Chess Tactics: Discovered Attacks
Discovered attacks are also basic tactics in chess but they can be the deadliest. As the name implies, it's an attack that is uncovered after moving a certain piece. It has many variants and uses depending on the situation. The most common type is attacking a piece that is of higher value like the queen or the king. The latter is called a discovered check. Sometimes discovered attacks can be used to do a double attack. So one must always be aware about the possibility for discovered attacks to be present in any given position.
I would say that the easiest way to think of discovered attacks is that they are reversed pins. A pin usually inhibits the movement of a certain piece because of the threat of capturing the piece that is behind it. On the other hand, a discovered attack gains tempo by unleashing an attack against a piece of higher value after moving another piece that was previously blocking the line of sight. It's probably easier to understand by showing it.
Example #1
In the position above, it's White to move and there is a discovered attack waiting to happen. The knight is currently blocking the path between the White rook and the Black queen but once it moves, the queen will be directly under attack. You can say that by doing so, White gains a tempo because Black would have to react to the threat against his queen. While White can move his knight to a better square at no expense.
There are a few places that the knight can move to take full advantage of the discovered attack. But the best move is this:
The move Nf6! is a double attack against the queen and the rook, taking advantage of the discovered attack against the queen. Not only that, but the knight also takes away escape squares from the queen. The queen cannot take the knight because it's protected by the bishop. One way or another, the Black queen will be lost.
Example #2
In this example, we will see how deadly the discovered attack can be especially if it's a discovered check.
We have another discovered attack looming. It's White's turn and there is a chance for him to gain an advantage through a discovered check. The knight has several squares it can jump to in order to win a piece. But here is the best:
With the move Nxc6++, White is able to win the exchange a pawn. Other moves like Nd7++ and Nf7+ are also fine but I think this is the most straightforward way to gain a big advantage.
Conclusion
The discovered attack is a powerful tactic that can turn the tide of a game in an instant. However, in real games, especially with tough opponents, one may not often see these opportunities arise. There is still a big factor in terms of strategy. You need to put your pieces on good squares, have a decent pawn structure, and avoid blunders. If you are able to accumulate enough small advantages and stabilize your position, it will be easier to see these opportunities.
I would say that the easiest way to think of discovered attacks is that they are reversed pins. A pin usually inhibits the movement of a certain piece because of the threat of capturing the piece that is behind it. On the other hand, a discovered attack gains tempo by unleashing an attack against a piece of higher value after moving another piece that was previously blocking the line of sight. It's probably easier to understand by showing it.
Example #1
In the position above, it's White to move and there is a discovered attack waiting to happen. The knight is currently blocking the path between the White rook and the Black queen but once it moves, the queen will be directly under attack. You can say that by doing so, White gains a tempo because Black would have to react to the threat against his queen. While White can move his knight to a better square at no expense.
There are a few places that the knight can move to take full advantage of the discovered attack. But the best move is this:
The move Nf6! is a double attack against the queen and the rook, taking advantage of the discovered attack against the queen. Not only that, but the knight also takes away escape squares from the queen. The queen cannot take the knight because it's protected by the bishop. One way or another, the Black queen will be lost.
Example #2
In this example, we will see how deadly the discovered attack can be especially if it's a discovered check.
We have another discovered attack looming. It's White's turn and there is a chance for him to gain an advantage through a discovered check. The knight has several squares it can jump to in order to win a piece. But here is the best:
With the move Nxc6++, White is able to win the exchange a pawn. Other moves like Nd7++ and Nf7+ are also fine but I think this is the most straightforward way to gain a big advantage.
Conclusion
The discovered attack is a powerful tactic that can turn the tide of a game in an instant. However, in real games, especially with tough opponents, one may not often see these opportunities arise. There is still a big factor in terms of strategy. You need to put your pieces on good squares, have a decent pawn structure, and avoid blunders. If you are able to accumulate enough small advantages and stabilize your position, it will be easier to see these opportunities.
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