Complete Chess Tactics Guide For Under-1800 Rated Players

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

📗 Learn the Essentials to Win Chess Games Easily Get "7 Keys to Victory" - online.chess-teacher.com/course/7-keys-to-victory/

[@gpvcam]

My rating is 250. I m coming under the 1800 rated category. I m happy.

[@somasundaramsankaranarayan4592]

😂

[@DetectiveConan990v3]

what is your rating now

[@gpvcam]

@@DetectiveConan990v3 1100

[@DetectiveConan990v3]

@@gpvcam wow nice

[@orolli6792]

@@gpvcam nice

[@gundluruharipriya2304]

GM Igor Smirnov is the best coach we’ve ever had. Keep it up!!!😃😃😃😃😃

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

► Chapters 00:00 Comprehensive Chess Tactics Guide for Intermediates 00:38 What is chess tactics vs chess strategy? 00:57 How to find chess tactics in your games? 01:30 Precondition for tactics: Attacking move 03:22 1. Spotting weaknesses in opponent's position 05:31 2. Candidate moves: checks, captures, threats 08:53 Example-2 10:53 Calculate/Play the most forcing move possible 12:04 No need to know all tactical motifs 12:43 Puzzle for you: can you find the win?

[@josephsalmonte4995]

You've taught me so much over the last few years. Another great video. Thanks mate 🙂👍

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Glad to hear it

[@rainerausdemspring894]

The second example ist really nice and it took me a few seconds to find the solution. Spectacular ...

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Finding the solution in a few seconds is a great result!

[@robertpease9834]

I find at times I will find a forcing move, and stop there, because I get an advantage, and fail to find a better move. This can create a blind spot because I am so focused on an advantage. NF7 looks fantastic, because you win the exchange, and finding QxB harder because you want to go forward with what you know is an winning move, with less calculations, finding QxB, then PxQ, then you follow up with NF7, and when RxN, then you can RE8 to force the check mate. The quick and easy victories will blind me to the ultimate win.

[@sesh7357]

You are absolutely right- solving puzzles wouldn't help spot tactics - rather, as you say, we need to understand the principles

[@roloa7741]

Thank you, GM Smirnov; I think this is the best lesson I have ever seen! (May I call you Igor now? 😄). I hope my answer is correct?

[@homesless]

Thank you, GM Smirnov!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

My pleasure!

[@cmwontner]

Best chess instruction on KZbin!

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

🙏

[@JonEmerson]

It's incredible to see every chess tactic discussed through a single game, in a video of 13 minutes. Classic Igor Smirnov, doing the impossible. BTW almost never do Igor's "traps" work, they're several layers deep in opponent mistakes that of course there's a "trap".

[@markomesik5291]

1. queen takes bishop on e6, pawn captures 2. knight f7 check, rook captures 3. Rook e8 check, rook blocks 4. rook takes - check mate

[@TimTim3000]

Except black sees capturing the knight leads to mate so he plays Kg8 instead

[@tbdwoods]

​@@TimTim3000The. He loses his queen

[@florasinaboykillermlbb9891]

It's a three move checkmate first knight to f5, black has to take the knight or the queen is gone , then rook to e8 check, black back to the same but late and then checkmate white rook takes black rook check mate❤easy

[@harleycrawford1655]

Correct, quick and easy.

[@21-deepak.p99]

​@@harleycrawford1655it's not correct , the black rook is defended by the black bishop!!!

[@efriday1]

Queen must first be sacrificed or any move loses

[@sojogos995]

Last puzzle: Kf7, check and attack both king and queen. If black takes whith rook f7, you win material whith bishop f7. If just move, you won the queen and the game

[@CastlesKingSide]

Last puzzle: 1.Q:d6 c:d6 2.Nf7. Either black plays Kg8 and we take on g5, and we won a piece, either rook takes on f7, then we have Re8 check, Rf8, R:f8 checkmate. This is why it was important to eliminate the bishop first, else the f8 square would have been guarded twice

[@chimbiepaladin4629]

This

[@jdrodrigues7]

1. QxB, c7xQ…

[@roloa7741]

No. It’s about forcing moves. Black is not forced to take Q on d6. They can play Qf6, for example, preventing Nf7.

