You’re One Fork Away from Winning the Game

You’re low on time, down a piece, things are looking rough... and then — boom! Your opponent hangs a fork, and suddenly you're back in the game. Forks aren’t just tactics — they’re lifesavers. And sometimes, just the threat of a fork is enough to win.

In this week’s tips, we dive into one of the most powerful weapons in your chess arsenal: the fork.

Don’t just survive — strike back with tactical precision.

What is a fork?

A fork is a tactical move in chess where a single piece attacks two or more of the opponent’s pieces at the same time! They can only defend one - which means you gain material!

Forks are especially effective because they put your opponent in a difficult situation, often forcing them to lose material since they can only move or protect one of the attacked pieces. Forks can be made with various pieces, but the knight is particularly well-known for creating forks because of its unique movement pattern. Pawns, bishops, rooks, and queens can also perform forks, each creating different types of double attacks based on their movement.The unique thing about a fork is that every single piece on the board, including the king, can issue a fork. Knight forks are the trickiest of them all.

Example #1:

1. Nf6+ Kg7 2. Nxd7 +- The knight moves to f6 with check (fork), and White wins the queen.When a knight lands on f6 square where it attacks both your opponent’s king and queen, this creates a powerful fork. Since the king is in check, your opponent is forced to move it to safety, leaving the queen undefended and vulnerable for you to capture on the next move. This tactic is incredibly effective because it allows you to gain material (capturing a high-value piece like the queen) and can often lead to a winning position.

Example #2:

1. Ne7+! Kf8 2. Nxc8 +-  but not 1. Nb6?? because of 1....Ra1+! 2. Kh2 Re8 and Black saved their rooks.

In this example, White has two possibilities to make a fork. The first is to play Ne7! with check, and in this case, White definitely wins the exchange (a rook for a knight). However, the second possibility to make a fork with the move Nb6 doesn't actually work, because (this move is without check and doesn't force the issue), and Black has the opportunity from this position to save their rook by first giving an intermediate check on a1 with the rook, and then escape with the other rook. In the second case, White gains nothing.

Examples of Pawn fork:

1. b4! attacking both knigtes Ne6 2. bxa5 +-

The more practice you do with these tactics, the easier they will come. We will have some exercises to make sure you'll never miss delivering this killer tactic!

Practicing forks will improve your tactical awareness, helping you spot opportunities to gain material and control the game. With each game, try to look for moments where you can use this tactic to your advantage. Forks can be a beginner’s best friend on the chessboard, so use them often and wisely!

Double Attack

The Double Attack in Chess: A Key Tactical Weapon

A double attack is a powerful tactical maneuver in chess where a single piece threatens two targets simultaneously. This move often leaves the opponent unable to protect all of their threatened pieces or squares, making it a valuable way to gain material or exploit weaknesses.

How a Double Attack Works

In a double attack, one piece (like a queen, rook, bishop, knight, or even a pawn) simultaneously attacks two distinct targets. These targets can be pieces, squares, or even the opponent’s king, creating a check or even a checkmate threat. Double attacks are particularly effective because they put the opponent in a bind, unable to respond to both threats in a single move.

Difference Between a Double Attack and a Fork

While a fork is a type of double attack, it’s most commonly associated with knights, as their unique movement allows them to attack multiple pieces at once, often two or more, which makes them especially effective at creating forks. Unlike forks, a double attack can be executed by any piece—queen, rook, bishop, or even a pawn—and it may threaten more than just enemy pieces. Double attacks can target checkmate, weak squares, or other vulnerabilities in the opponent's position. Additionally, while forks often involve two targets, they can sometimes threaten more than two, especially in crowded positions, increasing the chances of gaining material or creating a decisive advantage.

Tip 1: Look for opportunities to attack the enemy King and another piece at the same time

Double attacks often occur when a king and another piece are attacked at the same time. When the king moves the other piece is taken. This can be seen in the diagram below.

1. Re8+. When the king either moves, or the knight comes in to defend, the white rook is free to take the bishop on h8.

Here is another example of a double attack... this time the threat occurs on diagonals.

1. Qe5+ When the king moves the white queen will take the rook on h8.

Tip 2: The threat doesn't have to be a direct check. Sometimes the threat can be mate.

1. Qe4 +- This attacks the rook on a8 and threatens Qxh7#. Black must defend against the mate threat and will lose it's rook on a8.

Tip 3: The king doesn't need to be involved in double attack. Two high value pieces being attacked also works.

Since this is less forcing it's important to make sure one of those pieces won't be defending the other when it moves.

1. Qf5 +- This attacks the knight on h5 as well as the rook on c8. When one moves, the other will be taken. The rook can't defend the knight and the knight can't defend the rook.

Want to get better at spotting forks in real games?

Join our Free Chess Marathons community, where we train tactics together, share ideas, and keep each other sharp. Forks, double attacks, sneaky traps — we study them all.

Yours faithfully,

WGM Dina Belenkaya