Answers.Body: <p>The United States Department of Defense Dictionary of Military Terms defines the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactic_%28method%29" rel="nofollow noreferrer">tactical</a> level as:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>The level of war at which battles and engagements are planned and
    executed to accomplish military objectives assigned to tactical units
    or task forces. Activities at this level focus on the ordered
    arrangement and maneuver of combat elements in relation to each other
    and to the enemy to achieve combat objectives.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Your ultimate combat objective is to checkmate, and for that you'll have to assign specific tasks to the tactical units you have deployed in order to achieve the desired objective.</p>
  
  <p>For example:</p>
  
  <p><code>17. Ned4</code> - Tactical sacrifice, in order to allow e4 pawn to advance.</p>
  
  <p><code>18. e5</code> is merely the completion of the tactical maneuver.</p>
  
  <p>From the moment you are considering the diagonal b1-h7 as one of your attacking strengths you are considering a "strategy" which is to checkmate on h7, or in other words you are considering the "combination" of the specific techniques (tactics) involved in accomplishing such objective.</p>
  
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Answers.Body: <p>Here is the way that I see the difference, and the way it has been explained to me:</p>
  
  <p>A <em>tactic</em> is generally a short-term attacking sequence with little connection to the positional strategy. It is used to score points and gain an advantage.</p>
  
  <p>A <em>combination</em> is typically a longer sequence and can involve a number of tactics. It also generally is connected to the positional strategy.</p>
  
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Dennis
Answers.Body: <p>A combination is a more general term for a tactic. While both offer the player an advantage (when they're sound!), a tactic offers a very concrete advantage, such as material/mate. Whereas a combination is just a sequence of (sometimes) forced moves that doesn't necessary offer a very concrete advantage. It tends to be more positional in nature (i.e. a series of exchanges in the center may leave one player with a sizable space advantage, which can both support outposts for knight and also block in one's own bishops).</p>
  
  <p>But really, it all comes down to semantics. To me, they are one and the same. But the connotation (to me) of tactics would be Tal and that of combinations would be Capablanca.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: Is it correct to say tactics make up a combination?
Answers.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
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Answers.Text: The way I see it, the execution of the tactic requires a combination of moves... I feel dizzy now :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Helio
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Answers.Text: They are both sequences of moves. If I were to strictly classify them, tactics would make a subset of combinations.
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Answers.Body: <p>Books on tactics generally cover a number of standard devices that are in the toolkit of every strong player - checkmate, discovered attack, discovered check, double attack, double check, forks, interference, overloading, pins, removing the defender, skewers, stalemate, x-rays and the like. The tactic itself may only be one move long, and both players may have foreseen the move in advance.</p>
  
  <p>Combinations require somewhat deeper calculation, and there is an element of surprise usually brought about by a sacrifice followed by a series of forced moves after which the position changes in the attacker's favour. Combinations have an artistic element.  One player seems to conjure up magic from what seemed like a straightforward position.  Games with beautiful combinations often win brilliancy prizes.</p>
  
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Answers.Text: This is the only reasonable answer to the question (sorry to say this). A combination is not just a `combination' of tactics. There is a **surprise element** to it. Typically combinations use (one or more) sacrifices as the surprise, but it is possible for a combination to not contain sacrifices (in it's place, there may be unusual positional resources for instance).
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Answers.Body: <p>I think this is subjective, but your combination is the entire sequence starting with <code>Bc2</code>.  Your tactics are a knight sacrifice and a double attack (<code>Qxh7</code> and <code>exf6</code>).  Kudos for forming a plan and executing it. But out of curiosity, how would you handle <code>17. ... bxc4</code> ?</p>
  
