Learn chess
Lessons from the first tactics to endgame technique.
Tactics
39 lessons- The PinA piece that cannot move without exposing something worth more. 12 puzzles
- The SkewerAttack the big piece, and take the one behind it. 12 puzzles
- The ForkOne piece attacks two at once. 12 puzzles
- Discovered AttackMove one piece, and the piece behind it attacks. 12 puzzles
- Double CheckTwo pieces check at once, so the king must move. 12 puzzles
- Removing the DefenderTake the guard first, then the piece it guarded. 12 puzzles
- X-Ray AttackA long-range piece working through another piece. 12 puzzles
- DeflectionForce a defender away from its job. 12 puzzles
- DecoyLure a piece onto the square where it can be hit. 12 puzzles
- InterferencePut a piece between a defender and what it defends. 12 puzzles
- Zwischenzug (In-Between Move)A forcing move slipped in before the expected one. 12 puzzles
- ClearanceMove your own piece out of the way of another. 12 puzzles
- OverloadingOne defender with two jobs can do only one. 12 puzzles
- Trapped PieceA piece with no safe square is lost. 12 puzzles
- King HuntChecks that drive a king out of its shelter to mate. 12 puzzles
- Perpetual CheckEndless checks that end the game in a draw.
- Stalemate TricksThe losing side aims for no legal move, and a draw.
- UnderpromotionPromoting to a knight, rook or bishop instead of a queen. 8 puzzles
- BlockingPut a piece in the way of a check or an attack.
- DesperadoA piece that is lost anyway takes something first. 12 puzzles
- Back Rank MateA rook or queen mates a king trapped behind its pawns. 12 puzzles
- Smothered MateA knight mates a king hemmed in by its own pieces. 12 puzzles
- Boden's MateTwo bishops on crossing diagonals mate the king. 12 puzzles
- Opera MateA rook mates on the back rank, guarded by a distant bishop. 12 puzzles
- Arabian MateA rook and a knight mate a king in the corner. 12 puzzles
- Anastasia's MateA knight and a rook trap the king on the edge. 12 puzzles
- Hook MateRook, knight and pawn guard each other in a mating net. 12 puzzles
- Swallow's Tail MateA defended queen mates from directly in front of the king. 12 puzzles
- Greco's MateA bishop covers g8; a rook or queen mates on the h-file. 12 puzzles
- Morphy's MateA bishop mates on the long diagonal; a rook covers the g-file. 12 puzzles
- Knight ForkA knight jumps to a square where it attacks two pieces. 12 puzzles
- Pawn ForkOne pawn attacks two pieces at once. 10 puzzles
- Queen ForkThe queen attacks two pieces at once, often with check. 12 puzzles
- Royal ForkA fork of the king and the queen. 12 puzzles
- Double AttackOne move makes two threats. 12 puzzles
- Discovered CheckA piece moves away and uncovers check from another. 12 puzzles
- Hanging PieceA piece that is attacked and not defended. 12 puzzles
- SacrificeGiving up material on purpose to get something better. 12 puzzles
- PromotionA pawn on the last rank becomes a new piece. 12 puzzles
Position and strategy
30 lessons- Open FilesA file with no pawns on it: a clear road for rooks.
- Semi-Open FilesA file where only the enemy has a pawn: a target.
- Center ControlControl e4, d4, e5 and d5, and your pieces have room.
- Space AdvantageMore room behind your pawns, so your pieces move freely.
- Open vs. Closed GamesTraded pawns open lines; locked pawns close them and slow the game.
- Weak SquaresA square no pawn of yours can ever guard again.
- HolesA square in your camp no pawn of yours can ever guard.
- OutpostsA square your pawn defends and no enemy pawn can attack.
- Color ComplexesWhen a bishop is gone, the squares of its colour get weaker.
- Backward PawnsA pawn left behind, which no other pawn can defend.
- Passed PawnsNo enemy pawn can stop it, so a piece has to. 12 puzzles
- Doubled PawnsTwo pawns of one colour on the same file.
- Isolated PawnsA pawn with no friendly pawn on either side of it.
- Hanging PawnsTwo pawns side by side with no pawns beside them.
- Pawn ChainsPawns on a diagonal, each defending the one in front.
- Pawn MajoritiesMore pawns on one wing, and the passed pawn they can make.
- ProphylaxisStop your opponent's plan before it starts.
- BlockadePut a piece directly in front of a passed pawn.
