Pin to Win: The Ultimate Guide to Chess Pin Tactics"

Chess Pins:
 Learn, Practice, and Master the Pin

The pin is a powerful chess tactic that restricts your opponent's options and unlocks winning opportunities.

 When an attacking piece puts pressure on a defending piece, pinning it to a more valuable piece behind it, the defender faces a dilemma: move and expose the valuable piece, or stay put and remain limited. Pins can win material, deliver checkmate, or simply disrupt your opponent's plans.

Let's delve into the world of pins and explore the resources that will turn you into a pin-pointing pro!

Pin (chess)
 From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

  

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BOOKS (Free)

• The Pin - 7 page PDF -English Chess Federation 
  
  
• PIN and WIN - 2 Page PDF- WorkSheet
  
  

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Pin Chess Articles

• The Pin - Nice Article on Chess Trainer Blog
  
  
• Typical Patterns Everyone Should Know : Pin, unpin... - Nice Chess.com Article
  
  
• Pin Tactics - Chess Fox Guide (Very In-Depth Guide)
  
  
• The Pin Tactic in Chess Explained by a Grandmaster [For Beginners] -  LiChess Blog Post (Chessmood )
  
  

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LiChess Pin Studies

LiChess offers a wealth of interactive studies designed to sharpen your pin tactic skills. Here's a curated selection to elevate your chess game:

• The Pin - LiChess Tactic Practice Area - 8 Problems
  
  
• Pin tactics patterns exercises - 25 Chapter Study - Many different styles of Pin Exercises mostly all Mates.
  
  

Interactive Studies

• PINS (Absolute + Relative): LESSON - 25 Chapter Interactive Study - 6 lessons on absolute and relative pins w/ 18 interactive puzzles.
  
  
• PINS! 📌 - 10 Chapter Interactive Study (Guide on Pins)
  
  
• Pins  - 11 Chapter Interactive Study (Nice Lesson) 
  
  
• Piling on the pin  - 11 Chapter Interactive Study

New to Lichess studies? These interactive tools allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move, perfect for testing your understanding and deepening your knowledge.

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Pin Puzzles

Test your pin-solving skills with a variety of puzzles designed to challenge your ability to identify and exploit pin tactics. 

WTHarvey

• 24 Pin Puzzles

Expert Chess Strategies 

• 10 Chess Problems - Defend Against the Pin 
• 10 Chess Problems - Pinning Chess Pieces

LiChess Puzzle Themes

• LiChess Pin Puzzles - 220,000+ Puzzles - Explore a vast library of  puzzles on Lichess to hone your pin-solving skills.

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PIN Video Lessons

Secrets of Chess Tactics | Chess Pins | Stunningly beautiful secrets revealed  - 17 Min - kingscrusher goes over the Pin chess tactic with numerous pinning examples

2 MOST Important Chess Tactics You Should Know | Tactics Training - 15 Min GM Smirnov - Pins and Forks - He starts from simple positions and gradually increases the complexity, going for more advanced level chess tactics.

The 4 most important Pins in Chess | Chess Tactics | IM Alex Astaneh - 24 Min -  Based on practical examples, you will get a basic understanding of the absolute pin, the relative pin, the situational pin and the partial pin.
The Power of the Pin - Beginner to Chess Master #14 - 37 Min - Discussed is what makes a pin so powerful in a chess game.

How To Deal With Pins On Your Knights - 19 Min NM Lopez  - Practical advice on what to do when your knight gets pinned by a bishop.

ST Louis Chess Club

• Pins! | Chess for Beginners - WGM Jennifer Shahade - 33 Min
  
  
• Pins: Absolutely No Way to Move | Tactics Time! - 27 Min - NM Jim McLaughlin - National Master Jim McLaughlin introduces pins to the beginner class. See if you can find out how to "pin it to win it."
  
  
• Create and Utilize Pins | Beginner Breakdown - NM Ralph Tan - 59 Min - Maybe you can spot a pin in a puzzle, but how do you set up a pin in a real game? 8 Game Examples (New - 5/29/24)
  
  
• Absolute & Relative Pins | Kids' Class - GM Ben Finegold - 33 Min Video Below

Tactic the Pin - 11 Min Video 

The Power of the Pin - 9 Min Video 
Chess Puzzle Nasty Pin - 2 min Video
The 5 Most Amazing Pins in Chess - 10 Min GM Simon Williams 

Unlocking Free Chess Resources: A Comprehensive Repository of Free Online Books

Exploring Free Chess Books: Your Ultimate Resource Repository

Delve into a treasure trove of free chess resources with our comprehensive repository of online books. From tactical masterpieces to strategic insights, discover a wealth of knowledge curated to elevate your chess game.