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Answers.Text: `17...bxc4` = Time for a new plan, I probably would have recaptured with my Queen.  Thanks for pointing that out.
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Answers.UserDisplayName: Tony Ennis
Body: <p>What is the difference between a <code>Tactic</code> and a <code>Combination</code>?  For reference, here is a game I played as white and I think I had a nice combination from move <code>16</code>, but I am not sure if it is classified as a <code>combination</code> or <code>tactics</code>.  This what my thought process from move <code>16</code> was.  There are probably multiple mistakes made in the game, but I am not looking for a complete analysis.</p>
  
  <p><code>16. Bc2</code> - staring down the diagonal<br>
  <code>17. Ned4</code> - I am hoping he will take it so I can advance my pawn to <code>e5</code>.<br>
  <code>18. exd4</code> - He takes the sacrifice which is what I was hoping for.<br>
  <code>19. Qxh7#</code> - Apparently, he didn't notice the open diagonal and probably was concentrating on me attacking his bishop.</p>
  
  <pre><code>[FEN ""]
  1. e4 d6 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Be3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O e5 7. d5 Nce7 8.
     Qd3 a6 9. Bc4 b5 10. Bb3 f5 11. Nc3 f4 12. Bd2 Bf6 13. a3 Nh6 14. Ne2 g5 15.
     c4 O-O 16. Bc2 Qe8 17. Ned4 exd4 18. e5 dxe5 19. Qxh7#
  </code></pre>
  
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Comments.CreationDate: 2013-01-03T05:09:09.017Z
Comments.Text: Hate to be a buzzkill, but I just wanted to point out that your sac is unsound. After `18. e5` he had the intermezzo `18 ...Bf5`, stopping the h7 threat, attacking the queen and he could safely take on e5 next move a piece up.
Comments.UserDisplayName: flicflac
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Comments.Text: I appreciate this, but I know there were mistakes, I was hoping my opponent was not going to notice what you did such as `18...Bf5` and he did not and in the end that is what matters.
Comments.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
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Comments.CreationDate: 2013-01-04T09:19:16.053Z
Comments.Text: @xaisoft You will find it incredibly frustrating to progress as a chess player if you will be constantly relying on your opponent to make mistakes. Focus on the "correct" combination taking into account all possible defences of your opponent. Anything less is to play subpar chess.
Comments.UserDisplayName: ldog
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Comments.CreationDate: 2013-01-04T12:32:14.407Z
Comments.Text: @Idog - I will keep that in mind going forward. Thanks.
Comments.UserDisplayName: xaisoft
Tags: <strategy><learning><tactics><combinations>
Title: Difference between tactic and combination?
ThreadText: # Difference between tactic and combination?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2013-01-03)
  
  What is the difference between a Tactic and a Combination?  For reference, here is a game I played as white and I think I had a nice combination from move 16, but I am not sure if it is classified as a combination or tactics.  This what my thought process from move 16 was.  There are probably multiple mistakes made in the game, but I am not looking for a complete analysis.
  16. Bc2 - staring down the diagonal
  17. Ned4 - I am hoping he will take it so I can advance my pawn to e5.
  18. exd4 - He takes the sacrifice which is what I was hoping for.
  19. Qxh7# - Apparently, he didn't notice the open diagonal and probably was concentrating on me attacking his bishop.
  [FEN ""]
  1. e4 d6 2. Nf3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Be3 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O e5 7. d5 Nce7 8.
     Qd3 a6 9. Bc4 b5 10. Bb3 f5 11. Nc3 f4 12. Bd2 Bf6 13. a3 Nh6 14. Ne2 g5 15.
     c4 O-O 16. Bc2 Qe8 17. Ned4 exd4 18. e5 dxe5 19. Qxh7#
  
  **Tags:** strategy, learning, tactics, combinations
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Hate to be a buzzkill, but I just wanted to point out that your sac is unsound. After `18. e5` he had the intermezzo `18 ...Bf5`, stopping the h7 threat, attacking the queen and he could safely take on e5 next move a piece up.  
  > **username_0**: I appreciate this, but I know there were mistakes, I was hoping my opponent was not going to notice what you did such as `18...Bf5` and he did not and in the end that is what matters.  
  > **username_2**: @username_0 You will find it incredibly frustrating to progress as a chess player if you will be constantly relying on your opponent to make mistakes. Focus on the "correct" combination taking into account all possible defences of your opponent. Anything less is to play subpar chess.  
  > **username_0**: @Idog - I will keep that in mind going forward. Thanks.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 5 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2013-01-03. Score: 5 | Accepted answer
  
