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Fork Tactic-- OTB Examples
Compiled by ChessCoachClark
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The Fork is my favorite tactic, especially when brought down on the opponent by the Knight against three pieces. Sweet and exhilarating, yes it is! The Fork is an attack by one unit against many other units. The usual situation is two pieces threatened by the one, but Knights and the Queens can make up to a seven-way Fork. Rare indeed, but possible. The Rooks and Bishops can make three-way Forks. The King can make multiple Forks, but it's tricky to say his maximum. The Pawns can even Fork, although only against two units at a time at most. So, all the chessmen can Fork!

In the endgame, especially when only a few chessmen are left, the Queen shows her power by using Forks even to prevent Promotion.

Better players usually foresee a direct attempt at a Fork, so a series of trades or other subtle maneuvers are needed. Once a Fork has been successful, the game is effectively finished.

There are several types of Forks. The most powerful Forks can be those with Check. The Royal Fork is one name given to the Fork against the King and Queen. Similarly, A Royal Family Fork or Grand Fork threatens the King, Queen and Rook.

Another very interesting Fork type is the one made against a unit and against a square, particularly when that square could be occupied by another attacker for checkmate. See the game between Nikolic and Huebner in 1994 below for an interesting example.

The Fork is among the top three tactics and such a fundamental ploy that it occurs in nearly any game at least once. Be quick to add this tactic to your toolbox and use it as often as you can!

ChessCoachClark (CCC) originated this game collection and he updates it on occasion. This project is a work in progress, culling games from various sources, including several chess training books and personal research. The games are ordered by date (oldest first), not by importance.

Be well.
Be safe.

If 2. Rxd1, then ... Qf3+ is a Grand Fork! (Better available)
K Opocensky vs Bogoljubov, 1932 
(A41) Queen's Pawn Game (with ...d6), 28 moves, 0-1

Royal Fork at end and in continuation-- 19. Bxe2 Ne4+
V Rauzer vs Ilyin-Zhenevsky, 1937 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 18 moves, 0-1

Royal Fork by Pawn ends this game. Amazing 13 year old!
Tal vs Pliss, 1950 
(C99) Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd, 37 moves, 1-0

Bishop Makes Fork with Check at EOG
B Malich vs W Oschatz, 1955 
(B13) Caro-Kann, Exchange, 42 moves, 1-0

Bishop Fork on Queen and Promotion square at end of game
Stahlberg vs T Salo, 1956 
(E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 44 moves, 1-0

Amazing 4-way Knight Fork after 34...Kd7 35.Nc5+ per Chernev
Tal vs K Klaman, 1957 
(B61) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Larsen Variation, 7.Qd2, 34 moves, 1-0

13. ... Qxc3+ is a Three-way Fork that wins a Rook!
I Zilber vs Suetin, 1957 
(A10) English, 17 moves, 0-1

Fake Fork with Check by the Queen at the end wins other Queen!
Vaganian vs A Planinc, 1975 
(A32) English, Symmetrical Variation, 22 moves, 0-1

Royal Fork pending (after the King escapes check)
Karpov vs S Garcia Martinez, 1975 
(B32) Sicilian, 35 moves, 1-0

Black Bishop makes a Royal Fork to end this game!
C Zuidema vs Sosonko, 1976 
(B77) Sicilian, Dragon, Yugoslav Attack, 30 moves, 0-1

17. Bd4+ is a Royal Fork
S Palatnik vs I Stohl, 1986 
(D90) Grunfeld, 19 moves, 1-0

39. ... Qc6+ is Fork with Check, but 39. ... Bd5+ is better one
M Lodhi vs G Milos, 1988 
(D93) Grunfeld, with Bf4 & e3, 40 moves, 0-1

Breaking a Pawn Fork with a Queen Fork to win a Rook!
S Polgar vs A Rabczewski, 1989 
(B28) Sicilian, O'Kelly Variation, 30 moves, 1-0

