The TAL method

 

White to move

5rk1/1r3ppp/1p1Q1n2/p7/1pP5/2q1N1P1/P2R1P1P/4R1K1 w - - 0 23

TAL - Target

• Target is the black King
• Method is mate

(see scheme in previous post)

TAL - Attackers

Attackers are white Queen, Rd2 and Re1

TAL - LoAs

LoAs:

• d2-d8-g8 status:Rf7 in the way
• e1-e8-g8 status Ne3 in the way
• d6-f8-g8 status Rf7 in the way

So white has to clear the LoAs by Qxf6+ and getting Ne3 out of the way with tempo.

Notice:

• the tempo battle (CMCT) starts long after analyzing the logic of the position
• every step of the TAL method can lead to abandoning the rest of the combination

This makes TAL the ideal pruning shears.