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Fork (chess)

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Chess piece attacking two or more pieces simultaneously
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8a8 black rookd7 black kingb6 white knightg4 black pawnf3 white rookh3 white rookc1 white king8
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The white knight forks Black's king and rook. Black's pawn forks the white rooks.

In chess, a fork is a tactic in which a piece attacks multiple enemy pieces simultaneously. The attacker usually aims to capture one of the forked pieces. The defender often cannot counter every threat. A fork is most effective when it is forcing, such as when the king is put in check. A fork is a type of double attack.

This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.

Terminology

A fork is an example of a double attack. The type of fork is named after the type of forking piece. For example, a fork by a knight is a knight fork. The attacked pieces are forked. If the king is one of the attacked pieces, the term absolute fork is sometimes used. A fork not involving the enemy king is a relative fork.

A fork of the king and queen, the highest material-gaining fork possible, is sometimes called a royal fork. A fork of the enemy king, queen, and one (or both) rooks is sometimes called a grand fork. A knight fork of the enemy king, queen, and possibly other pieces is sometimes called a family fork or family check.

Strategy

Any piece can deliver a fork. Forks are most often delivered by knights: a knight is not attacked by a piece it attacks except for an enemy knight, and it can be exchanged for a more valuable piece.

Since the queen is usually more valuable than the pieces it attacks, a queen fork gains material only when the pieces attacked are undefended and neither piece can defend the other or if one of them is the king and the other is undefended and also cannot block the check while being defended.

Game examples

Tissir vs. Dreev, 2004
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Position after 33.Qe5–f4


This example is from the first round of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004 between Mohamed Tissir and Alexey Dreev. After

 33... Nf2+ 34. Kg1 Nd3

White resigned. In the final position the black knight forks White's queen and rook; after the queen moves away, Black will win the exchange.

Soppe vs. Braga, 1998
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8g8 black kingf7 black pawng7 black bishope6 black pawnh6 black pawnb5 black pawnd5 black knighte5 white knighte4 black queeng4 white pawnb3 white pawnh3 white pawnf2 white pawnc1 white bishopd1 white queenf1 white king8
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Position after 40.Nxe5


This example is from the ninth round of the Clarin GP Final between Guillermo Soppe and Fernando Braga. After

 40... Qh1+

White resigned. The only move is 41.Ke2 which enables a royal fork with 41...Nc3+, winning the queen.

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8a8 black rookc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishoph8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnd7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawnc6 black knightf6 black knighte5 black pawnc4 white bishope4 white pawnc3 white knightf3 white knighta2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingh1 white rook8
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Position after 4.Nc3. Black can play 4...Nxe4 since he has a fork trick.
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8a8 black rookc8 black bishopd8 black queene8 black kingf8 black bishoph8 black rooka7 black pawnb7 black pawnc7 black pawnf7 black pawng7 black pawnh7 black pawnc6 black knightd5 black pawne5 black pawnc4 white bishope4 white knightf3 white knighta2 white pawnb2 white pawnc2 white pawnd2 white pawnf2 white pawng2 white pawnh2 white pawna1 white rookc1 white bishopd1 white queene1 white kingh1 white rook8
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After 4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5, White is forked and Black will regain a piece.

In the Two Knights Defense (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6) after 4.Nc3, Black can eliminate White's e4-pawn immediately with

4... Nxe4!

due to the fork trick

5. Nxe4 d5

regaining either the bishop or the knight.

References

  1. "The Fork • lichess.org". lichess.org. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  2. "Chess Game Strategies - Next Chess Move". Chess Game Strategies.
  3. Polgar, S.; Truong, P. (2015). A World Champion's Guide to Chess: Step-by-Step Instructions for Winning Chess the Polgar Way!. Russell Enterprises, Incorporated. p. cxix. ISBN 978-1-941270-33-2. Retrieved 2024-11-12. Here White can give a "family fork" by attacking three black pieces at once: king, queen, and rook, with 1.Nf4+.
  4. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 132. family check.
  5. "Fork in Chess - Chess Terms". Chess.com. Retrieved 2021-04-09.
  6. Hooper & Whyld (1996), p. 143. fork.
  7. "Tissir vs. Dreev, Tripoli 2004". Chessgames.com.
  8. "Guillermo Soppe vs. Fernando Braga, (1998)". Chessgames.com.

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