[@CastlesKingSide]

@@roloa7741 you still lost a piece for free. And you offered a queen trade. I'd be happy with that. The checkmate only exists if black is desperate to hang on to the material

[@roloa7741]

@@CastlesKingSide My point is that white Qd6 doesn’t achieve mate. Black Qf6 prevents it. If white trades Qs, then after Nf7 Kg7 protects R from R, and threatens N.

[@vijaikris2306]

Qd6 cd6 Nf7 Rf7 Re8 Rf8 Rf8 is it correct

[@michaelrobinson2687]

Saw the puzzle. Immediately thought of N f7 + as a good move, forcing the moves R x f7, B x f7 winning a Rook at the cost of a Knight. But once White takes the Rook I'd be at a bit of a loss and have no idea how to build on the material advantage I'd just gained as B d7 rescues Black's position by preventing the threat of R e8 +.

[@nazirkazi2531]

Excellent Video GM Igor! Thank you so much for all your videos on chess that you post for free! I have enjoyed watching your videos and learning so much from them! I can't thank you enough for doing this for all of us that enjoy chess as a hobby!

[@gundluruharipriya2304]

I agree ☝

[@oprajjesh1928]

The last puzzle white to win is Knight to f7 threats the king a check while the black takes the knight by moving rook to f7 then the white moves his bishop to the f7 taking the rook (it's upon my imagination so)the black tries to move his queen to f6 threats to take the bishop but the white moves his rook to e8 give the king check mate) I am new so if I am wrong sorry

[@abdullahi4258]

For the second example isn’t there a faster check mate with sacrificing the rook?

[@ripdimebag42]

Nf7+ forking the queen so rook takes and then recapture with the bishop and you've won a rook for a knight and you're threatening mate on the next move

[@Steinitz78]

There is a much better combination, look at it a little deeper. 😊

[@aayy9540]

​@@Steinitz78how so?

[@zachmiller4094]

Elo 500 watching Chinese tactics

[@NormalChess-p1o]

1. Kf7 2. Bxf7 3.Re8 check Bf8 5.Rf8# checkmate

[@thobanigwala1875]

So then is it : Qxd6 cxd6, Nf7+ Rxf7, Re8+ Rf8, Rxf8#? Another question I have is, what after Nf7+ they don't take the knight. So: Nf7+ Kg8, Nxg5+ Kh8, Nf7+ Kg8, Nxd6+. I'm assuming it's just matter of threatening checkmate and after black responds to it, white ends up a bishop and pawn up, I think.

[@moonslithernow7083]

How I would think the answer to the puzzle would be e5 knight checks king. King can't move away due to the bishop on c4 forcing take with the rook. Rook does so. That clears the path for the e1 rook. It moves to e8 checking the king. The king can't move still so the rook must move back up to f8. E8 rook takes f8 rook resulting in checkmate. I thinks that is it. White wins the game!

[@Redbirds1100]

you are so Awesome Thank You so much. I always learn from your video's

[@CHESSGUY950]

I am 1700 RE6 is the answer of this puzzle i find that in 2 or 3 minutes thats common puzzles of woodpecker method book best to improve tactics

[@broboss623]

for those who don't know b to f7 R take f7 knight to f7 :it's a fork of king and a queen by this by a bishop sacrifice you win a queen

[@ArmanRabie]

Rh6 also work 12:15

[@russellmurray1636]

Qxd6 cxd6, Nf7+ and black cannot play Rxf7 because of Re8+ followed by mate. So Instead Kg8, Nxg5 discovered check and White wins a piece

[@tusharkantidas]

1.Nf7+,Rxf7 2.Re8#

[@DreamDuck]

he doesnr have to take

[@arkianempire9669]

11:20 isn't Kxh7, Rh6 checkmate?

[@LeslieShelton-gv5ys]

Mungkin saya bisa mencari tips yang lebih kompleks dan tajam untuk meningkatkan permainan saya. Tapi terima kasih atas usahanya!

[@gattusaiteja9679]

Qd5 unstoppable checkmate

[@analogdistortion2906]

Hey in the second example does 1 Rh3 still win, just more slowly?

