Level 1 · Stop giving things away · 400–800 · 10 min · free
Forks: one piece, two targets
Attack two things at once so your opponent can only save one.
The rule to take into your games
Two loose enemy pieces? Find one move that hits both.
The lesson
- A fork is one piece hitting two targets, so only one can be saved. Nf7 checks the king and hits the rook.
- Pawns fork too, and they cost the least. d5 hits both knights, neither knight can take it, and the rook guards it.
- The queen forks from far away. Qb3 checks the king and hits the knight, which nobody guards.
Try it: 3 examples
In the lesson you play these on the board. Think first, then open the answer.
- Knight and bishop on one rank. Win one.
Show the answer
e5 forks the knight and the bishop, and the d4 pawn guards it. Black can only save one of them.
- Your knight is one jump from something big.
Show the answer
Ne7 checks the king and attacks the queen on c6. After the king moves, you take the queen.
- Two knight forks with check. Which one works?
Show the answer
Ne7+ looks good, but the queen just takes it. Nf6+ lands on a safe square and wins the queen.
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