Exercise 3.1Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 5.♘e5?. Find the move that punishes it.
3
Tactics Essentials · Kapilash Chess Academy
Forks with Every Piece
Pawns, bishops, rooks and queens
In this lesson you will learn
- Pawn forks: the cheapest forker
- Queen forks with check
- Bishop and rook forks on lines
- Double attacks: one move, two threats
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
3.1 Every Piece Can Fork
Any piece can fork. A pawn fork is especially strong because the pawn is worth less than anything it attacks. The queen is the most common forker in practice: it attacks in eight directions, and a queen check that also hits a loose piece wins material very often.
Diagram 3.1White to move
Example 3.1 · The pawn fork
A quiet opening position. White can use a pawn trick in the centre.
1.♘xe5! gives up the knight for a pawn, but 2.d4 forks the bishop on c5 and the knight on e5. White regains the piece with a good centre. The pawn fork is a frequent opening tactic: watch for pawn moves that attack two pieces side by side.
Diagram 3.2White to move
Example 3.2 · Queen check and capture
Black's bishop on h4 is undefended and Black's king is on e8.
1.♕a4+ checks the king along the diagonal and attacks the undefended bishop on h4 along the fourth rank. The bishop cannot block the check, because it moves on dark squares. After the king moves, White takes the bishop. A queen check that also hits an undefended piece is the most common double attack in chess.
Remember
- Every piece can fork; pawn forks are the cheapest.
- Queen checks often attack a loose piece at the same time.
- A double attack is any move that makes two threats.
- Undefended pieces are the usual victims of forks.
Exercises · Lesson 3
Every exercise comes from real opening play and has been checked with a chess engine. Find the strongest move and play it on the board.
Exercise 3.2Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 8...♕e7?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.3Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 11.f3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.4Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 11.♗g5?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.5Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 9...♘xe4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.6Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 10.♕a4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.7Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♘f8?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.8Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 8...♘a5?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.9Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 8.♗d2?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.10Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 11.♗d3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.11Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 7...f6?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.12Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 5...d6?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.13Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 10.d5?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.14Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 9...♘a5?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 3.15Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 12.♕e2?. Find the move that punishes it.