[@robertocollo2890]

Even after 1. Rh3 ; Ng5+ 2. Kg6 ; Nxh3 3. Ng4 wins threatening both Qxh2# and Nf2#. White’s King is simply too weak. However 1. Qxh2+ is faster.

[@videodb8454]

@@robertocollo2890 Almost works, except after 3...Ng4, 4. Qg5+ Qxg5 5. Nxg5 Kxg5 you're down an exchange against a passed, protected pawn.

[@timm439]

11:22 Umm.. how is Rh3 not immediate mate?

[@davidcovington901]

Been wondering. At 1:25 we see in the video clip on the upper right screen, a player using their Queen to physically knock over the (checkmated) King. If you did this in an OTB tournament, what would happen next?

[@aaravthediscoverer]

Would be considered rude

[@nicallen2137]

Sac the queen for the bishop. Check with the kight forking the queen. They capture with rook. Then check with rook. Mate in 1

[@TawhidAnam]

HI YOU ARE DOING SUPERB !! IS IT POSSIBLE TO DOWNLOAD FULLGAME PGN SO ANY ONE CAN SEE HOW WE REACHED THIS TACTICAL POSITION AND PRACTICE BUILD FOR OPPONENT.THANKS

[@csaha123]

1)Qxd6-cxd6,2)Nf7+-Rxf7,3)Re8-Rf8,4)Rxf8# Variation 2,if black not takes the knight then his queen is gone to heaven

[@FitVibes4ever]

is the Correct move?? knight to f7 check which forks the king and queen and if they dont take and move the king i take the queen up by nine points. If not and they take with the rook on f8 then white plays rook e 8 checking the king and the rook has to go back to the f8 square. White takes the other rook and it also being checkmate white wins.

[@shaniced07]

black would capture whites rook with bishop

[@ktongmm]

11:24 is rook to h3 not checkmate in one???? I guess I’m a grandmaster now

[@ktongmm]

Can’t believe you missed that

[@zamicczsmicc7464]

the last puzzle is called removing the defender

[@alfredwu9523]

This is the best

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Thank you for watching!

[@alfredwu9523]

@@GMIgorSmirnov thanks for making video, I gain a lot of elo

[@peace9586]

Qd5-whatever black plays,Qg8-rook is forced to capture, Kf7 smothered chekmate

[@markusrohmann6139]

Nice cat Igor

[@normanwilson9594]

Qd6

[@dconspiracy6926]

The best move is to sacrifice the queen taking the bishop the player will be forced to take the queen with the porn, then drop a check with the knight which will also pose a treat to the queen also then the rook will take the night then the whites rook to check the king the black player has no other choice but to block the check with us took then the white plays his final move by taking the rook then check mate

[@kiwiicat8837]

for the puzzle you check with the knight then move the rook all the way up

[@NehaVyas-t5h]

D6

[@rdjgamingunlimted841]

1 Nf7+ 2 Rxf7 3 Re8+ 4 Rf8 5 Rxf8

[@KawyaDineth-hv4co]

Just asking : Is that Cat is sick? The cat behind you on the table because when I watch your videos, I see that Cat is sleeping like the same on the table every time. After all Cat is cute.

[@CrazyCari]

There isn’t a forcing mate here

[@abcdefghijasilo1239]

Ur 2nd puzzle i already see the answer in 2 seconds

[@avrischneider69]

11:34 - Rh3 check mate.

[@kylescomments6033]

It's close, but gxh3 defends, since the knight cuts off the pin

[@Sooof_YT]

Queen eats bishop. Horse gives chechmate. His rook takes. you give check eat his rook and check mate.

[@aaudain1]

😎👍👏

[@parthpathak5123]

My rating 😅😅

[@argentina8312]

❤

[@KarthiKeyan-fs9sj]

Qe5

[@RCDinsmore]

Nf7+, and threatens queen. RxNf7, Re8++. If Nf7+, Kg8, then NxQg5+ (by bishop), Kg8 then Nf7+ again, (if takes with rook leads to mate as before) so Kg8 again, NxBd6, cxNd6 then Qxd6, attacking rook, rook is trapped and mate is on next move.