Unleash a Library of Chess Knowledge: Exploring the Internet Archive

The Internet Archive is a digital goldmine for chess enthusiasts! Explore a vast collection of free chess books, from timeless classics to modern strategy guides. Utilize their search function to find specific titles or browse by category to discover hidden gems.

 Internet Archive - The Internet Archive is a vast digital library offering free access to millions of books, websites, videos, and other cultural artifacts.

Treasure Hunt for Free Chess Books: Google Books to the Rescue!

Did you know Google offers a treasure trove of free chess books in the public domain? Search for titles by strategy, tactics, openings, or endgames and download PDFs for convenient offline study.

Google Search of Books in Public Domain 

(These Books are still Here, just enter Captcha on Googles site and download starts for some or click "Ebook - Free" Button for others) 

(Click link to Download PDF Version of Book)

Strategy and Instruction Books
Build a Chess Mastermind: Foundational Strategy & Instruction Books

Sharpen your strategic thinking and chess fundamentals with this collection of free books! Explore core chess concepts, tactics, and opening principles to develop a well-rounded understanding of the game.

1. The Complete Guide to Chess Master: Chess Tactics, Chess Openings and Chess Strategies - 144 pg
   
2. Chess Praxis - By Howard Staunton
3. The Chess Tournament - By Howard Staunton
   
4. The Chess-player's Companion -By Howard Staunton
   
5. The Modern Chess Instructor - By William Steinitz
   
6. Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess - By Joeseph henry Blackburne
7. The Laws and Practice of Chess -By Howard Staunton, Robert B. Wormald, Robert Bownas
   
8. Chess Strategy - By Eduard Lasker 
9. Chess Studies Comprising 1000 Games - By George Walker
10. Laskers Chess Magazine Vol 2 -  By Emanuel Lasker
11. Analysis of the game of Chess - Philidor
12. The Book of Chess - By Howard Staunton
13. The American Chess Players Handbook - By Howard Staunton

Chess Player Books
Learn from the Legends: Explore Books Featuring Games of Chess Masters

Immerse yourself in the games of chess greats! This section curates books featuring games played by legendary figures like Morphy and Marshall. Analyze their moves, strategies, and thought processes to elevate your own chess skills.

Morphys Games of Chess - By Paul Charles Morphy, Johann Löwenthal

Marshals Chess Swindles - By Frank J Marshal (Over 125 Tourn. and Match Games)

Chess Opening Books
Chart Your Chess Course: Free Books to Conquer Chess Openings

Unravel the mysteries of chess openings with free books dedicated to this crucial game phase. Learn about popular openings, strategic concepts, and how to develop a strong opening repertoire to gain an early advantage.

1. Chess Openings -By Frank James Marshall
   
2. Modern Chess Openings  - By Griffith and White  (Pretty old book of openings but FREE)
   
3. The Chess Openings considered critically and practically - By Henry Bird
4. Chess Openings For Beginners - By Cunningham
5. Positions in the Chess Openings most Freq. Played - Thomas Long
6. Chess Players Compendium (Practical Guide to Openings) - By William Cook
7. Synopsis of the Chess Openings - By William Cook
8. Chess Openings - By Fredrick Longman
9. The Chess Openings - By Ginsburg
10. Jaenisch's Chess Preceptor - Jaenisch and Valker 
11. The Chess Openings (Notable positions and problems) - By Bird

Chess Endgame Books
Mastering the Final Frontier: Free Books to Dominate Chess Endgames

Don't let your winning positions slip away! Delve into free endgame books to refine your skills in converting advantages and securing victories. Learn essential endgame principles and practice key techniques.

1. Chess Endings - By Freebourough
2. Chess Symposium - By Halpern  (100 Endgame Studies)
3. Select Chess Endgames from Actual Play - By Freebourough

Chess Problem Books (Tactics Books)
Sharpen Your Chess Vision: Free Tactics Books to Boost Your Game

Chess tactics are the heart and soul of the game. Hone your tactical skills with free problem books packed with puzzles and exercises. Test your pattern recognition, calculation abilities, and develop the sharp eye of a chess master.

