Improving chess players or beginners can improve their game by working on their strategies and refining their tactics. This ensures that players engage in the game with much awareness and helps in avoiding common and avoidable mistakes which usually costs most beginners a win. Refining one’s tactics when playing chess is a good strategy towards your opponent as you are keener on their mistakes which should be a good start for you to capitalize and get a win.

A simple move but very important tactic is known as en prise. The move works by attacking pieces that are open or undefended. It is common for your opponent to oversee an undefended piece on his side making it a good opportunity for you to strike. The diagram above represents en prise.

Another basic tactic to help you improve your game is mastering how to execute a fork. This is possible with any piece on the board; you only need to be keen enough to notice the arrangement that calls for you to attack using this method. It involves using one piece to attack more than one pieces of your opponent simultaneously.

The number of pieces that can be attacked using the fork method depends on how well they are aligned with the attacking piece. One of the best pieces you can strike with is the knight. The illustration above represents simultaneous attacks with a knight fork.

One useful tactic you can use to minimize the number of directions your opponent’s pieces can move through is known as the pin. Learn to recognize a piece that will expose many more pieces for further and easy attacks. This helps to finish your game early by getting most of your opponent’s pieces. By using a pin, it is possible to attack more than one piece; by attacking a particular piece you can take either one or many other pieces no matter which direction it moves.

Use pieces such as the queen, rooks and bishops to execute this move. They are allowed to move through any direction and make great distances compared to other pieces; they are known as long range pieces.

Remember that it is illegal to put the king in check; ensure that the piece behind the pinned piece is not a king, otherwise you will not be allowed to move, this is referred to as absolute pin. A relative pin is whereby the piece behind the pinned piece leaves a valuable piece such as the queen vulnerable for attack. The diagram above represents an absolute pin.

Another popular tactic that can be used to attack your opponent’s piece is known as skewer. In a skewer, only long range pieces can be used. In a skewer, you head in the direction of attacking one of your opponent’s valuable pieces; this piece is forced to move retreat to another position. This exposes a vulnerable less valuable piece for capture. The diagram above represents how a skewer can used to attack an opponent’s piece.

For more interesting chess tactics and chess strategies please visit Chess blog.