[@AB-eq9mm]

Bishop protects f8 so its not mate

[@移居火星逃离地球]

1.Nf7+, Kg8 2.Nxg5+, Kh8 3.Qd5 and whatever black plays, smothered mate is unstoppable

[@earthwombat]

no

[@darrylkassle361]

As a chess teacher Igor you SHOULD know the 50 motifs . To not know them creates doubts about your teaching knowledge and abilities. Every coach and teacher worth his salt knows his stuff. You are quite brave admitting that. Because you are obviously a great chess educator I will just overlook that and forget you admitted that after all you did explain why it does not really matter not knowing what the motif is called as long as you understand it. But yeah just saying it does not look good admitting that. With your background in psychology I am amazed you said it

[@disinformationworld9378]

😂 ok dude.

[@darrylkassle361]

Yeah dude. Actually some people are calling him a fake GM yet he clearly is not you can look him up but i just thought this does not help him with that hence my comment

[@SpaceOdyssey750]

Qd6 threatening mate

[@rlystupid]

Back rank mate or take the queen. Nf7+ Rxf7 Rd8+ Rf8 Rxf8# Or if Nf7+ Kg8 Nxg5

[@chimbiepaladin4629]

Incorrect

[@rlystupid]

Ohhh. Dark square bishop...

[@rlystupid]

That's why I'm still bad, I lose sight of the whole board and get tunnel vision

[@michatablet9242]

@@rlystupid But, you are on the right path - just start with this bishop... 😉

[@roloa7741]

@@rlystupid 😄 # Me too! 😉

[@thunderz9318]

Bg8 Rxg8 Knf7#

[@parthpathak5123]

My rating is 2678,sorry my mouse slipped so I could not right

[@KarthiKeyan-fs9sj]

Qd5

[@GarbelTV]

Knight f7, rook takes back, white bishop takes back, Rook to e8, checkmate.

[@PierogimyBeloved]

Is it nf7+, rxf7, re8+, rf8, rxf8#?

[@csaha123]

No it's not

[@Cousinsjay]

Very very instructive. Great job , this has helped me tremendously get my thought process down. Do you give private lessons?

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

I'm glad it was helpful! I don't give private lessons, sorry about that. That said, I've created a number of courses that I believe are equally effective.

[@ranapratapde7011]

1 Qxd6 for eliminate the defender of f8 1.. cxd6 2 Nf7+ Rxf7 3 Re8+ Rf8 4 Rxf8+#

[@mdtasrif2982]

Nice

[@YOLO22272]

My problem is that I can see that there’s a tactic I can do in-game and probably know how to start it, but not know all my opponent’s moves . End up wasting time to be down material lol

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Try checking the forcing moves available to your opponent (checks, captures). This way you can spot the most powerful defense and evaluate if it's dangerous for you or not.

[@YOLO22272]

@@GMIgorSmirnov will do, thanks for the advice Ps. Recently made from 800 to 900 elo and heading for 1000💪🏽

[@menitoon]

Nf7+ if black takes we checkmate with Re8 if not we take black's queen with Ng5

[@SwastikPatnaik-ts2bv]

Queen to d5 then knight to e7 then a rook capture and cm.

[@hondorama]

Thanks Igor!! I am new to your content and its aready making a difference in my game.

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Welcome aboard!

[@rl0270]

Nf7 then take the queen 😅

[@geauxgaia]

Awesome, thank you!

[@parthpathak5123]

My

[@zemtex2323]

At 12:41 can u not sack the rook to rh3 and if he doesn’t capture with pon it’s checkmate QH2 if he does capture u check him with QG4 then checkmate G2

[@zemtex2323]

QG2 final checkmate

[@sesh7357]

You have explained how to find tactics against your opponents- how about the method to look for opponents tactics threatening to undermine my position?

[@gundluruharipriya2304]

I think the answer is Qd5 because it’s a checkmate if they take and they lose their queen if they don’t take after we play Qg8 (I’m unrated). Thank you for posting this video Igor and for all the work you’ve done to teach us!!😊

[@artshortsvideos9377]

Last puzzle knight to f7 if black takes with rook we take bishop to find than we give checkmate by rook to e8

[@prayogisaputra2541]

Nf7+ is the wining move followed by Re8 Checkmate

[@jonasherman9195]

Really great video! I truly believe that certainly in the middlegame, it can be extremely adventagous (especially for beginner/intermediate players) to ask yourself the same questions such as these every move to not overlook things

[@jeramiahccabacungan4891]

What is the good source of chess opening etc.

