What’s Combination? or How Pieces work together?

A combination is a series of moves that get you an advantage. Often, you combine several tactical themes. Let’s see this double fork: White to move!

Excellent! This fork requires that the bishop be captured.

Black has won a piece. What’s the point?
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Now, a second fork will show the point of the combination. White to play.

Very good. The knight forks the black king and queen. In a combination, the first move (or moves) only make sense when you see the “punchline.”

With those black pieces resting on the same rank, there are always combinations possible. White to play — this time use a pin, then a fork!

Excellent start! The rook pins the black queen. It is protected “invisibly.”

1…Qxa5 would be met by 2.Nc6+, winning the queen. This combination is much more complicated.
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Black has blocked with the pawn, but a further combination involves a series of forks. Can you find it? White to play.

Bravo! This time the queen is forced to capture.

The queen was pinned, so otherwise Black would lose her and remain down a knight and two pawns.
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Now Black is up a queen for just a knight. But White has a fork, which will be followed by another fork. White to play.

Excellent! The king and queen are forked, so Black has to capture the pawn. It can be captured either way, but they both result in a knight fork.

If instead 3…Kxd4 then 4.Ne6+ wins the black queen. After 4…Kd5 5.Nxc5 Kxc5 5.Ke3, the white king easily gets a position in front of the pawn and wins.
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Now things should be a bit easier. White to play.

Very good. This move forks the black king and queen.

It isn’t quite over yet, since White will only end up with one extra pawn.
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Now White could capture the black queen. There is another possible move which you should consider. Would it be useful to throw that move first?

Good job. There was also the move 5.f3+, but that would throw away the win. After 5…Kd5 6.Nxd4 Kxd4, the pawn on f3 gets in the way and it is a draw.

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Now we can recall the king and pawn against king lessons which we have learned. Only one move wins for White here. What is it?

Great job! The king must establish a position in front of the pawn, and this is the only way to do it. Now if 6…Ke5 7.Kg4, and White reaches a won endgame.