Exercise 6.1Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♖ac8?. Find the move that punishes it.
6
Tactics Essentials · Kapilash Chess Academy
Discovered Attack and Double Check
The hidden attacker
In this lesson you will learn
- How a discovered attack works
- Discovered check: the most dangerous discovered attack
- Double check: when only the king can move
- The Petroff trap
Every board on this page is live. Move the pieces by tapping or dragging, click any move in the lines to see that position, and press ↺ to start again.
6.1 Unmasking a Piece
In a discovered attack, one piece moves out of the way and unmasks an attack by a piece behind it. The moving piece can make a second threat of its own, so the opponent faces two threats at once. If the unmasked piece gives check, it is a discovered check; if both pieces give check, it is a double check, and the king must move.
Diagram 6.1White to move
Example 6.1 · The Petroff trap
Black copied White's knight capture. Now Black's king stands on the e-file, opposite White's queen, with only the knight on e5 in between.
5.♘c6+! The knight moves away and the queen on e2 gives check, while the knight attacks the queen on d8. Black must deal with the check, and White takes the queen next move. This trap catches players at every level.
Diagram 6.2White to move
Example 6.2 · Double check
White's rook on e1 aims at the black king, and only the knight on e4 stands in between.
1.♘d6# — the knight checks the king and uncovers a check by the rook at the same time. Black cannot capture both checking pieces or block both lines, and the king has no square: e7 is covered by the rook, and Black's own pieces fill the rest. Double check is the strongest kind of discovered attack.
RuleA double check can only be answered by a king move. Even a queen and two rooks cannot block or capture two checking pieces at once.
Remember
- A discovered attack unmasks a piece behind the one that moves.
- The moving piece can make a second threat.
- Discovered check wins material almost always.
- Double check: only the king can move.
Exercises · Lesson 6
Every exercise comes from real opening play and has been checked with a chess engine. Find the strongest move and play it on the board.
Exercise 6.2Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 11...♕d6?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.3Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 15.♗d4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.4Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 9...♕b6?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.5Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 10...♘e4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.6Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 6.♕d3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.7Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♗f8?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.8Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 8...♘xc4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.9Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 8.♕d3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.10Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 6...♘e4?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.11Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 12...♕xf5?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.12Find the move
White to move
Black has just played 8...dxe3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.13Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 8.♕c2?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.14Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 9.♕a3?. Find the move that punishes it.
Exercise 6.15Find the move
Black to move
White has just played 9.♕f3?. Find the move that punishes it.