play chess against the computer

Smartest Tactics for Winning Pieces play chess against the computer

Chess is said to be the playground of the mind. Thus, knowing the rules is sometimes not enough. As you develop your skills, sometimes you would also have to learn some tactics. In fact, not only tactics, but smart tactics for you to get hold of your opponents pieces.

What Is A Tactic?

The word tactic is used in a lot of contexts like in the military. However, tactics used in the context of chess would usually refer to a short sequence of chess moves that limits your opponent's options and has the high probability of giving you a tangible gain. Most of the time, tactics are compared to strategies. However, these two tools in having a good chess game are actually different from each other. Generally, strategies can also give you advantages, but the kind that takes a longer period of time to realize. Plus, your opponent would be less constrained in responding, compared to tactics.

Tactic Fundamentals

Tactics have fundamental building blocks, which are two-move sequences, where your first move would pose a double threat to your opponent. Thus, your opponent would be unable to react accordingly to either threat in just one move. So, you could then realize an advantage on your second move.

There are also times where different types of tactics are conjoined to form a combination, which is similar to a tactic but entails more moves before you get to realize your advantage. Thus, combinations are considered to deeper and somewhat much spectacular normal tactics.

Fork

This is one tactic used in chess where in you'll be using one piece in attacking two or even more of your opponents pieces, all at the same time and simultaneously, having hope that you get material gain from the attack. How is this so? By capturing one of your opponents pieces of course!

The logic is that since your opponent can only address one problem at the time, and acknowledging the fact that you've posed a threat for two or more of his pieces, thus your opponent must make a choice on whether he'll be saving this piece or the other.

Pin

Pin is one good tactic that you could use where you would have to attack a piece of your opponent and that piece has no where else to go to but move. The catch here however is that once it moves, it should be able to expose a much valuable piece that can in turn be captured by your attacking piece. "To pin" pertains to your attacking pieces action of causing the pin, and the defending piece getting so restricted is characterized to be as pinned.

However, you should understand that only those pieces which could move an indistinct number of squares in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line, such as, rooks, bishops, and queens, are the only pieces that can do a pin. Thus, pawns, knights and kings, do not have this ability. Any of the pieces on the board could be pinned, except for one, which is the king, since your king should be taken from check in whatever circumstance there may be.

Skewer

Another tactic would be the skewer, which is also known as thrust. This is an attack on two pieces of your opponent that are in a line. It's actually similar to a pin. As a matter of fact, this tactic is sometimes characterized to be a "reverse pin". However, the point of difference in this tactic is that, your opponents more valuable piece is situated in front of a lesser or equal valued piece.

Your opponent would be obliged to move the higher valued piece to avoid capture, thus, the less valued piece is exposed, which you can capture. However, only long-range pieces like bishop, rook and queen could skewer.

Since this is a direct attack on the much valuable piece, it's generally a way more effective and powerful compared to the pin. A skewer victim usually could not avoid losing his/her material. Although it is possible, for instance, if your opponents more valuable piece could give check, thus you would be forced to move out of check rather than being able to catch your opponents lesser piece.