Calculation - Oleksiyenko

Question 1

What are the four main signs that hint at existence of a combination?

Answer 1

Here are four main signs that contribute to the existence of most of the combinations:

1. Ability to give a check
2. Ability to threaten checkmate
3. Unprotected pieces
4. Semi-protected pieces (a piece that has the same number of attackers and defenders)

Question 2

What are the secondary signs that hint at the existence of a combination

Answer 2

There are also less common signs, like a back-rank problem, alignment of pieces, your piece is in the way of winning material, the piece can barely move, and so on.

Question 3

What is an unprotected piece? How can you win it?

Answer 3

It’s a piece without any defenders.

The ONLY way to win an undefended piece is to attack it and then take it

Question 4

What is a semi-protected piece? What are the ways you can win it?

Answer 4

Semi-protected pieces are pieces that has the same number of attackers and defenders.

There are three ways to win them:

The first is the same - just increase the number of attackers.
The second is to distract the defenders.
The last one is the trickiest! You can “cut the connection” between the defender and the semi-protected piece! You or your opponent could place the piece in between those two! That is one subtle way to disrupt the harmony between the pieces. There you go! We have proved the theorem! Semi-protected pieces are in much bigger trouble than the undefended ones.

Question 5

What are the 8 steps of the calculation algorithm before calculating

Answer 5

Here is the approximate algorithm for finding the winning tactics:

1. Count the pieces! (You need to be aware of the current balance in the position)
2. Which pieces are hanging or insufficiently defended? (More attackers than defenders)
3. Can I give a check? (Checks are the most forcing moves you can do)
4. Can I threaten checkmate? (The checkmate threat is the second most forcing move one can do)
5. What are the unprotected pieces?
6. What are the semi-protected pieces?
7. Do we have any less common signs? Back-rank problem? (that is a big one, actually!) Is there a piece that can barely move? Is there any alignment of pieces (diagonal, vertical, or horizontal) ? Is my own piece preventing me from winning the game?
8. Ask the above questions about your own position! (You need to be aware of your tactical problems)

Question 6

What are the calculation steps?

Answer 6

C -> CM -> Threats

Threats - highest value (queen) -> lowest value (pawn)

Consider forcing moves and calculate them to the best of your ability! You should always start with the most forcing ones (checks->checkmate threats->capturing or threatening the highest valued piece and so on) all the way down to the least forcing one (attacking a pawn)