This is the second part of the article about the typical scenarios of the tactical motif in chess, which is called Double attack. If you have missed the first part, you can find it here.
Practical example 2
Black to play
How do you evaluate this position? At the first glance, the position looks a little better for Black, because White has weaknesses in his pawn structure.
Have you spotted that the Rook on b1 is unprotected? It is difficult for someone to discern this immediately. In any case, the game continued in a forcing way: 41…Nh2 42.Rf2 Nxf3+ 43.Rxf3
Black to play
Perhaps you can spot a very obvious double attack now. The Bishop captures on e4 and both of White’s Rooks are hanging. Black makes this move in the game and White resigns instantly.
Conclusions
1. The double attack is the most common and one of the most powerful tactical weapons in chess.
2. We have three different scenarios:
- Scenario 1: One White’s piece attacks two Black pieces.
- Scenario 2: One White’s piece attacks the King and another White’s piece attacks the opponent’s unprotected piece.
- Scenario 3: Last, but not least, the White’s Queen is threatening checkmate and another unprotected piece.
First, we must understand deeply the three main scenarios and then try to apply them in practice. Usually the practical examples are little more complicated, but if you have understood them then everything will be clear to you and you will gain a lot of wins.
Practice – exercises
Exercise-1
White to play
White to play
Exercise-2
Black to play
Black to play
Exercise-3
White to play
White to play
Exercise-4
Black to play
Black to play
Exercise-5
White to play
White to play
After calculating all possible variations, you’re welcome to check the solution in the PGN files here.
P.S. Did you manage to find the right solution for all the exercises? Did you like this two-part article? Feel free to write your thoughts and comments below.
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How to Beat Titled Players
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An Endgame Expert
Self-taught Grandmaster
The Grandmaster's Positional Understanding
Calculate Till Mate
In the above diagram, we can see that White’s Queen is attacking both the Black’s Knights. Black can save only one of the Knights, but not both at the same time. The Black’s pieces are unprotected.
Suggestion:
In the above diagram, Black’s Queen from the b6-square is threatening the White’s King on g1 and the White’s Bishop on b2. Please note that this scenario is a little different from the previous one because we are threatening the King. The attack on the King is a very powerful and forcing method.
Scenario 3 is a combination of the first and second scenario. Here, we can see the idea. White’s Queen is threatening to checkmate on h7 and the unprotected Rook on a8. Black is forced to protect the h7 square, so he will lose the Rook on a8.
Of course not! Do you remember the anti-blunder technique? Before making a move, we should ask ourselves: “What is my opponent’s threat?” With his last move, Black is threatening checkmate on g2. This happens accidentally. Black hasn’t planned it ahead, as he was forced to cover his King.
Black has a perfect position here. We can say that Black has even taken the initiative. That’s why it is called Lasker’s Hunt because he is hunting for the advantage.
Fischer spends three tempi with his Bishop in order to get this structure, which he is also happy to play with a tempo down. Petrosian has equal chances in this position, but Fischer manages to beat him in the end.
GM Suat Atalik