1. A Selection of Popular Two Move Chess Problems -  Brownson (100 problems)
2. A Collection of 200 Chess Problems -  By Francis Healey
3. Chess Problems  - By Pierce (Hundreds of Problems)
   
   

BISHOPS BOUNTY CHESS TACTICS BOOK PAGE 

(Page of Internet Archive Downloads, Free Chessable Tactics Courses , ETC)

 

Chess Tournament Books
Learn from the Best: Analyze Classic Games with Free Tournament Books

Step back in time and witness the brilliance of chess masters in action. Explore free tournament books that showcase historical chess battles, allowing you to analyze the games of legends and uncover valuable strategic insights.

1. International Masters Tournament  Manhattan Chess Club 1918 - (Marshall and Capablanca present)
2. London Intern. Tourn. 1883  (Bird and Winawer present)
3. The Hastings Chess Tourn. 1885
4. The Monte Carlo Tourn 1903 - (Tarrasch, Marshall, and Maroczy)

Want to delve deeper? Explore even more chess resources on the Blog! Many of our sidebar topics offer links to additional chess books and shorter PDFs at the top of each page. Discover a wealth of chess knowledge to supplement your learning journey.

 

Zwischenzug (Intermezzo): The Surprise Weapon in Your Chess Arsenal

"When you see a good move, look for a better one." - Emanuel Lasker

 
Zwischenzug Chess Resources

Have you ever been outmaneuvered in chess, feeling like your opponent pulled a rabbit out of a hat?

That surprise move might have been a Zwischenzug (pronounced "tvee-SHEN-tsoog"), also known as intermezzo, a powerful chess tactic that throws a curveball into your opponent's plans.

  Instead of making the expected move, like capturing a piece, a Zwischenzug inserts an unexpected move that creates a new threat or disrupts your strategy. Mastering this tactic will transform you from a predictable player to a cunning strategist, allowing you to exploit unexpected opportunities and gain a significant advantage.

Zwischenzug Wikipedia page
 With explanations and examples

German "in-between move". An unexpected move tossed into an expected series of moves.

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BOOKS (FREE)

ZWISCHENZUG – GERMAN; INTERMEZZO; ITALIAN IN-BETWEEN MOVE - 2 Page PDF Handout - Couple Examples w/ 6 Puzzles

Chess Tactics and Combinations - 84 Page PDF - Exeter Chess Club - Short Violent Games of Chess Organized by Theme. (Page 34 Intermezzo)

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Zwischenzug Chess Articles 

Gain a comprehensive understanding of Zwischenzug with informative articles that explain the concept, showcase examples, and offer strategic insights.

• Chess Tactics Simplified: The Zwischenzug! - Nice Article with Examples at Bottom
  
  
• ZWISCHENZUG: THE TACTICAL PATTERN THAT CAN SAVE YOU - Article with examples
  
  
• Tactics 101: The Incredible Intermezzo (a.k.a. Zwischenzug) - Nice Article
  
  
• Zwischenzug: An Unexpected Tactic of Grandmasters - The Chess Journal Article
  
  
• Zwischenzug - Chess Kid Article w/ Embedded Video
  
  
• Zwischenzug – the intermediate move - Chessbase Article - Nice Explanation w/ 8 Annotated games with this tactic. (Nice)

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Annotated Game Databases

Analyze real-world applications of Zwischenzug by studying annotated games from renowned players, featuring both winning and defensive maneuvers.

 FM Asa Hoffman vs NM Jim West - From Jim West's Blog (Annotated by both players)

Chessgames.com

• Chess Games with a Zwischenzug - 43 games (Some nicely annotated games here)
• Chess Games with a Zwischenzug -  14 Games
• In-Between Move Tactic-- OTB Examples - 25 Games 

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Lichess Studys

Test your newfound knowledge and sharpen your tactical vision with interactive LiChess studies that present a variety of Zwischenzug scenarios.

