Removing the Defender
Knock out the piece that's holding your opponent's position together.
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Chess Basics
Everything a brand-new player needs — the pieces, the rules, and the habits that make chess click.
Category →Openings & Strategy
Start your games well and know what to do next, from opening moves to middlegame plans.
Category →Tactics & Endgames
Win material and finish games with the patterns and technique behind most beginner wins.
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The Double Attack: Two Threats at Once
Why attacking two things at the same time usually wins one of them.
Read the guide →Discovered Attacks and Discovered Checks
Move one piece, unleash another; one of the deadliest tactics.
Read the guide →The Skewer: A Pin in Reverse
Attack the valuable piece first and win the one hiding behind it.
Read the guide →Pins Explained: Freeze Your Opponent’s Pieces
Absolute and relative pins, and how to put them to work.
Read the guide →Pawn and Queen Forks
Double attacks with your other pieces, not just the knight.
Read the guide →The Knight Fork: Win Material in One Move
Recognize the pattern that wins pieces for beginners again and again.
Read the guide →What to Do After the Opening
Turning your developed pieces into a real, concrete plan.
Read the guide →How to Make a Plan in the Middlegame
A simple way to decide what to do once opening moves run out.
Read the guide →Pawn Structure Basics for Beginners
Doubled, isolated, and passed pawns explained in plain language.
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