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Hanging Pieces

Part of the Tactics section of Coddy's Chess journey. Lesson 1 of 48.

Welcome to Tactics. Fundamentals taught you the rules; from here you learn to win. Most games are not won by grand plans - they are won by noticing a piece nobody guards, and taking it. Attacked plus undefended equals hanging, and hanging means free. Scan both armies before every move.

Try it yourselfBeginner

Position 1 of 7

WatchAttacked is not enough. Watch.

The starting position.

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All 7 positions

All lessons in Tactics

1Free Pieces

Hanging PiecesCounting Attackers Good Trades, Bad Trades Is It Safe?Puzzles: Take What Is Free Recap: Free Pieces

4Skewers and Discoveries

The Skewer The Discovered Attack Discovered Check Double Check Puzzles: Hidden Weapons Recap: Skewers & Discoveries

7Mate in Two

Check, Reply, Mate The Quiet First Move All the Escape Squares Puzzles: Mate in Two 1 Puzzles: Mate in Two 2 Recap: Mate in Two

2The Fork

One Move, Two Threats Knight Forks Pawn and Queen Forks Seeing Forks Coming Puzzles: Fork Hunt 1 Puzzles: Fork Hunt 2 Recap: The Fork

5Removing the Defender

The Overloaded Piece Capture the Defender Deflection Puzzles: Guard Duty Recap: Removing Defenders

8Winning Endgames

King and Queen vs King King and Rook vs King The Pawn Race Opposition Project: Finish the Game

3The Pin

Pieces That Cannot Move The Relative Pin Winning a Pinned Piece Breaking a Pin Puzzles: Pin and Win Recap: The Pin

6Mate Patterns

Back Rank Revisited The Smothered Mate Queen Next to the King Rook Roller and Edge Mates Puzzles: Mate in One 1 Puzzles: Mate in One 2 Recap: Mate Patterns