- Good vs. Bad BishopA bishop hemmed in by its own pawns is a bad bishop.
- Knight vs. BishopThe pawn structure decides which minor piece is better.
- Rooks on the 7th RankA rook on the seventh attacks pawns and hems in the king.
- Doubling RooksTwo rooks on one file, one behind the other.
- The 8th RankA king behind unmoved pawns can be mated on its back rank.
- Minor ExchangeTrading a bishop for a knight, and what the trade buys.
- DominanceTake away every square a piece could go to.
- ZugzwangHaving to move when every move makes things worse.
- The InitiativeMaking threats so your opponent must answer you.
- Prophylactic ThinkingBefore every move, ask what your opponent wants to do.
- Creating WeaknessesWith nothing to attack, force a pawn move that makes a target.
- SimplificationWhen ahead, trade pieces and keep pawns.
Endgames
20 lessons- OppositionKings one square apart: whoever has to move must give way. 12 puzzles
- TriangulationThree king moves that hand the move to your opponent.
- Corresponding SquaresEach square your king takes has one square the defender must answer.
- Queen vs. Pawn on 7thQueen beats pawn on the seventh, except rook and bishop pawns.
- Lucena PositionThe won rook endgame, and the bridge that shields the king.
- Philidor PositionRook endgame draw a pawn down: third rank, then checks from behind.
- King and Pawn EndgamesKings and pawns only, where one square or one move decides. 12 puzzles
- Square of the PawnA king inside the pawn's box catches the pawn. 12 puzzles
- Key SquaresSquares near a pawn that win once your king stands on one. 12 puzzles
- Rook vs. Two PawnsTwo connected pawns on the sixth beat a lone rook. 12 puzzles
- Minor Piece EndgamesBishops and knights escorting pawns, and the wrong bishop that draws. 12 puzzles
- Bishops of the Same ColourBoth bishops on one colour: pawns on that colour are targets. 12 puzzles
- Bishops of Opposite ColoursOne light bishop, one dark: often drawn even two pawns down. 12 puzzles
- Knight vs. PawnWhether the knight catches the pawn is a matter of counting moves. 12 puzzles
- Queen EndgamesDecided by checks: shelter your king before you push the pawn. 12 puzzles
- King ActivityOnce the queens are off, the king is a fighting piece. 12 puzzles
- Pawn BreakthroughSacrifice pawns to open a path for one that promotes.
- Zugzwang in EndgamesWhoever runs out of spare moves first has to give way. 12 puzzles
- Dead Drawn EndgamesEndgames that no amount of good play can win. 12 puzzles
- Tablebase BasicsEndgames with seven pieces or fewer are solved exactly. 12 puzzles
Openings and planning
21 lessons- Controlling the CenterPut pawns and pieces where they reach e4, d4, e5 and d5.
- Fast DevelopmentBring the knights and bishops out early, each one once.
- King Safety (Castling)Castle early, then leave the pawns in front of your king alone.
- Not Moving the Same Piece TwiceEach opening move should bring a new piece into play.
- Queen Out Too EarlyAn early queen gets chased, and each chasing move develops a piece. 9 puzzles
- Choosing Open or Closed OpeningsPick openings that lead to the kind of game you play well.
- Pawn Structure MemoryRemember the pawn shape an opening leaves. The plans come with it.
- Gambit PlayGive a pawn early to gain time, open lines or the centre.
- TranspositionsThe same position, reached by a different order of moves.
- Flank OpeningsFight for the centre from the side with c4, Nf3 or g3.
- Classical OpeningsPawns in the middle, pieces out, castle. The approach to learn first.
- Hypermodern OpeningsLet the opponent build a big centre, then attack it.
- Isolation of Flank PawnsGive up the bishop pair to leave the opponent lasting pawn weaknesses.
- Playing for a Pawn MajorityLeave the opening with a healthy pawn majority the opponent cannot match.
- Development TempoCount each side's developed pieces. The count tells you what to do.
- Memorizing Key LinesLearn the ideas first, then memorise only the forcing lines.
- Studying Pawn BreaksThe pawn move that opens the position, and how to prepare it.
- Sidestepping TrapsAsk what the opponent's last move attacks. That habit stops most traps. 12 puzzles
- Evaluating PositionsMaterial, kings, pawns, piece activity: the checklist that gives a plan.
- Transitioning to MiddlegameWhen the pieces are out, stop following rules and make a plan.
- Fried Liver AttackWhite sacrifices a knight on f7 to drag the black king out.
By game length