Chess types › Attackers
AWIE The Striker
Keeps pushing with proven attacking patterns
What a Striker is like
The Striker pulls out well-known attacking patterns at exactly the right time in sharp positions. Pawn storms, piece concentration, chains of forcing moves: they use the familiar weapons without hesitation. Once they have the initiative they rarely let go, but because the moves are standard, opponents who know the patterns can prepare for them.
What shows up in their games
- Checks, captures and threats come one after another
- Builds familiar attacking setups again and again
- Keeps pressing once the initiative is theirs
Strengths
- Precise execution of attacking patterns
- Calculating forcing lines
- Keeping the initiative
Weaknesses
- Easy to read for opponents who know the patterns
- Forces attacks in positions that don't call for one
- Switches to defense too late
Real moves by Striker players
Picked from real games of Lichess players (names removed) that Stylish classified as AWIE when building its cutoffs. Routine recaptures and moves everyone plays were skipped in favor of moves that show the style most clearly.
15... Qxa5+
A move with high tactical and initiative scores. A human at the same rating would play it here 50% of the time, a natural choice that still shows the style clearly.
18... Nxd3+
A move with high tactical and aggressive scores. A human at the same rating would play it here 58% of the time, a natural choice that still shows the style clearly.
43. Qf8+
This move dropped the expected score by 100 percentage points. The better move was Kg1 (green arrow). It leans strongly aggressive and tactical, the kind of mistake a Striker makes when the habit goes too far.
How to improve
- Prepare a second plan for positions where attacking doesn't work
- Practice defensive lines for when the opponent strikes back
- Learning one quiet line in your favorite opening helps a lot
The opposite type
PSRO The ThinkerReads the opponent's plan first and answers from an unexpected angle. Every letter is reversed, so against this type your style either works best or not at all.
Other Attackers
Players who go for the attack and accept risk. The noisier the board, the stronger they get.
AWIOPioneerOpens the attack down a road no one has taken
AWROHustlerTurns the game around with a counterattack no one saw coming
AWREFighterTakes the punches and hits back head-onAre you really a Striker?
Check with your recent games.
A type describes tendencies, not skill level. See all 16 types