In short: A series of forcing moves, often with a sacrifice, that leads to a definite goal: mate, won material or a won position.
Single tactical tricks, like a fork or a pin, are building blocks. A combination is when several such blocks are put together into a chain of moves. Every move is forcing: a check, a capture or a threat that can't be ignored. Your opponent never gets to catch their breath, and at the end something concrete is waiting.
There is often a sacrifice along the way. You give away material to force your opponent's pieces onto the wrong squares, and win it back with interest a few moves later.
Try it yourself
The whole combination
Show the solution step by step
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The combination above is one of the most famous patterns in chess. It ends in a smothered mate, where the king is shut in by its own pieces. The pattern is known as Philidor's legacy. You will find more patterns of the same kind among the checkmate patterns.
How to find combinations
- Look for forcing moves: every check, every capture, every strong threat.
- Look for weaknesses: a king with few defenders, an unprotected piece, an overloaded defender.
- Calculate every line to the end, including your opponent's best reply.
The best way to get better at combinations is to solve lots of them. Start with our chess puzzles and read about the individual tricks under chess tactics.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between tactics and a combination?
Tactics is the collective name for the short-term tricks: the fork, the pin, the discovered attack and so on. A combination is a whole series of moves, where several such tricks are often built together.
Does a combination have to include a sacrifice?
Not everyone agrees. Many combinations include a sacrifice, and some definitions require one. What everyone agrees on is that the moves must be forcing.
Updated October 31, 2026
The starting position. Press ▶ or use the arrow keys.