[@dipendrakafle8106]

i need this course

[@JevonChen]

For the second one can rook h3 work?

[@JevonChen]

I don’t really see anything that can stop checkmate and it seem faster

[@m168maa5]

Maybe, but Qxh7 is more forced and immediately wins

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

It's one of the candidate moves indeed. However, it's less forcing (compared to 1...Qh2) and gives White some time to play 2.Ng5+ or 2.Nf8+

[@JevonChen]

@@GMIgorSmirnov Thanks for explaining, was just wondering if it would work as it was the first move that I saw

[@timm439]

@@GMIgorSmirnov But Rh3 after Qh2+ is mate... I was surprised when you said Ng4 is the only checking move.

[@AB-eq9mm]

Nf7+ Rxf7. Bxf7 Qd8. Re8 is protected by the bishop, winning the queen.

[@zenoblazenkv]

After White plays Bxf7, black can play Bd7

[@ernestogarcillan1977]

1. Re6

[@PTSTEH20]

10:58 castle to g3 pawn takes castle then queen to h5 check mate

[@PTSTEH20]

Actually his queen will defend and be taken

[@helloagain4546]

Great method! Do you have a tip on improving patience to study tactics? For example; I saw Qxd6 immediately it felt like the move but I couldn't actually see the back rank issues... After 2 minutes I get frustrated and look at the comments :) Many times I get sad emotions when I can't find the solution. If I'm in a good state of mind it takes me 10-25 minutes to solve a 2200 level tactic (I am 1900 lichess classical) This tactic seems not so difficult, and still, I couldn't solve it "fast enough" to not get frustrated. Tips?...

[@GMIgorSmirnov]

Hi, sometimes 2200 level tactics in Lichess has a very computer like solution which is hard to spot. So don't beat yourself up. You can try tactics from puzzle book which are human complied and you can give a time limit of 15 mins to solve a problem if you don't you can just check the answer.

[@helloagain4546]

@@GMIgorSmirnov Hey thx. Great tip. I always feel like these random puzzles are not the way, but also choosing theme makes it easy or even more annoying.. so I will do this. Appreciate your comment

[@cannes76]

1. Qxd6, cxd6, 2. Nf7+, Kg8, 3. Nxg5+, Kh8, 4. Nf7+, Kg8, 5. Nxd6, wins Bishop and a pawn.

[@ngomusoqwabe4684]

Thanks my GM

[@moetain853]

That’s is not how you do it! What if your knight just got captured by the rook on your 2nd move? Now you’re just down a queen

[@cannes76]

@@moetain853 Rd8+, Rf8, Rxf8#

[@uvdash]

@@cannes76 savage as hell lmao

[@candwh4]

Why sac the queen you can just directly play Nf7+ can you please explain

[@INCOGNITO-rv6ve]

solution knight moves to f7 check and threatening the queen and bishop, so black have no choice but to take knight with rook bishop takes the rook at f7 preparing for a check, black can move his pawn to h6 but it will just make the game longer with an inevitable defeat so queen blocks the check of rook e8 by queen d8 rook then ignores the queen and proceeds to move to e8 checking the king and threatening the queen, so the queen have no choice but to take rook e8 then bishop takes queen gaining a material advantage and the rest is on how you use your advantage

[@dlompy9696]

12:37 Why not Rh3? If captures checkmate and if not checkmate anyways with queen takes h2

[@robmack2837]

I saw the answer to this puzzle within 30 seconds. So all of what you were saying was just falling on death years. I think it would be better for you to do a lot of puzzles just in front of us. Really hard ones maybe you can get them from a website and solve them in front of us and go get the process. But just 1 simple puzzle like this for 10 minutes It's taking too long.

[@AnkitThakur-ql4pu]

I reached 1040 rapid and then I don't know what happened now im stuck in 800 - 890 😢

[@iamtheboxer]

Qd5 Qg8 Sacrifice. Nf7 (smother) check mate