Fork (chess)
{{Short description|Chess piece attacking two or more pieces simultaneously}}
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|The white knight forks Black's king and rook. Black's pawn forks the white rooks.
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In chess, a fork is a tactic in which a piece {{chessgloss|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 {{chessgloss|forcing move|forcing}}, such as when the king is put in check. A fork is a type of {{chessgloss|double attack}}.
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Terminology<span class="anchor" id="Royal Fork"></span><span class="anchor" id="Grand Fork"></span><span class="anchor" id="Family Fork"></span><span class="anchor" id="Relative Fork"></span><span class="anchor" id="Absolute Fork"></span>
A fork is an example of a {{chessgloss|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.{{Cite web|title=The Fork • lichess.org|url=https://lichess.org/practice/basic-tactics/the-fork/Qj281y1p/uAoBhXY8|access-date=2021-04-09|website=lichess.org}} If the king is one of the attacked pieces, the term absolute fork is sometimes used, while a fork not involving the enemy king is a relative fork.{{Cite web|url=https://www.chess-game-strategies.com/|title=Chess Game Strategies - Next Chess Move|website=Chess Game Strategies}}
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.{{cite book |last=Polgar |first=S. |last2=Truong |first2=P. |title=A World Champion's Guide to Chess: Step-by-Step Instructions for Winning Chess the Polgar Way! |publisher=Russell Enterprises, Incorporated |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-941270-33-2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MpFXDwAAQBAJ |access-date=2024-11-12 |page=cxix |quote=Here White can give a "family fork" by attacking three black pieces at once: king, queen, and rook, with 1.Nf4+.}}{{cite book |last1=Hooper |first1=David |authorlink1=David Vincent Hooper |last2=Whyld |first2=Kenneth |authorlink2=Kenneth Whyld |title=The Oxford Companion to Chess |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1996 |edition=2nd |origyear=1992 |isbn=0-19-280049-3 |page=132 at family check}}
Strategy
While any piece can deliver a fork, knights are particularly effective at creating forks because they cannot be captured by the pieces they attack, and as a minor piece they are less valuable than rooks and queens.{{Cite web|title=Fork in Chess - Chess Terms|url=https://www.chess.com/terms/fork-chess|access-date=2021-04-09|website=Chess.com|language=en-US}}{{harvp|Hooper|Whyld|1996|p=143|loc=fork}}
Compared to forks by other pieces, a queen fork requires more specific conditions to be helpful due to the queen's higher value. However, a queen fork can often lead to material or positional gain when the forked pieces are undefended, poorly coordinated, or when one piece is the king.{{Citation needed|date=January 2025}}
Game examples
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|Tissir vs. Dreev, 2004
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|Position after 33.Qe5–f4
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This example is from the first round of the FIDE World Chess Championship 2004 between Mohamed Tissir and Alexey Dreev.{{cite web |url=http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1290197 |title=Tissir vs. Dreev, Tripoli 2004 |website=Chessgames.com }} After
:{{pad}}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.
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|Soppe vs. Braga, 1998
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|Position after 40.Nxe5
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This example is from the ninth round of the Clarin GP Final between Guillermo Soppe and Fernando Braga.{{cite web |url=https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1033468 |title=Guillermo Soppe vs. Fernando Braga, (1998) |website=Chessgames.com }} After
:{{pad}}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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|Position after 4.Nc3. Black can play 4...Nxe4 since he has a fork trick.
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|After 4...Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5, White is forked and Black will regain a piece.
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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{{chesspunc|!}}
due to the fork trick
:5. Nxe4 d5
regaining either the bishop or the knight.
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