The First Principle: Force

  • Try to have more pieces overall. (Use piece values)
  • Try to have more pieces ina particular area of the board.

Basic Tactics

  • The Pin - prevent enemy piece from moving
  • The Fork - simultaneous attack on two or more pieces

Laying Traps

A Pair of Weaklings

This type of trap is based on the weakness of the pawns on squares f7 and f2.

[Title "Scholar's Mate"] 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5 Nf6?? 4. Qxf7#
[Title "Legall's Mate"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Bc4 Bg4? {Black has tied down White's Knight on f3 with a pin. However, his Bishop is undefended on g4 and White's army is better developed. White can now launch a surprise attack against square f7.} 5. Nxe5!! {Black should now limit his losses and play 5...dxe5 which White would respond with 6.Qxg4. However, instead of losing a pawn, Black eats White's Queen} Bxd1? {So Black captures a Queen. But now Black's pawn on f7 falls and White's attack crashes through} 6. Bxf7+ Ke7 7. Nd5#

The Case of Undefended Piece (discovery attack)

Discovered attacks are usually directed at undefended pieces.

[Title "The Excommunicated Bishop"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. O-O {The Legall's Mate move 5.Nxe5, would not work here because Black can play 5...Nxe5! to prevent the checkmate and defend the Bishop on g4} Nge7?? {He would do better to play 5...Nf6 simply defending the Bhisop on g4} 6. Bxf7+ Kxf7 7. Ng5+ {The knight checks, thereby uncovering a Queen attack on the Black Bishop} Ke8 8. Qxg4
[Title "The Queen That Never Came Home"] 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. Nc3 Qd8 4. d4 e6 5. Bd3 Qxd4?? {Black thinks that White has overlooked a pawn but a surprise is in store} 6. Bb5+!

The Battering Ram

This type of trap is based on dimantling the enemy king’s cover.

[Title "Fool's Mate"] 1. f4 {This move is called the Bird Opening} e6 2. g4?? {For no reason whatsoever White has opened up his own King to attack on the e1-h4 diagonal} Qh4# (1...e5 2.fxe5 {With this second move, White avoids g3 leading to checkmate} (2. g3 exf4 3. gxf4?? Qh4#) d6 {Black is not tempted by Qh4+ which would be adequately countered by g3 when Black's Queen must retreat} (2...Qh4+ 3.g3) 3. exd6 Bxd6 {Black has sacrificed a pawn so that he can obtain a lead in development. This type of deliberate sacrifice in the opening is called a gambit} 4. Nc3?? {Oops White didn't see the threat. He should have played Nf4 which would develop a piece and prevent ...Qh4+} Qh4+ 5. g3 Qxg3+!! 6. hxg3 Bxg3#)
[Title "The Cheap Check"] 1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Qe2 Ngf6 6. Nd6#

King Plays in the endgame

  • king is a powerful piece and should be brought out into the play in the endgame.

Endgames

  • King & Queen vs. King - trapping in a box
  • King & Rook vs. King - move king as close to enemy king and then use rook

Preference or Principle

  • Do not take pieces directly for their piece values.

When less is more

  • Weaker pieces may be stronger in certain situations.