---
title: "Removing the defender: chess lesson · Chess Goat"
description: "If one piece holds everything together, take it or chase it away. 10-minute lesson with puzzles at your level."
canonical: "https://trychessgoat.com/learn/lesson/remove-the-defender/"
last_updated: 2026-10-09
---

Level 2 · Win material on purpose · 800–1100 · 10 min

# Removing the defender

If one piece holds everything together, take it or chase it away.

## The rule to take into your games

**When a target has one guard, remove the guard first.**

Part of Goat Pass: 4 steps on the board, 3 guided examples, then puzzles at your level, and the ones you miss come back until they stick. The first 3 lessons are free.

[Open this lesson →](https://trychessgoat.com/learn/#/lesson/remove-the-defender)

Not sure this is your leak? Your free [Goat Card](https://trychessgoat.com/u/) reads your chess.com games and puts the lessons that fix your biggest mistakes first. Next lesson: [Deflection and decoy](https://trychessgoat.com/learn/lesson/deflection-decoy/).