The Chess Guru

Concept lessons with the Guru

Standalone lessons on the patterns every improving player needs: forks, pins, the bishop pair, the outpost, opposition, and more. Read the lesson, drill the pattern, mark it mastered.

100 OF 100 CONCEPTS

AllTacticsStrategyEndgameOpenings

All levelsbeginnerintermediateadvanced

Hanging Pieces

Tactics | beginner

The Fork

Tactics | beginner

Double Attack

Tactics | beginner

The Pin

Tactics | beginner

The Skewer

Tactics | intermediate

Discovered Attack

Tactics | intermediate

Removing the Defender

Tactics | intermediate

Overloaded Piece

Tactics | intermediate

Decoy

Tactics | intermediate

Deflection

Tactics | intermediate

Zwischenzug (In-Between Move)

Tactics | advanced

Back-Rank Mate

Tactics | beginner

Mate-in-Two Patterns

Tactics | intermediate

Smothered Mate

Tactics | intermediate

The Outpost

Strategy | intermediate

The Bishop Pair

Strategy | intermediate

The Pawn Break

Strategy | intermediate

Open Files

Strategy | intermediate

Kingside Attack

Strategy | intermediate

Defensive Resources

Strategy | intermediate

The Quiet Move

Strategy | advanced

Opposition (and Zugzwang)

Endgame | intermediate

K+P vs K

Endgame | intermediate

Promotion Tactics

Endgame | intermediate

Lucena Position

Endgame | advanced

Philidor Position

Endgame | advanced

Triangulation

Endgame | advanced

The Bad Bishop

Strategy | advanced

The Battery

Tactics | intermediate

The Windmill

Tactics | advanced

The Greek Gift

Tactics | intermediate

Knight Sac on f7

Tactics | intermediate

Queen Sacrifice for Mate

Tactics | advanced

Underpromotion

Tactics | advanced

Stalemate Tricks

Tactics | intermediate

Perpetual Check

Tactics | intermediate

Trapped Piece

Tactics | intermediate

Mating Net

Tactics | advanced

Anastasia's Mate

Tactics | intermediate

Boden's Mate

Tactics | intermediate

Arabian Mate

Tactics | beginner

Hook Mate

Tactics | intermediate

Epaulette Mate

Tactics | intermediate

Swallow's Tail Mate

Tactics | intermediate

Discovered Check

Tactics | beginner

Pigs on the Seventh

Tactics | intermediate

Exchange Sacrifice

Tactics | advanced

Positional Sacrifice

Tactics | advanced

Counterattack

Tactics | intermediate

Cross-Pin

Tactics | advanced

Interference

Tactics | advanced

Gaining Tempo

Tactics | intermediate

Doubled Pawns

Strategy | beginner

Isolated Pawn (IQP)

Strategy | intermediate

Passed Pawn

Strategy | beginner

Backward Pawn

Strategy | intermediate

Pawn Chains

Strategy | intermediate

Pawn Majority

Strategy | intermediate

Minority Attack

Strategy | advanced

Hanging Pawns

Strategy | advanced

Playing With and Against the IQP

Strategy | advanced

Carlsbad Structure

Strategy | advanced

Hedgehog Structure

Strategy | advanced

Fianchetto Structure

Strategy | intermediate

King in the Center

Strategy | intermediate

Piece Activity

Strategy | beginner

Space Advantage

Strategy | intermediate

Weak Squares

Strategy | intermediate

Color-Complex Weakness

Strategy | advanced

Prophylaxis

Strategy | advanced

Restriction

Strategy | advanced

Domination

Strategy | advanced

Initiative

Strategy | intermediate

When to Trade

Strategy | intermediate

Outside Passed Pawn

Strategy | advanced

Maneuvering

Strategy | advanced

K + Q vs K Mate

Endgame | beginner

K + R vs K Mate

Endgame | beginner

Two Rooks Mate (Ladder)

Endgame | beginner

Bishop + Knight Mate

Endgame | advanced

Rook vs Bishop Endgame

Endgame | advanced

Rook vs Knight Endgame

Endgame | advanced

Building the Bridge (Lucena)

Endgame | advanced

Opposite-Color Bishop Endgame

Endgame | advanced

Same-Color Bishop Endgame

Endgame | intermediate

Knight Endgame

Endgame | intermediate

Zugzwang

Endgame | intermediate

Fortress

Endgame | advanced

Develop Knights Before Bishops

Openings | beginner

Control the Center with Pawns

Openings | beginner

Don't Move the Same Piece Twice in the Opening

Openings | beginner

Don't Bring the Queen Out Early

Openings | beginner

Castle Early

Openings | beginner

Connect Your Rooks

Openings | beginner

Opening Pawn Breaks

Openings | intermediate

Fianchetto Opening Setup

Openings | intermediate

Open vs Closed Positions

Openings | intermediate

Opening Tempo

Openings | beginner

Transpositions

Openings | advanced

Common Opening Traps

Openings | beginner

BEGINNERTACTICS

Hanging Pieces

Look for free material every move. Yours and theirs.

Loading example position...

CONCEPT LESSON

Hanging Pieces

Hear the Guru explain itOr just ask a question below.

Try: “Why does white play this move?” or “What is black's plan here?”

Send

I've read thisDrill: 5 puzzles · hangingPiece