Level 1 · Stop giving things away · 400–800 · 10 min · free
Is it really safe? Counting attackers and defenders
Count who attacks and who defends a square before you take or leave a piece there.
The rule to take into your games
Before you take, count attackers and defenders. Cheapest piece goes first.
The lesson
- The e5 pawn has two attackers, the d4 pawn and the f3 knight, and one defender. Black adds a second, and e5 holds.
- Two attackers, one defender: the d4 bishop falls. Take with the cheapest piece first, because Qxd4 would lose the queen to Nxd4.
- Count exits too: after b3 the a2 bishop has no safe square, so it is trapped. Black can only give it up for a pawn.
Try it: 3 examples
In the lesson you play these on the board. Think first, then open the answer.
- Count on d4. Should you take?
Show the answer
Three attackers beat two defenders. Take with a knight, and if Black keeps trading on d4 you finish with the queen a piece up.
- Black's bishop just took on e4. Your move?
Show the answer
Knight first: if Black takes back with the f6 knight, your queen takes again. You come out a whole piece ahead.
- Queen attacked. Which knight do you take?
Show the answer
Qxe5 loses the queen to Bxe5, since the g7 bishop guards from far away. Nothing guards b4, so Qxb4 wins a knight.
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