Eliminate a defender: capturing
By now, you have become an expert defender! But what can you do to crack the enemy defense? That is what we are going to focus on now.
A good way of breaking a defense is by taking the defender. Often, a defender is piece that protects another piece. Take the defender and that other piece is loose. A free capture!
Look at example 1. White takes a defender and captures a piece.
Example 2 is similar. But there is a difference. White takes a guarded piece that is worth less than his own piece.
What a fool, you might think. He is giving away points!
But you’re wrong there. White is being very clever! In the next move, he can capture again. This wins him points.
So, he gives away points in order to get something in return (here: points). This is called a sacrifice.
Take your time to study the example. It is important that you understand how this works.
What do you have to do?
Beat the defender by taking it.
So, taking the knight with the bishop does not win White any points. The rook wil recapture.
But what if the rook would not be there?
Then White can take the knight. No problem.
That’s why White first takes this rook.
The best reaction for Black is to recapture.
White can now take the knight.
He wins 3 points by taking the defender.
