In
chess
Chess is a board game for two players. It is an abstract strategy game that involves Perfect information, no hidden information and no elements of game of chance, chance. It is played on a square chessboard, board consisting of 64 squares arran ...
, a combination is a sequence of moves, often initiated by a
sacrifice
Sacrifice is an act or offering made to a deity. A sacrifice can serve as propitiation, or a sacrifice can be an offering of praise and thanksgiving.
Evidence of ritual animal sacrifice has been seen at least since ancient Hebrews and Gree ...
, which leaves the opponent few options and results in tangible gain. At most points in a chess game, each player has several reasonable options from which to choose, which makes it difficult to plan ahead except in
strategic terms. Combinations, in contrast to the norm, are sufficiently forcing that one can calculate exactly how advantage will be achieved against any defense. Indeed, it is usually necessary to see several moves ahead in exact detail before launching a combination, or else the initial sacrifice should not be undertaken.
Definition
In 1952/53, the editors of ''
Shakhmaty v SSSR'' decided on this definition: ''A combination is a forced sequence of moves which uses tactical means and exploits specific peculiarities of the position to achieve a certain goal.''
Irving Chernev wrote:
What is a combination? A combination is a blend of ideas – pins, forks, discovered checks, double attacks – which endow the pieces with magical power. It is a series of staggering blows before the knockout. It is the climactic scene in the play appearing on the board. It is the touch of enchantment that gives life to inanimate pieces. It is all this and more – A combination is the heart of chess .
Example
A combination is usually built out of two or more fundamental
chess tactic
In chess, a tactic is a sequence of moves that each makes one or more immediate threats – a check, a threat, a checkmating sequence threat, or the threat of another tactic or otherwise forcing moves – that culminates in the opponent's being ...
s such as
forks
In cutlery or kitchenware, a fork (from 'pitchfork') is a Eating utensil, utensil, now usually made of metal, whose long handle terminates in a head that branches into several narrow and often slightly curved tine (structural), tines with whic ...
,
pins,
skewers,
undermining,
discovered attack
In chess, a discovered attack is a direct attack revealed when one piece moves out of the way of another. Discovered attacks can be extremely powerful, as the piece moved can make a threat independently of the piece it reveals. Like many chess ...
s, etc. Thus a combination is usually at least three moves long, but the longer it takes to recoup the initial sacrifice, the more impressive the combination.
The position shown is from G. Stepanov–
Peter Romanovsky, Leningrad 1926, and begins a combination which illustrates several forks and skewers.
Stepanov-Romanovskij
/ref> Black has just played
:1... Rxf3+
Retreating with 2.Ke2 would allow 2...Nd4+, a attacking both White's king and queen and winning the queen. Similarly, 2.Kd2 would allow 2...Rf2+ (skewering the white king and queen) 3.Be2 Rxe2+! 4.Kxe2 Nd4+, again winning the queen. White accordingly chose
:2. Ke4
but after
:2... d5+
White resigned. White cannot take the black rook since that loses his queen to the fork 3...Nd4+, but the alternative 3.cxd5 exd5+ 4.Kxd5 (again, taking the rook loses the queen to the fork 4...Nd4+) Be6+ would leave White with no good defense. Taking the bishop with 5.Kxe6 allows the long-threatened fork 5...Nd4+, while taking the knight with 5.Kxc6 allows the skewer 5...Rc8+ followed by 6...Rxc2. Retreating with 5.Ke4 permits the black bishop to skewer the white king and queen with 5...Bf5+, so White has only one option left: 5.Kd6.
After 5.Kd6, Black would have played 5...Rd8+. White still cannot take the knight for exactly the same reason as before, and 6.Kxe6 allows checkmate in one move with 6...Rf6#, which leaves one legal move, namely 6.Kc7, but then 6...Rf7+ absolutely forces the white king to take the black knight, allowing the skewer 7...Rc8+ followed by 8...Rxc2.
See also
* Chess tactic
In chess, a tactic is a sequence of moves that each makes one or more immediate threats – a check, a threat, a checkmating sequence threat, or the threat of another tactic or otherwise forcing moves – that culminates in the opponent's being ...
s
* Zwischenzug
References
Bibliography
“What is a Chess Combination?” by Edward Winter
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{{chess
Chess terminology
Chess tactics