10 Common Tactical Targets in Chess
Tactical targets are weaknesses or vulnerabilities in your opponent’s position that can be exploited by tactical means.
In this lesson, you’ll learn about ten common targets that create tactical opportunities.
Target #1: Undefended Pieces
Undefended pieces are among the most common tactical targets.
1… Qd4+ followed by 2… Qxb4. Undefended pieces are frequent tactical targets. Always look for pieces that lack protection or can be attacked more times than they are defended.
Target #2: An Exposed King
The most important target in chess is the king. An exposed king lacks adequate protection from its pieces and pawns.
White advanced their f2-pawn at an earlier stage of the game. Even though it may not have been a mistake at the time, it was important for White to be aware that the missing pawn on f2 exposes their king to possible checks, which now allows 1… Qd4+, winning the undefended bishop on b4.
Target #3: Important Defenders
A piece that performs an important defensive role can become a tactical target.
Black plays 1… Bxc3+, removing the only defender of white’s queen. At the same time black gains a tempo by checking the exposed white king.
Target #4: Higher-valued Pieces
Higher-valued pieces are attractive tactical targets because they are often forced to move when attacked by a lower-valued piece.
White plays 1. Nf5! to attack the higher-valued rook on d4. The point is that white gains a tempo with this threat and on the next move they can play 2. Ne7+, forking the black king (and rook on c8).
Target #5: Tactical Relationships Between Pieces
Tactical relationships between pieces usually occur when pieces are connected by a rank, file, diagonal, or knight move. Such relationships often make forks, pins, skewers, and discovered attacks possible.
1. Qh8+! Kxh8 2. Nxf7+ followed by 3. Nxg5 creates a knight-move tactical relationship between the black king and queen.
Target #6: Pieces with Limited Mobility
Pieces with limited mobility are often vulnerable because they have fewer safe squares available.
White’s move, 2. c4 wins a tempo against Black’s higher-valued piece, the knight. On the next move white will use the extra tempo to play 3. c5 to trap and win the black bishop on b6.
Target #7: Threats as Resources
Simple threats can often be used to support other more complex tactical ideas, either by using them to gain a tempo or by combining them with other threats.
White plays 1. Qe5. This move makes a threat against the undefended rook on b8, but it also makes a threat against the h8-square (Qh8#). This mate-threat is a tactical resource that can be used in tactical combinations.
Target #8: Piece Exchanges
While an exchange is not a target itself, it is often the catalyst that creates new tactical targets.
At first glance the moves 1… Nxe3 2. Qxe3 appear to be a straightforward piece exchange. However, after these moves Black can play 2… Bd4, pinning the white queen (the new target) to White’s king.
Exchanges often create new tactical opportunities by removing defenders or exposing pieces.
Target #9: Indirectly Defended Squares
A square may appear undefended even though it is protected indirectly by a tactical resource.
1. Nd7 forks the two black rooks. The knight appears vulnerable, but it is indirectly defended because 1… Qxd7? allows 2. Bxh7+, winning the black queen by discovered attack.
Target #10: Weak Back Rank
A weak back rank occurs when a king has limited escape squares, usually because its own pawns restrict its movement. This makes back-rank checkmate threats a powerful tactical weapon.
1. Rb1 wins the knight. The knight cannot move because it is preventing White’s rook from invading on the back rank, where decisive threats against the king would follow.
The Next Move
Spotting tactical targets is an essential part of tactical skill. However, recognizing the target is only half the battle. You must also recognize the tactical and checkmate patterns that exploit it.
300 Essential Tactical and Checkmate Patterns contains 300 carefully selected examples organized by theme to help you build that pattern recognition.
300 Essential Tactical and Checkmate Patterns
Build your tactical pattern recognition systematically instead of relying on random puzzles.
This collection contains 300 carefully selected tactical and checkmate patterns organized into 20 themes, including forks, pins, skewers, discovered attacks, deflections, decoys, X-rays, checkmate patterns, and more.
Unlike a typical puzzle collection, the goal is not to solve these positions once and move on, but to review them until the patterns become instantly recognizable.
Price: $30