am a new [and a late] comer to chess. I started practicing on chessacademy.com where I got this exercise:
r1bqk1nr/ppp2pp1/4p2p/8/1bPnN3/5N2/PP1B1PPP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 1 13
According to the site, ...
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How to practice tactics correctly? [duplicate]
When it comes to tactics training what is the best approach to optimize results? I've recently started only doing really hard puzzles, the only immediate change is it obviously take me a lot longer ...
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Bullet rating fluctuations
I play on chess.com and I noticed that at some times I am getting beaten by 1700 pretty easily but other times I can beat 1900 with almost no effort. I broke my record and passed 2000 in bullet ...
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How to gain material by trading pieces?
So, I am learning the basics on trading pieces, but can someone please give me tips on the "Art of trading pieces with material gain".
I know a concept called overloading, but are there any other ...
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How to develop tactical and combinational awareness?
Most of my learning comes from trial-and-error sort of self-teaching. I cannot say I am completely blind to tactics and combinations, but, while solving puzzles (approx. ~1600+) I tend to miss ...
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Would you look for mate, if tactics to win materials are easier to spot?
I'm black, I defeated a 1830 very easily in a 11 + 10 game and I had plenty of time, but I played fast and didn't see mate, he was low on time. Analyzing with lichess engine
[fen "2k2r2/ppp5/7p/...
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What advantage does black gain from this move?
Consider the following:
[FEN "r3q1k1/p2p1p1p/b1p2QpB/8/8/2r5/P4PPP/R5K1 b - - 0 1"]
Why is black's next move Qf8? White just follows with Bf8.
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Chess knowledge and understanding [duplicate]
I am not a beginner, but I am absolutely not a practicing chess player, although I would like for that to change. I am inquiring about which direction I should take in advancing my abilities and ...
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Shocking queen sacrifices?
I am a chess beginner and I find queen sacrifices are the most shocking moves I have ever seen.
Please, can you provide me with some shocking examples of queen sacrifices. It need not be a big list, ...
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Moving pawns which are defending the king
Is f4 a good move here?
[Title ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2qk1nr/pbp3pp/1p2p/4b/4P/2N/PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1"]
1. f4
On the one hand, many times you would move like this way to attack some ...
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Top chess books and online software that would help me increase my rating
My current rating is 1200 and I had stopped chess for some time due to school exam pressure.
What steps should I take to increase my rating? I do tactics from chess.com everyday.
Please suggest some ...
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How do I raise my tactic trainer rating to 2300?
I'm currently a 1600 USCF with a tactic rating on chesstempo.com of high 1600. My chess.com tactic rating is 1600 as well. Though my best tactic rating has been high 1700 on chesstempo.com. The ...
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How much time you spend on one puzzle?
I know solving tactics puzzles is one of the recommended ways to improve in chess. I spend around 30 min solving puzzles.
How much time I should spend on one puzzle?
During games we don't think 15-...
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Why are these sacrifices good moves? What are the winning follow-ups?
I was using a phone-app called Chessrating to get an estimation of my ELO rating. It gives me 16 chess positions and I have four attempts to find the best move. There were some positions that I did ...
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Significance / Plan behind the move
White's last move was Ra2. I was to curious
to know the plan behind or any strategical / tactical significance
behind that move.
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Capturing one bishop
I was just looking for the best move in the position (White to move).
And I thought that capturing the bishop in green square would be the best as it controls
the open a8-h1 diagonal ,but the ...
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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 ...
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Chess challenge #8: British knockout championship
The British Knockout championship is taking place now as a warm-up to the London Chess Classic that starts this Friday. There have been very interesting games (especially the ones played by Nicholas ...
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Thinking to solve the puzzle
I came across a puzzle on lichess.org, (Black to move) , I was unable to solve it. But I know the solution now,
I don't wasn't the solution or analysis. I just want to know how should one think ...
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A tactic on the Chekhover variation of the Sicilian?
Recently I found the game Tal vs. Byrne (1976), that opens with Chekhover Variation of the Sicilian Defense. What got my attention in this variation was move 7, for, just like Tal did, every engine ...
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Chess challenge #7: Women's European Team Championship
In the recent Women's European Team Championship Anna Muzychuk won a quick game against Almira Skripchenko.
[fen "r3qrk1/1b3ppp/ppp5/2nBp1N1/P3P3/7P/1PP1QPP1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 1"]
Skripchenko has just ...
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Chess tactics #6: Yugra Governor's cup again
The one that I posted yesterday Chess tactics #5: Yugra Governor's cup wasn't the only blunder that happened yesterday in this tournament. In the game between Alexey Sarana (2426) and GM Pavel ...
