Checks, captures, threats is lesson 1 of 2 in How to choose a move, a strategy course suited to players rated around 800 (beginners). Forcing moves come first, because your opponent must answer them. Look at them for both sides, every move. It has 4 interactive exercises: 3 find-the-move puzzles, 1 board-square exercise. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What this lesson explains
Good players do not play the first move they see. They follow a routine. First, ask what your opponent's last move changed. Second, look at every check, every capture and every threat. Third, choose two or three candidate moves, which means the moves worth a closer look, and compare them.
What you practise
Start with captures. Tap every black piece that one of your pieces can take right now.
Three captures: dxe5, Nxe5 and Bxf7. Play each one in your head and look at Black's best answer. Then choose.
Your knight on d5 is attacked by a pawn. But look at checks first. You have three: Nc7, Nxf6 and Qxe7. One of them wins material.
Threats come next. A threat is a move that attacks something, so your opponent must react. One pawn move here attacks two black pieces at once. Find it.
Worked examples
Start with captures. Tap every black piece that one of your pieces can take right now. Right. You can take the knight on e5 two ways, and the pawn on f7 with the bishop. Now you have a list. Next, judge each capture.
Three captures: dxe5, Nxe5 and Bxf7. Play each one in your head and look at Black's best answer. Then choose. Good. The pawn takes a whole knight. If Black takes back on e5, you are still a piece for a pawn ahead. Your pawn also hits the knight on f6.
chessGM