As chess players we are often told that “Chess is 99% tactics.” Coaches and authors use this phrase to help spur the aspiring chess player to study tactics as much as possible. But what exactly is a tactic?
This article will explain what tactics are, and also address what chess combinations are. The topic is a bit tricky to grasp at first, but if you view the other articles and try your own hand at solving puzzle you’ll quickly grasp the concept.
My favorite definition comes from Grandmaster Yasser Seirawan who writes, “Tactics are maneuvers that take advantage of short-term opportunities.” This is in contrast to strategy, which aims to take advantage of long-term opportunities. Since this might seem abstract, let’s take a look at an example:
Yifan(2557) – Sedina(2344)
Women’s World Championship, Nalchik, 2008
White to move, Beginner puzzle from KEBU Chess Tactics Software 2009
If we study the position we find many factors which suggest that short-term opportunities exist. The bishop on d6 is defended precisely as many times as it is attacked, which means that if we could, for example, make one of Black’s rooks moves move – the bishop would fall. Indeed, this is possible and White can play 28.Bxb7!? after which White wins a pawn since if 28…Rxb7 29.Rxd6. This would also leave Black’s a6-pawn undefended, and increase White’s control over the d-file. All this would lead to a winning advantage.
But there is an even stronger idea. Can you find it?
Yifan played 28.Rxd6! which wins a piece after 28…Rxd6 29.Bxe5+! (29.Rxd6!? Rxd6 30.Bxe5+ Rf6! is less accurate). This method takes advantage not only of the shaky defense Black has over d6, but also the fact that Black’s king is positioned in precisely the spot which allows Bxe5 to be a check against the king. This tactic, therefore, relies on the exact placement of Black’s king, the properties of White’s bishop, and the weak point in Black’s position: d6. If it were Black’s move in the position she could minimize damages with a move such as 27…Bb8 or 27…Kf7, both of which alter one of the tactical (short-term!) drawbacks of her position.
So here White’s exploitation of the position is sharp, decisive, and takes advantage of short-term opportunities.
Before showing another example, I should mention the difference between a tactic and a combination. A combination is a forcing sequence which begins with the sacrifice of material and leads (usually through tactics) to the win of material (more than was invested at the outset) or to checkmate. A tactic refers specifically to the short-term device used to exploit certain defects in the position and does not refer to a forcing sacrificial sequence.
Confused? Let me clarify…
In this puzzle, White began with a sacrifice, 28.Rxd6! The move temporarily gives up material since a rook is worth less than a bishop and here it appears that White will just lose material after Rxd6. But because of a forcing sequence (28…Rxd6 29.Bxe5+!) White will regain the material with interest. She’ll end the sequence ahead by a rook and a pawn – an enormous advantage. The move 29.Bxe5+ is a tactic. It is called a “double attack”. The bishop attacks both the king and the rook.
Okay, I think it’s time for another example to help clarify all of this…
Braun(2536) – Negi(2526)
Corus Wijk aan Zee Group C, 2008
White to move, Intermediate puzzle from KEBU Chess Tactics Software 2009
In this position White looks very close to delivering mate to the poor king on f8. In fact, White could play 31.Re8+ and win the queen for a rook and knight – a small victory. But White, correctly, senses that he can do much more. The move he played was 31.Bc6!! And Black resigned.
If Black captures the bishop (31…Qxc6) then 32.Qd8+ Qe8 33.Qxe8# is mate. If Black decides to decline the bishop and move his queen instead, he has to lose it for a small price, and White will maintain enough force to give checkmate quickly.
So just as before, we have a combination with tactical features. This is a recurring theme in chess, and in the vast majority of chess puzzles. 31.Bc6!! is a combination because it, once again, begins with the sacrifice of material. White’s bishop steps onto a square where it can be immediately captured. But if Black takes the gift , a forced sequence leads to mate.
What is the tactical device used in this puzzle? In this case White uses the tactical device of the pin to accomplish his aims. Notice that the c6-square appears to be protected by the knight on d8 as well as the queen. But the knight on d8 is absolutely helpless to participate in the defense of c6 since it is pinned to the king – if it were to move the king would be captured, and thus …Nxc6 is illegal.
As with so much of chess, it takes a little adjustment to the terminology used by players to classify and describe their favorite game. The best way to understand tactics and combinations is to repeatedly solve them and find them in your own games. One doesn’t really need to know the definition of a “tactic” or “combination” in order to be able to use them very effectively in your games.
To solve free beginner, intermediate, and advanced puzzles like the ones in this article you can download a free version of Kebu Chess Tactics Software 2009.
To learn more about tactics and combinational motifs, see articles on this blog including: double attacks, back-rank mate, clearance sacrifice, interference, promotion, removal of defender, discovery attack, deflection, decoy and pin/skewer.
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