chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

, a discovered attack is a direct attack revealed when one piece moves out of the way of another. Discovered attacks can be extremely powerful, as the piece moved can make a threat independently of the piece it reveals. Like many

chess tactics In chess, a tactic is a sequence of moves that each makes one or more immediate threats ─ that is, a check, a material threat, a checkmating sequence threat, or the threat of another tactic ─ which culminates in the opponent being unable to ...

, they often succeed because the opponent would be unable to meet two threats at once unless one of the attacked pieces can simultaneously move away from its own attack and capture the other attacking piece. While typically the consequence of a discovered attack is the gain of , they do not have to do this to be effective; the tactic can be used merely to gain a

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

.More detailed tutorial
at MarkLowery.net If the discovered attack is a

check Check or cheque, may refer to: Places * Check, Virginia Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Check'' (film), a 2021 Indian Telugu-language film * ''The Checks'' (episode), a 1996 TV episode of ''Seinfeld'' Games and sports * Check (chess), a thr ...

, it is called a ''discovered check''.

Types

When the moving piece gives

to the opponent's king, the maneuver is often described as a ''discovered attack with check''. When the discovered attack is itself a check, it is called a ''discovered check''. If both pieces give check, a double check results. Discovered attacks—especially checks—can win material when the moving piece captures an opposing piece nominally protected by another opposing piece. If the opponent deals with the discovered attack (obligatory if it is a check), the attacking player will have time to return the moving piece out of harm's way. This scenario is often referred to as a ''discovered attack'' (or ''check'') ''with capture''. A discovered check can also win material if the moving piece ends up attacking another undefended piece. In this case, it would be impossible for the opponent first to capture the moving piece unless the king can capture. When the moving piece moves to a square from which it threatens to inflict

checkmate Checkmate (often shortened to mate) is any game position in chess and other chess-like games in which a player's king is in check (threatened with ) and there is no possible escape. Checkmating the opponent wins the game. In chess, the king is ...

on the next move, the tactic is called a ''discovered attack with mate threat''. A ''discovered checkmate'' itself is also possible. In exceptional circumstances, it is possible for two checks to be revealed simultaneously. The only way for this to happen in orthodox chess is by way of an '' en passant'' capture. In the position shown at right, Black has just played 1...g7–g5. White replies 2.hxg6++. The result is a double check: One check is given by the rook, discovered by the capturing pawn's move; the other by the bishop, created by the captured pawn's removal. (The bishop’s check is not a discovered check, as the black pawn is captured and not moved.) Such a check is extremely rare in practical play, but it is sometimes found in problems.

Example

The diagram illustrates a trap in the Advance Variation of the

French Defence The French Defence is a chess opening characterised by the moves: :1. e4 e6 This is most commonly followed by 2.d4 d5, with Black intending ...c5 soon after, attacking White's and gaining on the . The French has a reputation for solidity ...

, based on a discovered attack. If, after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Bd3 cxd4 7.cxd4, Black mistakenly attempts to win White's d-pawn with 7...Nxd4 8.Nxd4 Qxd4 (diagram), White can play 9.Bb5+, a discovered attack (White's bishop gets out of the way of White's queen) against Black's queen with check. Black must get out of check, then White can follow up with 10.Qxd4.

References

External links

Chess Tactics Repository – Discovered Attacks
– Collection of chess problems involving discovered attacks {{DEFAULTSORT:Discovered Attack Chess tactics Chess terminology

Types

Example

References

Further reading

External links