Count the defenders
A piece that is attacked twice and protected twice is usually safe. But don't just count the pieces. Look at which ones they are. If one of the defenders can be captured, perhaps even at a profit, the whole defense collapses. First you capture the guard, then what it was guarding.
The knight that protects the bishop
Black's bishop on d5 is attacked by White's queen, with the rook behind her, and protected by the knight on f6. Taking on d5 right away costs the queen. There is a better move.
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The defender of the back rank
The trick works just as well against a piece that guards a square. Black's king has no air, and White's rook on e1 would give mate on e8, if the knight on d6 weren't guarding that square.
Show what happens if the queen takes back
How to find the trick
- Ask who is protecting. When you see a piece or a square you want, find its defender.
- Can the defender be captured? Sometimes it is worth giving a more valuable piece, if you win back more.
- If it can't be captured, perhaps it can be forced away. That is called deflection.
The trick is related to overloading, where a piece has too many jobs to manage them all.
Frequently asked questions
What does removing the defender mean?
Capturing the piece that protects something else, for example a piece or a square where you want to give checkmate. After the capture, what was protected is left open.
How is it different from deflection?
In a deflection you force the defender to move. Here you capture it outright. It often pays even if you give up a more valuable piece, because you win back more.
Updated October 31, 2026
The starting position. Press ▶ or use the arrow keys.