Tactics
Back-rank checkmate
When your king is stuck behind its own pawns with no escape squares, a rook or queen on the back rank delivers checkmate. This is one of the most common ways beginners lose.
3 interactive positions - drag or click to make your move
White to move
Tactics · Back-rank checkmate
White to move. The black king is trapped behind its own pawns on g8. A single rook move delivers checkmate because the king has nowhere to go. Find the back-rank mate!
Drag a piece to its destination, or tap/click to select then tap the target square.
Practice on your real games
After learning a pattern, the best way to lock it in is to see it in your own games.
Analyze my games →More lessons
Tactics
What is a fork?
A fork attacks two pieces at the same time with one move. Knights are the best forkers because their moves cannot be blocked. Find the fork in each position.
Tactics
What is a pin?
A pin stops a piece from moving because moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it. An absolute pin involves the king - the pinned piece literally cannot move.
Tactics
What is a skewer?
A skewer is like a reverse pin: the more valuable piece is in front, and moving it away exposes the less valuable piece behind to be captured. Rooks and bishops are the best skewering pieces.
Chess Thinking
Don't hang pieces
A 'hanging' piece is undefended and can be captured for free. Spotting your own hanging pieces before moving - and your opponent's - is the single fastest way to stop losing material.
Practise on your real games
The patterns you just learned show up in your games right now. Paste your username and find them.
Analyze my games free →