A tactic is a forcing sequence of a few moves (checks, captures, threats) that wins material or delivers mate while leaving the opponent few choices. Strategy answers 'what should I do?', tactics answer 'what can I win right now?'. Most amateur games are decided by a tactical mistake, which is why tactical training is the fastest way to improve.

Fork

One piece attacks two or more enemy pieces at once, and the opponent can save only one. The most famous example is the knight fork hitting king and queen. Pawns can fork too, which is especially profitable because the attacker is the least valuable piece.

Pin

A piece cannot move, or does not want to, because a more valuable piece stands behind it. A pin to the king is 'absolute' and the piece may not legally move. A pin to the queen or rook is 'relative'. Adding a second attacker to the pinned piece is the classic way to win it.

Skewer

The reverse of a pin: the valuable piece is in front. When it moves out of the attack, the piece behind it is captured. For example, a rook checks the king, the king steps aside and the queen behind it falls.

Discovered attack and double check

Moving one piece unveils an attack by the rook, bishop or queen behind it. If the moving piece also creates a threat, the opponent cannot meet both. If the moving piece also gives check, it is a double check, and the only defence is to move the king.

Deflection, decoy and intermezzo

• Deflection: forcing a defender away from the square or piece it protects.
• Decoy (attraction): luring the enemy king or a piece onto a bad square with a sacrifice, for example into a knight fork.
• Intermezzo (in-between move): instead of the expected recapture, first inserting a stronger threat or check.

Sacrifice

Deliberately giving up material for a bigger gain: mate, more material or a lasting attack. A well-calculated sacrifice ends the game; an uncalculated one is just lost material.

How to train tactics

• Little and often: 15–20 minutes of puzzles a day beats one long weekly session.
• Calculate fully first, then move. Guessing becomes a habit.
• Choose puzzles at your level: too easy is boring, too hard kills motivation.
• Track which themes you struggle with and focus on them.
• Use an engine to find the tactics you missed in your own games.

mytourneys' 4,100+ original puzzles were extracted from master games with Stockfish 19 and are tagged by these themes. The puzzle trainer shows how well you do in each theme, and you can solve one puzzle a day for free on the Daily Puzzle page.

💡 When looking for a tactic, start with the opponent's undefended pieces and the weak squares around their king. Most tactics grow from a loose piece or a weak king.