Chess Tactics

Meaning of Chess Tactics

In chess the word tactics refers to what I consider the most fun part of the game: combinations, sacrifices, and other such "fireworks." Most spectators love good displays of chess tactics because they are truly entertaining. As a player, the rewards for successful chess tactics are very high - very often the whole chess game will turn on a combination.

Becoming Better at Chess Tactics

The question I hear most often from players aspiring to become masters is how to become better at chess tactics. Just like any other sport or game, practice is of course the key word. But practicing chess tactics doesn't help unless you are practicing the right things! When it comes to tactics I feel that there are two particularly important aspects you need to practice: solving combinations and understanding the thought process.

Understanding the Thought Process

Finding resources for chess tactics is relatively easy. There are many books out there with thousands of combinations. The problem with many of these chess tactics resources is that all you get is a position and a solution. While this allows you to see if you were right or not, it does not provide enough detail to learn. Which is why I would like you to focus on those chess tactics resources that also give you explanations, especially those pertaining to the correct thought process for solving the combination. You need to see what questions should be asked to lead to the right answer. One such resource is this very site, so I invite you to take the tour and see what it has to offer!