Total Chess: Deflection Tactics
Deflection tactics occur when you try to get a piece off of a square.
Once the piece leaves, then you can use another tactic.
1) Clearance
A clearance tactic happens when you move a piece off a square so you can use the square for something else, like a tactic or an attack. It could be your own piece or the opponent’s piece. If the tactic is worth more than the piece, then you can sacrifice the piece to clear the square.
Clearance is also called evacuation. To find a clearance tactic, look for a piece that is in the way of a tactic or an attack. Then find a forcing move to clear the piece off the square so you can use the square for a tactic or an attack.
1.Bxf6+ gxf6 2. Ne7+ Kg7 3.Nxc8
2) Undermine
An undermine tactic happens when a piece that defends something is captured or forced to move away. This leaves whatever it was defending unprotected. It may have been protecting a piece, stopping a tactic, or preventing checkmate.
Once the guard is gone, the defense breaks down and the attack comes through. An undermine tactic is also called diversion, distraction or removing the guard. To find an undermine tactic, look for a piece that is defending something. Then find a way to capture the piece or force the piece to move away from what it is defending.
1.Bxe6 fxe6 2. Nxg5
3) Overload
An overload tactic happens when one piece defends two things at the same time. Usually, a piece cannot do two things at once. If you force the piece to do one defense, then it may not be able to do its other defense. It may be too busy to handle both. The defending piece may be protecting another piece, stopping a tactic, or preventing checkmate.
An overload tactic is also called an overworked piece. To find an overload tactic, look for one piece that defends two things at the same time. Then find a way to force the piece to do one defense, so that it cannot do its other defense. Usually, one piece cannot do two things at once.
1.Rxe8+ Nxe8 2.Nxd5
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From the book, “TOTAL CHESS: Learn, Teach and Play the Easy 1-2-3 Way,” by John Herron
TOTAL CHESS is your complete guide to chess. It covers everything: rules, strategies, tactics and checkmates.
Everything in chess comes in threes. Three simple strategies are presented for the opening, midgame, endgame, etc. Each lesson is brief and covers one concept in simple language that everyone can read and understand.
