Tactic · intermediate
Discovered Attacks in chess
Move one piece with a threat, and uncover an attack from the piece behind it.
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What a discovered attack is
Move one piece with a threat, and uncover an attack from the piece behind it.
A discovered attack happens when one piece moves out of the way and uncovers an attack by the piece behind it. If the uncovered piece gives check, it's a discovered check. The moving piece is free to attack anything it likes!
In a double check, two pieces attack the king at the same moment. You can't block two lines or capture two pieces in one move, so the king must move. If the king has no safe square, it's checkmate.
4 puzzles, solved
Discovered Attack (intermediate, White to move)add
Move one piece with a threat, and uncover an attack from the piece behind it. Solution: 1.Bxh7+ Kf8 2.Rxe7. Bxh7+ is check, and it also opens the e-file so the rook on e1 now attacks the queen on e7. Black has to deal with the check first, and Rxe7 wins the queen. Two threats at once usually win something.
Discovered Check (intermediate, White to move)add
Move the knight to reveal a bishop check, and attack the queen with the same move. Solution: 1.Nd5+. Nd5+! The knight moves off the long diagonal, so the b2 bishop gives check, and the knight now attacks the queen on e7. Black must handle the check, and White takes the queen next move. With a discovered check, the moving piece can go almost anywhere for free.
Discovered check (intermediate, White to move)add
Move the knight to uncover a check from the rook, and attack the queen too. Solution: 1.Nc6+ Kf7 2.Nxd8+. Nc6+! The rook gives check, and the knight attacks the queen. Black must deal with the check, and Nxd8 wins the queen. (Nf7+ works too.)
Double check (intermediate, White to move)add
Two pieces give check at once. Only a king move can help, and here there is none. Solution: 1.Nd6#. Nd6#! The knight and the rook both give check. The bishop could take the knight, but that doesn't stop the rook, and the king has nowhere to go.
How to spot it in your games
- Move one piece to unleash another.
- Your bishop is blocking your rook's view of the queen. Move it with check.
- The b2 bishop aims at h8, but your knight is in the way. Where should the knight jump?
- The rook will give check. Where should the knight go to hit the queen?
- Move the knight with check, uncovering the rook at the same time.