Meeting Middlegame Captures

Few mistakes can be more costly in chess than failing to guard against middlegame captures. Often times a player is so pre-occupied with long-range problems that he misses an innocent-looking capture that wins the game instantly. Why are captures overlooked? Probably because they turn up in positions that seem simple and routine; the players are less alert.If players acquire the belief that almost every chess positions no matter how simple, has tactical possibilities, then they are on their way to overcoming the tendency to overlook captures.