Tactics
Most amateur games are decided not by strategy but by tactics: one missed blow outweighs twenty good moves.
What the pieces are worth
A rough value — for trades, not for scoring:
| Piece | Value |
|---|---|
| pawn | 1 |
| knight | 3 |
| bishop | 3 |
| rook | 5 |
| queen | 9 |
The bishop pair in an open position is usually stronger than knight and bishop. A rook for a minor piece wins “the exchange”.
The main motifs
- Fork — one piece attacks two. Knights and pawns fork most often; a knight attacking king and queen decides the game.
- Pin — a piece cannot move because the king or a more valuable piece stands behind it. Attack the pinned piece once more — with a pawn.
- Skewer — a pin in reverse: the valuable piece in front moves away, and the one behind it falls.
- Discovered check — your piece steps off a line, uncovering a check, and attacks something else itself. If both pieces give check, it is a double check: the only answer is a king move.
- Deflection and decoy — a sacrifice that drags a defender off its post or lures an enemy piece onto a bad square.
- Back-rank mate — the king sits behind its three pawns, and a rook or
queen breaks onto the first (eighth) rank. The cure is “luft”: a quiet
h3(h6) at a calm moment.
A habit before every move
Before every move check three things — the opponent's first, then yours:
- Checks — which checks are possible?
- Captures — what can be taken, and what is undefended?
- Threats — what attacks what after the move?
Undefended pieces are the main target. If a piece stands unprotected, sooner or later a fork will find it.