Real-game tactics 4: Removing the defender and sacrifices

Take out the key defender, sacrifice to break through and find quiet moves that win. This is a tactics course with 8 lessons and 53 interactive exercises, suited to players rated around 1200 (improving players). Every exercise is played on a real board with feedback after each move, there is nothing to install, and it is free.

Lessons in Real-game tactics 4: Removing the defender and sacrifices

  1. Removing the defender – If a piece or a square is guarded only once, take or chase away the guard and it falls.
  2. Deflection – Force a defender to leave its post, often with a sacrifice it has to take.
  3. Sacrifices that win – Giving material is fine when you get more back. Calculate the line to the end before you let the piece go.
  4. Quiet moves – Not every winning move is a check or a capture. A quiet move can create a threat that cannot be met.
  5. Mate in three or more – Longer mating combinations: keep checking, keep the king boxed in, and count every reply.
  6. Discovered attacks – Move one piece out of the way and the piece behind it attacks, while the moving piece makes its own threat.
  7. Promotion tactics – A pawn on the 7th rank is a queen in waiting: clear the way, deflect the blocker, promote.
  8. Forks and double attacks – One move, two threats: your opponent can only answer one of them.

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