🧩 The Complete Chess Tactics Glossary: 50+ Essential Patterns

Forcing an enemy piece (often the King) onto a square where it becomes vulnerable to a follow-up tactic.

Lining up two or more pieces (Rooks, Queen, Bishops) on the same file or diagonal to multiply their power.

• Alekhine's Gun: Two Rooks stacked behind a Queen.
• Queen + Bishop: The classic battery for delivering checkmate on g7 or h7.

Moving a piece (often with a sacrifice) solely to open a square or line for a more powerful piece.

Forcing a key defender to leave its post (e.g., capturing a piece it is protecting). Once the defender moves, the target falls.

When a long-range piece attacks a square "through" another piece. It implies that the first piece is not actually safe.

A defensive miracle where one piece protects another "through" an enemy piece. (e.g., A Rook on e1 protects a Rook on e8 through an enemy Queen on e4).

A single piece attacking two targets simultaneously. The Knight is the most famous forking piece, but Pawn Forks are often overlooked.

A piece is pinned to the King. It is illegal to move it.

A piece is pinned to a valuable target (like a Queen). Moving it is legal, but loses material.

A rare situation where a piece is pinned from two different directions (vertical and diagonal). It is completely paralyzed.

The "Reverse Pin." You attack a valuable piece (King/Queen), forcing it to move and exposing a lesser piece behind it.

Moving a piece to unmask an attack from a piece behind it. The moving piece can often capture freely.

The most powerful move in chess. The King is attacked by the moving piece AND the unmasked piece. The King must move; it cannot block or capture.

A devastating series of alternating checks and discovered checks (usually Rook + Bishop) that can wipe out an entire board.

Sacrificing a Bishop on h7 (or h2) to destroy the King's pawn cover. Requires a Knight and Queen ready to jump in.

Sacrificing a piece simply to destroy the wall of pawns protecting the King, leaving him naked against heavy pieces.

When a piece is trapped and going to die anyway, it sacrifices itself for the highest possible value (e.g., capturing a pawn) before dying. "Selling your life dearly."

Giving up a Rook for a minor piece (Knight/Bishop) to gain long-term strategic compensation (like a destroyed pawn structure).

A King maneuver used to "lose a move" and pass the turn to the opponent, putting them in Zugzwang.

Promoting a pawn to a Knight or Rook instead of a Queen. usually to deliver a checkmate or avoid a stalemate.

Sacrificing one or two pawns to create a Passed Pawn that cannot be stopped.

A defensive tactic. Forcing a draw by checking the enemy King endlessly when you are losing material.

Deliberately putting your King in a position where it has no moves, then sacrificing your last mobile piece (The "Mad Rook") to force a draw.

German for "In-between move." Instead of recapturing immediately, you play a surprise check or threat first, improving your position.

Blocking a check with a piece that also delivers a check to the opponent. It forces the trade of pieces and is a powerful defensive weapon.

Placing a piece on a square where it cuts off the line of defense between two enemy pieces.

A piece has plenty of squares to move to, but all of them are controlled by the enemy. It is trapped in plain sight.

Capturing an enemy piece with a piece that was under attack, thereby winning material and escaping to safety in one motion.