Continuation 26. ... cxd5 Qb5-- Fork on Rook and e8; Re8 wins Q
Kamsky vs J Vidarsson, 1990 
(E11) Bogo-Indian Defense, 26 moves, 1-0

Game ends with Fork on the Bishop and e8 square for mate soon
P Nikolic vs Huebner, 1994 
(D20) Queen's Gambit Accepted, 22 moves, 1-0

Black Pawn makes a Fork with Check to end this game
Dreev vs Adams, 1995 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 65 moves, 0-1

5. Bxf7+ makes a Fork on the Knight and Check
J Schmied vs M Ammer, 1996 
(C20) King's Pawn Game, 8 moves, 1-0

9. Qe5+ brings a Fork on Bishop (En Prise) with Check
A Vaulin vs Smagin, 1997 
(A60) Benoni Defense, 23 moves, 1-0

Game ends with Knight Fork on Rook with Check
Sutovsky vs G Dizdar, 1997 
(C11) French, 38 moves, 1-0

Game ends with Knight Fork on Bishop with Check
I Papaioannou vs D Mastrovasilis, 1998 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 77 moves, 1-0

25. ... Qg6+ makes a Fork against Rook and Check
Landa vs S Shipov, 1998 
(A07) King's Indian Attack, 36 moves, 0-1

Continuation 41. Ke2 Nc3+ is Fork on King and Queen
G Soppe vs F Braga, 1998 
(D45) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 40 moves, 0-1

Game ends with a Queen Fork
E Schiller vs Yakovich, 1998 
(A09) Reti Opening, 33 moves, 1-0

THE KING MAKES A FORK! 42. Kd5
Adams vs Timman, 1999 
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 45 moves, 1-0

Continuation 43. gxh3 Nxf3+ is Fork on Rook and Check
C Ionescu vs Aronian, 1999 
(A55) Old Indian, Main line, 42 moves, 0-1

41. ... Rxd5 42. g6+ Kxg6 43. Ne7+ is a Fork on Rook and Check
Lautier vs L Karlsson, 1999 
(A81) Dutch, 41 moves, 1-0

Rook Fork at end wins; capture leads to Bishop Fork
T Palmer vs D Moody, 1999 
(C77) Ruy Lopez, 33 moves, 1-0

23. Qe2 makes a Fork on both Black Knights
Kramnik vs Karpov, 1999 
(D27) Queen's Gambit Accepted, Classical, 32 moves, 1-0

Games ends with Queen Fork with Check; Bishop could restore
A Zontakh vs S Martinovic, 2000 
(E92) King's Indian, 26 moves, 1-0

Queen makes Fork with Check to win Rook at the end
A Skripchenko vs J C Blazquez Gomez, 2000 
(B01) Scandinavian, 34 moves, 1-0

Continuation 28. Nxh7+ makes a Royal Fork
Aronian vs S Beshukov, 2000 
(B30) Sicilian, 27 moves, 1-0

20. ... Kxh8+ 21. Nxf7+ makes a Royal Fork (Q will be En Prise)
O Loskutov vs D Chuprikov, 2000 
(C13) French, 20 moves, 1-0

25. ... Rc5 Forks the White Bishop and Knight (both En Prise)
F Vallejo Pons vs Avrukh, 2000 
(B58) Sicilian, 38 moves, 0-1

Game ends with threats 41. Bxa2 or 41. Re6+ (Fork on En Prise)
Kramnik vs Kasparov, 2000 
(D85) Grunfeld, 40 moves, 1-0

33. Qd8+ makes a Fork on the Black King and Rook
R Ruck vs Krasenkow, 2001 
(D38) Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation, 33 moves, 1-0

Continuation 49. ... Kxd5 50. Be4+ makes the Fork and wins
A Kovacevic vs M Pavlovic, 2001 
(B43) Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3, 49 moves, 1-0

33. ... Rxc7 34. Rd8 Kg7 35. Ne6+ is Rook Fork with Check
A Anastasian vs D Stojanovski, 2001 
(A46) Queen's Pawn Game, 33 moves, 1-0