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Chess tactics #5: Yugra Governor's cup
I took this position from a game that has been played today at the Yugra Governor's Cup between GM Aleksej Aleksandrov from Belarus and GM Ivan Bukavshin from Russia. White (Aleksandrov) has just ...
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Chess tactics #4: Black to play and win
After the last problem which was very hard I'm bringing you another one which is easier than the previous one. The position is:
[fen "K4R2/RQ4B1/2n5/3q2p1/4PP1p/3p4/pp6/1kr5 w - - 0 1"]
White has ...
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How is this a winning position for white?
[FEN "r4r1k/pbq2p1p/1p1ppPp1/8/2P3P1/PP6/R2Q2P1/1B3R1K w KQkq - 0 1"]
1. Qh6 Rg8 2. Rf4 e5 3. Rf3 Bxf3 4. gxf3
This is what I got from "ChessCademy -> Attack and Defence -> Attacking Castled King -> ...
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Chess challenge #3: Pinned knights
Here it is a new chess problem much more difficult than the previous one. The diagram position is the following:
[fen "3rr2k/6pp/p2q1p2/5P2/3Nb3/1P1RQ1NP/6P1/7K w - - 0 1"]
Black has just played ...
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Tactical challenge #2 - Attacking the kingside
The previous challenge was solved very quickly so here I am with a new one. Still a very easy one but hopefully a bit more challenging that the previous one. Black has just played Qb6 and it is White'...
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Which approach is better to teach tactics?
I have been teaching my wife tactics, we are doing the book by Fred Reinfeld "1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices and Combinations". We are still in the first chapter which discusses pins and I can tell ...
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Plan from the position
I am not asking for analysis, just want to know what are the plans to continue for black .(white to move)
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Am I improving my tactical knowledge by explaining solutons to my wife?
I recently started to teach the game to my wife, yay for me :) So now she's somewhat comfortable with how the pieces move and the basic opening principles but as soon as she gets to the middle game ...
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What I thought was winning tactic, apparently was mistake
I was recently playing a game as black against the Ponziani when this position came up. (I recommend you flip all the boards to show from black's perspective)
Here's the beginning of the game:
[fen "...
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Is it true that Queen's Gambit tends to have positional play and King's Gambit A tactical one?
I have heard somewhere that Queen's Gambit is favored by those who like quiet positional play and King's Gambit by those who like lively game studded with tactical traps. Is this true?
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Choosing the best move in the given position
I was just guessing the best move in the position.(white to move).
I thought Rc1 would be the best move forcing white to exchange the white's dark square bishop and preserving the white's light ...
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Purpose behind the move
I was just guessing the best move in the given position(black to move) .
I thought it would be 'Be6' , But the engine gave 'c5' , which weakens the 'd5' square .
I want to know the plan behind the ...
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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).
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Where can I find free training tools like detailed annotated chess openings, middle games and endgames in the PGN format?
I have decided to study chess after playing it leisurely for a while. I looked at some online chess courses like the ones offered by Igor Smirnov at the Remote Chess Academy, but these options seem to ...
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Unlearning myths from the mind of an experienced club player
I recently met a club player who had been playing chess for 23 years, but couldn't improve his ELO more that 1800. When I played with him, I found his tactical skills are good, moderate endgame ...
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Chesscademy Tactic
Why would black move their knight (b8) to d7 vs taking the bishop (f5) with the queen? Click the link to see an interactive version, can someone explain this to me, I see no reason for black to lose ...
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What can you deduce from my performance in different types of chess tactics?
So each day I practice a different tactic. So my tactics training regimen is like this (Chess Tempo)
Day 1:
5 problems - (standard) specific tactical motif (i.e. discovered attack, sacrifice, fork/...
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Choosing one move from the two moves
From the given position, is it better to take with rook or the a-pawn and why ?
Black to move:
The engine suggested the move axb4, why?
There must be some strategical or tactical point (ignore the ...
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How to distinct a strategical move from a tactical move?
I am new here, and I am doing research for academic purposes. I am looking for examples of positions where I can distinguish a strategic move from a tactical move.
Can somebody give me examples of ...
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Why this is the best move?
I'm new here, so I just like chess and I don’t study too deeply. I could not understand the move Qxe5. Can someone explain to me?
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How can I learn combinations without a chess book?
I would like to become better and stronger at spotting combinations. I can't buy any chess books at the moment. What's a good website for learning combinations?
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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 ...
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