• LiChess Zwischenzug Study - LiChess Basic Tactics Area 
  
  
• Zwischenzug - 9 Chapter Study w/ Instruction - Well Done
  
  
• Intermediate: Tactics Internalized - Zwischenzug - 5 Chapter Interactive Study
  
  
• In between/ Zwischenzug/ Intermezzo - 29 Chapter Study -  All Positions
  
  
• The Intermezzo Practice Set - 26 Chapter Interactive Study - Broken into Themes - Save, Sacrifice, Threaten and Trade

New to Lichess studies? These interactive tools allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move, perfect for testing your understanding and deepening your knowledge.

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Zwischenzug Puzzles

Put your skills to the test with challenging puzzles designed to hone your ability to identify and execute Zwischenzug opportunities.

ChessGo.in

• Intermezzo Puzzles - 72 Puzzles (Broken into 8 Pages - by Difficulty) Printable

LiChess Puzzles

• Intermezzo - 55,425 Puzzles
  
  

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Zwishenzug Video Lessons

Learn from the best! Renowned chess instructors take center stage in video lessons, offering clear explanations and practical guidance on mastering Zwischenzug.

• Zwischenzug – Winning with in-between moves - 20 Min - A very important tactical motif in the middlegame – the zwischenzug.
  
  
• The Volatility of In-Between Moves - 9 Min  IM John Bartholomew -  Game between IM Jha Sriram and GM Rajaram Laxman (from the excellent book "Mastering Chess Strategy" by GM Johan Hellsten)
  
  
• Chess Lesson # 44: Zwischenzug | Learn & Master In-between Moves | Intermezzo | Intermediate Moves - 14 Min NM Rober Ramirez - In this lesson, you will learn this tactic and then apply your knowledge by solving some exercises.
  
  
• Zwischenzug | Can you find the solutions to these five positions? - 15 min - GM Daniel King gives you five puzzle positions to solve. (New 6/20/2024)

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St. Louis Chess Club Videos

• Chess for Beginners with GM Ronen Har-Zvi (Intermediate Moves | Forcing Moves) - 32 Min - Discusses intermediate and forcing moves in chess, focusing on the concept of intermediate moves. He uses puzzles to illustrate how these moves can be used to gain material advantage.
  
  
• In-Between Moves and Zwischenzugs - WGM Jennifer Shahade -53 Min - Explores in-between moves in a lecture for intermediate level players.
  
  
• Zwischenzug | Puzzler's Paradise - IM Vitaly Neimer -  35 Min - International Master Vitaly Neimer presents puzzles with a theme of zwischenzug
  
  
• Intermezzo: Put Your Plans on Hold! | Beginner Breakdown -  61 Min - Talks about the Zwischenzug, also known as an "intermezzo" or "intermediate move," which describes a move that is played instead of and before the expected move and poses an immediate threat that the opponent must answer.

Game Video's w/ Analysis

Chess Tactics: Zwischenzug: Lichtenhein vs Morphy - 5 Min

Zwischenzug! || Nakamura vs Carlsen - 10 Min

Chess Tactics - Learning to Count

“Pins and forks and removal of the guard usually occur a few times a game. Counting takes place whenever possible exchanges exist – almost every move after the early opening.” - Heisman Novice Nook 

Videos

Why counting Material is important for Chess Beginners | Chess Fundamentals | - 8 Min IM Astaneh

Chess Vision and Calculation Training 1 | Alex Astaneh - 12 Min

Chess Vision and Calculation Training 2 | -8 min

IM Kostya Kavutskiy

Kostya's Blueprint: Calculation - 36 Min 

Kostya's Blueprint: Analytical Skill - 24 Min

Kostya's Blueprint: Wisdom - 32 Min

Kostya's Blueprint: Visualization - 28 Min

The SuperGM Skill Set - Chess Calculation with GM Sam Shankland - 27 Min

Counting in Chess - 17 Min

Chess Math? | Learning to Count! | ChessKid - 9 Min

The Counting Tactic - Back to Basics - 27 Min

How To Calculate In Chess - 32 Min IM Rozman (Gotham)

Chess Basics: Count Attackers & Defenders! - 26 Min

How to Master Chess CALCULATION 💯 Best Techniques - 28 Min

The Common, Important, and Not-So-Easy Tactic Counting - 29 Min NM Dan Heismith

Counting Material During Exchanges - 3 Methods - 29 Min NM Dan Heisman

Counting trick in pawn endgames [Starter chess lesson] - 7 Min

Precise Chess Calculation Secrets 🕵️ with GM Bryan Smith! [Master Method] - 32 Min