Learn openings & tactics. Climb the ladder.
TierChess teaches beginners every essential opening and the core tactics that win games. Sign up, follow a guided path, and turn what you learn into real rating on the ladder.
- 120+
- Openings covered
- 500+
- Tactics puzzles
- $20
- Plans from /month
Lesson complete: The Italian Game
Rating from what you learned
How it works
A clear path from beginner to confident player
A simple loop built for newcomers. Learn the openings, master the tactics, and put them to work in real games as you climb the ladder.
Sign up from $20/month
Create your account and pick a plan in seconds. No chess background needed — we start from the very first move.
Learn the openings
Follow bite-sized lessons on every essential opening, with the plans and ideas behind each move.
Drill the tactics
Practice the core tactical patterns — forks, pins, skewers, and mates — until you spot them instantly.
Openings
Learn every opening you actually need
Guided lessons walk you through the key openings move by move — not just what to play, but the plans, ideas, and main lines that make each one work.
Tactics
Master the patterns that win games
Most beginner games are decided by tactics. Start with the big three below — play each example on the board — then explore the full library of motifs underneath.
Nf6+ — the knight checks the king AND attacks the queen at once. A royal fork!
The Fork
A fork is a single piece attacking two or more enemy targets at the same time. Your opponent can only save one — so you win the other. Knights are the deadliest forkers because they can hit pieces that cannot defend each other.
Click the glowing piece, then its target — or press Play move.
Solve three interactive the fork puzzles free. The full tactics library is included with any plan.
Bb2+ — check along the long diagonal, with the rook lined up right behind the king.
The Skewer
A skewer attacks a valuable piece and forces it to move, exposing a piece behind it on the same line. It is like a pin in reverse — the important piece is in front and has to step out of the way.
Click the glowing piece, then its target — or press Play move.
e5! attacks the knight on f6 — but it is pinned to the queen and cannot move.
The Pin
A pin freezes an enemy piece in place because moving it would expose a more valuable piece behind it. Once a piece is pinned, you can pile up attackers and win it — it cannot run away.
Click the glowing piece, then its target — or press Play move.
More tactics to learn
The motifs you will drill inside TierChess. Each one shows up again and again in real games — learn to recognise the pattern and the moves follow.
Endgames
Convert winning positions with confidence
Play through guided endgame puzzles with a coach explaining every move, then work through the full curriculum — from basic checkmates to Lucena and Philidor rook endings.
The Skewer
A skewer attacks a valuable piece through a less valuable one. Here the enemy king is in front and the queen is right behind it.
Ra1-e1+ slides the rook onto the e-file with check. The king is skewered to the queen behind it.
Free to try — hundreds more endgame puzzles come with any plan.
The Knight Fork
A fork is a single piece attacking two targets at once. The knight is perfect for this because it can hit a king and a rook that are far apart.
Nc4-b6+ forks the king on a8 and the rook on c8 at the same time.
Back-Rank Mate
When a king is boxed in by its own pawns on the back rank, a single rook or queen can deliver checkmate along that rank.
Re8 is checkmate! The king is trapped behind its own f7, g7 and h7 pawns with no escape.
Promote to Win
In king-and-pawn endings the king leads the pawn home. Shepherd the passed pawn to the last rank and it becomes a queen.
f4+ gains space and pushes the passer forward with tempo.
Full endgame curriculum
Every concept below is covered with interactive lessons and a coach inside the membership.
Checkmating technique
King & pawn essentials
Passed pawns
Rook endgames
King & piece activity
Minor pieces & tactics
Why it works
Built to teach beginners, not overwhelm them
Everything is designed around one goal: helping a complete beginner learn openings and tactics fast enough to actually enjoy the climb.
Guided learning path
A step-by-step roadmap made for beginners — you always know exactly what to learn next.
Openings explained simply
Every opening broken down move by move, with the plan behind each one in plain language.
Tactics puzzle trainer
Hundreds of beginner puzzles sorted by motif, so you drill forks, pins, and mates on repeat.
Spaced repetition
Lessons resurface right before you forget them, locking patterns into long-term memory.
Learn from your games
Play a game and get plain-English feedback on the openings and tactics you just studied.
Zero jargon
No confusing notation dumps. Everything is explained for someone starting from move one.
Pricing
Simple plans that grow with you
Every plan includes all tactics puzzles. Pick how many opening courses you want to unlock.
Not sure yet? Create an account and choose a plan during sign-up.
FAQ
Questions, answered
No. TierChess is built for complete beginners. We start from how the pieces move and guide you all the way through openings and tactics at your own pace.
Your next win starts with one lesson
Join thousands of beginners learning openings and tactics the smart way. Create your account and start your first lesson in under a minute.