The Fork
A fork is a double attack: one piece threatens two (or more) enemy targets simultaneously, so the opponent can only save one. The knight is the most feared forking piece because it attacks in a way no other piece can block.
The knight on c7 forks the king on e8 and the rook on a8 — a "royal fork". Black must move the king and lose the rook.
How it works
Look for a square from which one of your pieces hits two targets at once. The most common is the knight fork, where a knight checks the king while also attacking a more valuable piece. When the king must move, you win the second piece.
How to spot forks
Scan for undefended enemy pieces and for pieces that share a knight's-move or line relationship. Pieces lined up near their own king are prime forking targets.
Practice this pattern
Real positions where a the fork wins — tap a puzzle to solve it, or train the theme endlessly.