Tactics from the positions you actually reach
Not opening theory. The tactical patterns that keep deciding games in each opening, drilled in the structures where they happen.
- 16 motifs
- 1920 positions
- Section Openings
Openings are usually taught as move orders, which is the least useful part of them for anyone under about 1800. What actually wins and loses games in a familiar opening is that its pawn structure produces the same tactics over and over: the same bishop sacrifice on h7, the same knight jump to d5, the same weak f7.
So these sixteen skills are not repertoires and will not tell you what to play on move six. Each one is a set of positions from real games in that opening, past the theory and into the part where somebody has to find something.
Every motif in Openings
- Italian GameTactics against f7 and the centre
- Ruy LopezTactics from the Spanish
- ScotchOpen the centre immediately
- King's GambitSacrifice a pawn on move two
- ViennaAttack without the theory
- SicilianThe sharpest reply to e4
- NajdorfThe most analysed line in chess
- DragonOpposite-side castling, both attacks real
- French DefenseLocked centre, wing play
- Caro-KannSolid, but not quiet
- ScandinavianTake on d5 immediately
- Queen's GambitThe classical centre
- King's IndianGive up the centre, attack the king
- EnglishFlank play and transpositions
- London SystemThe same setup every game
- Opening TrapsPunishing early mistakes
Other sections
- First MovesMate in one, free pieces
- TacticsForks, pins, skewers, traps
- Checkmate PatternsBack rank, smothered, mate in two
- Sharper TacticsDiscovered attacks, deflection, x-ray
- Sacrifices and Quiet MovesSacrifices, zwischenzug, zugzwang
- EndgamesPawn, rook, queen, minor piece
- AttackingKingside, queenside, mating attacks
- Blind SpotsNo hint, and the rule nobody sees
- The Ladder1200 to 2400, four rungs
- Open Games1.e4 e5, and the argument over f7
- Ruy Lopez LinesMorphy, Exchange, Berlin
- Sicilian SystemsAnti-Sicilians and main lines
- French VariationsAdvance, Exchange, Tarrasch, Winawer
- Caro-Kann VariationsExchange, Advance, Classical
- Sidelines and SurprisesGambits that should not work