Expert tactic · 2 of 9
The quiet move
A calm move with no check and no capture that sets up a threat nothing can stop.
- Learn how it worksThree examples with Capra. You play each one yourself.Three examples with CapraStart the lesson
- Practise on real puzzlesPractise on puzzles80 quiet move puzzles, from easy to very hard.0 of 80 solvedGo to the puzzlesGo to the puzzles
Three quiet moves
A quiet move makes no noise. The threat behind the move does the damage one move later.
Quiet queen move
The queen steps to h6, and mate on g7 cannot be stopped.
Quiet king move
The king boxes the black king in, and the rook mates next move.
Quiet pawn move
The a-pawn steps forward so that the next push breaks through.
Quiet moves in numbers
Counted from the 3,379 quiet moves in our puzzle library, all taken from real games- 1 in 85
of our puzzles has a quiet move in it.
- 53%
of them start with a pawn move.
- 91%
of them come in the endgame.
Which piece makes the first move
- Pawn53%
- Rook15%
- King12%
- Queen7%
- Bishop7%
What it wins
- Queen9%
- Rook8%
- Bishop3%
- Knight2%
- Checkmate1%
Good to know
Quiet moves: common questions
What is a quiet move in chess?
A quiet move is a move that gives no check, takes nothing and attacks nothing at once, yet sets up a threat that cannot be stopped. The damage comes one move later.
Why are quiet moves hard to find?
Because players look at checks and captures first, and a quiet move is neither. Often a check only chases the king to safety, and the calm move that boxes the king in is the one that wins.
How do I find a quiet move?
Look at your checks and captures first. If none of them works, ask what you would play with two moves in a row. If your opponent cannot stop the second move, the first one is your quiet move.
What is the difference between a quiet move and a waiting move?
A quiet move makes a threat of its own. A waiting move makes no threat: it passes the turn so that your opponent has to move and spoil the position, which is called zugzwang.