Tactics and Famous Mates: Free Online Sources for Tactical Training

By Louis Lima

The old saying ”Chess is 99% tactics” is very much true for beginner and intermediate players. You can’t afford to buy a book on tactics? That is no excuse! There are free sources online where you can find chess problems to equip yourself with the tactical tools of the trade necessary to capitalize on your chess positions and win your games. Below are several links which I have broken down by tactical motifs and famous mates.

I’ve also created an inventory of mating patterns in a different post. In conjunction with sharpening your tactical arsenal, these mating patterns can help you recognize the “end of the road” in a tactic (e.g. Springing a tactic thanks to being able to visualize a mating net). You can access it here:

http://chesstactics.wordpress.com/2006/07/23/inventory-of-mating-nets/

Feel free to post a free and relevant link you will like to submit, and I will update it into the right category. Go hone on your tactical skills!

TACTICS 

Pins (Pinning)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

http://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/tactics/pins/pins.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_strategy_and_tactics#Pins

Forks (Double Attack)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_strategy_and_tactics#Forks

Discovery

http://www.markalowery.net/Chess/Tactics_Strategy/Tactics_Lessons.html

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_strategy_and_tactics#Forks

Clearance

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Deflection

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Dicoying

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Blockading

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Intermezzo (Intermeddiary Move)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

X-Ray Attack (Skewer)

http://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/tactics/skewers/skewers.htm 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-ray_(chess)

Overloading

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Removal of The Guard (Elimination of a Defending Piece)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Interception

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Pursuit (Chasing)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Demolition of Pawn Structure (Breaking the Shelter of the King)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Promotion

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chesscollection?cid=1004732

Underpromotion

http://chess.go.ro/strategy-tactics/terminology/underpromotion.html

The Passed Pawn

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Pawn Breakthrough

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Stalemating (Stalemate)

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Alekhine’s Gun and other Batteries

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alekhine’s_gun

http://chess.about.com/od/reference/qt/bltip039.htm

Lasker’s Sacrifice

http://www2.forthnet.gr/chess/fgg_lasker.html

The Windmill

http://www.bu.edu/dbin/law/chess/index.php?Type=page&Action=none&From=3,2,6,1

The Queen Sacrifice

http://www.jeremysilman.com/chess_orlov_middlegame/040422_part1.html

Entrapment

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Zugzwang

http://chess.go.ro/strategy-tactics/endgame/zugzwang.html

http://www.chesskit.com/training/tactics/intro.php?zugzwang

Desperado

http://chess.about.com/cs/reference/g/bldefdes.htm

 

FAMOUS MATES

Smothered Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Eupalette Mate

http://www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/tactics.html

Boden’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Greco’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Damiano’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Morphy’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Morphy’s Concealed Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Pillsbury’s Mate

http://www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/tactics16.html

Blackburne’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Lolli’s Mate

http://www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/tactics.html

Anastasia’s Mate

http://www.princeton.edu/~jedwards/cif/tactics.html

Fool’s Mate

http://www.chesscorner.com/tutorial/basic/scholars/scholars.htm

Anderssen’s Mate

http://www2.forthnet.gr/chess/anders.html

Legal’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Reti’s Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Back Rank Mate

http://www.markalowery.net/Chess/Tactics_Strategy/Tactics_Lessons.html

http://chessebook.com/such_voll.php

http://chessebook.com/glossar.php

Two Bishoo Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm

Bishop + Knight Mate

http://www.sudburychess.org.uk/MatingThemes.htm