  The United States Department of Defense Dictionary of Military Terms defines the [tactical](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tactic_%28method%29) level as:
  
  > The level of war at which battles and engagements are planned and
  > executed to accomplish military objectives assigned to tactical units
  > or task forces. Activities at this level focus on the ordered
  > arrangement and maneuver of combat elements in relation to each other
  > and to the enemy to achieve combat objectives.
  
  Your ultimate combat objective is to checkmate, and for that you'll have to assign specific tasks to the tactical units you have deployed in order to achieve the desired objective.
  
  For example:
  
  `17. Ned4` - Tactical sacrifice, in order to allow e4 pawn to advance.
  
  `18. e5` is merely the completion of the tactical maneuver.
  
  From the moment you are considering the diagonal b1-h7 as one of your attacking strengths you are considering a "strategy" which is to checkmate on h7, or in other words you are considering the "combination" of the specific techniques (tactics) involved in accomplishing such objective.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2013-01-04. Score: 5
  
  Here is the way that I see the difference, and the way it has been explained to me:
  
  A *tactic* is generally a short-term attacking sequence with little connection to the positional strategy. It is used to score points and gain an advantage.
  
  A *combination* is typically a longer sequence and can involve a number of tactics. It also generally is connected to the positional strategy.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2013-01-03. Score: 4
  
  A combination is a more general term for a tactic. While both offer the player an advantage (when they're sound!), a tactic offers a very concrete advantage, such as material/mate. Whereas a combination is just a sequence of (sometimes) forced moves that doesn't necessary offer a very concrete advantage. It tends to be more positional in nature (i.e. a series of exchanges in the center may leave one player with a sizable space advantage, which can both support outposts for knight and also block in one's own bishops).
  
  But really, it all comes down to semantics. To me, they are one and the same. But the connotation (to me) of tactics would be Tal and that of combinations would be Capablanca.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Is it correct to say tactics make up a combination?  
  > **username_3**: The way I see it, the execution of the tactic requires a combination of moves... I feel dizzy now :)  
  > **username_5**: They are both sequences of moves. If I were to strictly classify them, tactics would make a subset of combinations.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2015-10-24. Score: 3
  
  Books on tactics generally cover a number of standard devices that are in the toolkit of every strong player - checkmate, discovered attack, discovered check, double attack, double check, forks, interference, overloading, pins, removing the defender, skewers, stalemate, x-rays and the like. The tactic itself may only be one move long, and both players may have foreseen the move in advance.
  
  Combinations require somewhat deeper calculation, and there is an element of surprise usually brought about by a sacrifice followed by a series of forced moves after which the position changes in the attacker's favour. Combinations have an artistic element. One player seems to conjure up magic from what seemed like a straightforward position. Games with beautiful combinations often win brilliancy prizes.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: This is the only reasonable answer to the question (sorry to say this). A combination is not just a `combination' of tactics. There is a **surprise element** to it. Typically combinations use (one or more) sacrifices as the surprise, but it is possible for a combination to not contain sacrifices (in it's place, there may be unusual positional resources for instance).  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_8 on 2013-01-03. Score: 3
  
  I think this is subjective, but your combination is the entire sequence starting with `Bc2`. Your tactics are a knight sacrifice and a double attack (`Qxh7` and `exf6`). Kudos for forming a plan and executing it. But out of curiosity, how would you handle `17. ... bxc4` ?
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: `17...bxc4` = Time for a new plan, I probably would have recaptured with my Queen.  Thanks for pointing that out.  
  
  ---
  
  