It’s important to know chess tactics patterns because it supports an effective calculation method and will improve your tactical awareness.

Here’s a list of the important chess tactics patterns you should know.

Important Chess Tactics Patterns

Note: Check out the list of chess tactics to see examples of all the chess tactics patterns listed below.

Advanced Pawns

Attraction

Blocking / Interference / Obstruction

blocking a critical file or diagonal

Clearance

Clearing a square; Opening a critical square, file or diagonal

Combinations

Counter-tactics

Discovered Attack

Double Attack

A double attack is when you create multiple threats with one move. Although a fork and a double attack are often used interchangeably in chess, it’s technically not the same thing.

Examples of Double Attack.

Double Check

The king must move.

Fork Tactics

A fork tactic is when one of your pieces are making multiple threats at the same time. Even though a fork is sometimes referred to as a double attack, it’s not the same thing. The main difference is that a fork refers to multiple threats made by one piece, whereas a double attack can involve multiple threats by more than one piece.

Hit-and-Run Tactics

Indirect Defense

Pawn Tactics

Pawn tactics are often overlooked because the focus is mostly on the pieces.

Pin Tactics

A pin is when a threatened piece cannot move without exposing an even more valuable piece (or target) behind it. The link below will take you to an in-depth study of pin tactics where you can learn the basics but also the advanced aspects of pin tactics:

Remove the Defender

.. Capture a defender .. Overload a defender .. Attack a defender

Simplification

into a winning endgame

Skewers

Skewers (sometimes referred to as a “reversed pin”) occur when an attacked piece must move to safety but will expose a lower-valued piece (or target) behind it. Skewers appear visually similar to pins, but their impact is very different.

Stalemate Tactics

Tactics to draw the game.

Trapped Piece

Weak Back-rank

X-Ray Tactics

An X-Ray tactic occurs when two of your pieces defend one another “through” an enemy piece. The X-Ray tactic should not be confused with a pin, skewer or discovered attack. (Although they share some similarities, the concept behind an X-Ray is unique).

Zugzwang

Zugzwang occurs when your position would’ve been fine if it were your opponent’s turn. But since it’s your turn you are forced to make a weakening move.

Zwichenzug

or In-between move.