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Worksheet: Forks

Topic: middlegame | Level: 2 | Week 5

A fork is one move that attacks two enemy pieces at the same time, so the opponent can only save one of them.

Why This Matters

  • A fork happens when one piece attacks two (or more) enemy pieces on the same move.
  • Knights are the classic forking piece because their attack pattern is hard to see coming and hard to block.
  • When you find a fork, check that the forking piece itself is safe - a fork only wins if you don't lose it right back.

Objectives

  • Define what a fork is.
  • Recognize squares where a knight forks two pieces.
  • Find forking moves in practice positions.

Practice Tasks

  1. Draw a knight on d5 and mark every square it attacks.
  2. In the mini-game position, is there a knight move that attacks two black pieces? If not yet, which move gets closer?
  3. Solve the 4 fork puzzles and write the forking move for each.

Board Walkthrough

Follow the lesson one board at a time. The teacher answer key includes the move list.

Board 1
Board 2
Board 3
Board 4
Board 5
Board 6
Board 7
Board 8
Board 9

Practice Positions

Solve each position on paper first. Answers live only in the separate teacher/parent key.

Practice 1

White to move. Find the knight move that attacks two pieces at once.

Practice 2

White to move. One knight move attacks both black rooks — find it.

Practice 3

White to move. This is the biggest kind of fork — find it.

Practice 4

White to move. Find the square where the knight attacks both bishops.

Mini-Game

Play this position with a partner. Watch for any knight move that would attack two pieces at once - even if it is not available yet, discuss where a fork could happen later.

Answer Key

Forks

Teacher/parent key for Worksheet: Forks.

Worksheet Answers

  1. Prompt: Draw a knight on d5 and mark every square it attacks.

    A knight on d5 attacks b4, b6, c3, c7, e3, e7, f4, and f6.

  2. Prompt: In the mini-game position, is there a knight move that attacks two black pieces? If not yet, which move gets closer?

    Answers will vary based on the position reached.

  3. Prompt: Solve the 4 fork puzzles and write the forking move for each.

    See practice positions above for each puzzle's solution move.

Model Line

  1. e4
  2. e5
  3. Nf3
  4. Nc6
  5. Bb5
  6. a6
  7. Ba4
  8. Nf6

Practice Position Solutions

Forks — Practice 1

White to move. Find the knight move that attacks two pieces at once.

Solution: Nf6+

Nf6+ checks the king on e8 and simultaneously attacks the rook on g8 — a knight fork. Black must deal with the check first, and next move White captures the rook.

Forks — Practice 2

White to move. One knight move attacks both black rooks — find it.

Solution: Nb6

Nb6 attacks both the rook on a8 and the rook on c8 at the same time. Black can only save one of them, so White wins a rook next move.

Forks — Practice 3

White to move. This is the biggest kind of fork — find it.

Solution: Ne6+

Ne6+ is a "family fork": it checks the king on f8 and attacks the queen on d8 at the same time. The king must move out of check, and then White plays Nxd8 to win the queen.

Forks — Practice 4

White to move. Find the square where the knight attacks both bishops.

Solution: Nd6

Nd6 attacks the bishop on b7 and the bishop on f7 at the same time, and the knight itself is safe there. Black can only save one bishop.