Tips and tricks
Here are some patterns that you will want to learn. You can use these tricks to help win your games.
Tip #1. The rook stuck in the corner
Rooks start out in the corner of the board, blocked in by friendly pieces. This makes them an easy target if your opponent is careless and just leaves them there.
Diagram 1. White to move
In Diagram 1, Black left his rook sitting in the corner, blocked in by the pawns and the knight. It’s a sitting duck. White plays Bxb7 and gets to capture the rook for free on the next move. The rook can’t run away. Chomp!
This trick also works with a knight:
Diagram 2. White to move
White plays Nc7 and the rook is toast.
Tip #2. Knight fork against the uncastled king
If the queens are traded early in the game, you may get a chance to pull this trick. It involves forking the king and the rook with a knight.
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Qxd5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Qe6+ 5. Qe2 Qxe2+ 6. Bxe2 Nc6 7. Be3 Nb4 8. Nf3 (see Diagram 3)
Diagram 3. Black to move
White missed that Black’s knight was eyeing the c2-pawn. Black plays 8… Nxc2+ forking the king and the rook. After White moves out of check 9. Kd2, Black will play 9… Nxa1 winning the rook. White can then play 10. Rxa1 but Black has gotten the better bargain (capturing a rook + pawn = 6 points and losing only a knight = 3 points).
Don’t let this happen to you!
Tip #3. Trapping a bishop with a pawn net
Bishops can move long distances, but sometimes they get hemmed in by their own pawns. When you see your opponent’s bishop getting stuck with nowhere to run, sometimes you can trap it in a pawn net.
Diagram 4. Black to move
In Diagram 4 look at the white bishop (circled in red on b3):
- It can’t move backwards, since it’s blocked by pawns on a2 and c2.
- Moving to a4 is bad because black’s pawn will take it for free, bxa4.
- So this bishop only has one direction to move. Black can smother the bishop by sealing off its only remaining escape route: by pushing his pawn, …c4. White will lose the bishop on the next move.
Don’t let this happen!
These are just a few tips and tricks that can help you win more games. Until next time, happy games!
–Coach Mike
