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Defense: protecting

Sometimes you cannot move a piece that is under attack.
If that’s the case, you have to do something else to defend it.
As you know, protecting can also be an option.

Look at the example to see how this works.

What do you have to do?
Defend a piece that is under attack.
First, look for the piece that is threatened. Which of your pieces is in danger of being captured?
Then, think of a way to protect this piece with one of your other pieces.
If you do this correctly, your piece will not be taken.
Black’s rook attacks the white knight.
The knight can’t move to a safe square.
If it moves to one of the red squares, it will be taken.

But White is lucky: one of his other pieces can help. He pushes his king to protect the knight. (Click on the play button below to watch the moves.)
Black can still take the knight, but that would be foolish.
White’s king would take back, winning a rook for a knight.
A rook is worth more than a knight; White wins two points!
So, by protecting the knight it is quite safe.

Remember: in chess you do not have to capture. You and your opponent are free to take or not.