Tactics

What is a attack in chess?

  • Tactics
  • Forcing
  • Pattern

An attack is pressure against something important: the king, a loose piece, a weak pawn, or a key square. A good attack uses several pieces together and creates threats the opponent must answer.

What to look for on the board

  • Checks, captures, and threats.
  • Loose pieces and unsafe kings.
  • A forcing sequence, not just a pattern name.

Related terms

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