Continuation 33. .. Be4+ Fork with Check wins the Queen
A Holmsten vs G Mohr, 2001 
(B33) Sicilian, 33 moves, 0-1

61. Qxf2 Qxe4+ is a Fork on the Knight (En Prise) with Check
E Moradiabadi vs Adianto, 2001 
(B06) Robatsch, 60 moves, 0-1

35. Ne5+ makes a Royal Fork (Q will be En Prise)
Barsov vs D Sharma, 2001 
(D30) Queen's Gambit Declined, 49 moves, 1-0

22. Na4 makes a Fork on Queen and Rook
Ponomariov vs Milov, 2001 
(B61) Sicilian, Richter-Rauzer, Larsen Variation, 7.Qd2, 28 moves, 1-0

Continuation 38. ... Kxf6 39. Nd5+ is a Royal Fork
de Firmian vs P Carlsson, 2002 
(B70) Sicilian, Dragon Variation, 38 moves, 1-0

45... Ke5 46. Nf7+ or 45... Kf4 46. Rg4+ Ke5 47. Nf7+ King&Rook
Bareev vs Onischuk, 2002 
(E32) Nimzo-Indian, Classical, 45 moves, 1-0

25. ... Qc5+ makes Fork on Bishop with Check
S Buckley vs G Lane, 2002 
(A45) Queen's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 0-1

23. Qa4 makes a Fork against two Rooks
Polgar vs Macieja, 2002 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 23 moves, 0-1

28. Nxg6+ makes the Fork on Rook with Check
Grischuk vs Timman, 2002 
(B12) Caro-Kann Defense, 36 moves, 1-0

41. Kd6+ Fork on Black Bishop (En Prise) and Check
Shirov vs Topalov, 2002 
(B30) Sicilian, 52 moves, 1-0

EOG is Fork with Check that wins a Rook!
Lagno vs D Howell, 2002 
(C96) Ruy Lopez, Closed, 42 moves, 1-0

After 31. Re3, threatened Nf3+ Royal Fork allows 31. ... Bxe4!
Radjabov vs Adams, 2002 
(E12) Queen's Indian, 39 moves, 0-1

Royal Fork by Queen at end wins Promotion(s) soon, also.
K McDonald vs A Bottino, 2003 
(B32) Sicilian, 54 moves, 1-0

If Kxh8, then Nf7+ is a Grand Fork (K, Q and R Fork)
I Nikolayev vs G Rusyniak, 2004 
(B22) Sicilian, Alapin, 21 moves, 1-0

Knight Fork at end wins the double-teamed Rook for free
A Rychagov vs A Lanin, 2008 
(D37) Queen's Gambit Declined, 15 moves, 1-0

19. Nf5 Forks a Square to restore B protection & e7 Royal Fork
J Wagenaar vs P A Fontaine, 2009 
(A34) English, Symmetrical, 20 moves, 1-0

Queen Makes Fork with Checkmate Threat at EOG
A Volokitin vs M Kobalia, 2009 
(C41) Philidor Defense, 28 moves, 0-1

Game ends with an amazing Double Check Royal Fork by the Knight
A Zude vs L Sanchez Botella, 2014 
(B84) Sicilian, Scheveningen, 23 moves, 1-0

Game ends with Queen's Fork with Check
J F Cubas vs D Mastrovasilis, 2014 
(B46) Sicilian, Taimanov Variation, 61 moves, 1-0

28. ...Qe1+ is a three-way Fork with Check by the Queen
D Yuffa vs Bologan, 2015 
(D10) Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, 38 moves, 1-0

Two Knight Forks near the end by the same Knight
B Jeran vs D Cawdery, 2017 
(B30) Sicilian, 24 moves, 0-1

26.Qb3+ breaks the Pawn Fork (earns a tempo also)
B Adhiban vs L Wu, 2019 
(C42) Petrov Defense, 26 moves, 1-0

59 games

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