Zwischenzug: Threaten & resolve
In this lesson, you always threatening something. That's great, of course, but in every puzzle there is also problem. You have to come up with a smart move to solve the problem, so that you can take a piece in the next move. The clever moves that appear in these puzzles are in between moves, also called 'zwischzenzugs'. A Zwischenzug is when you interpose a move to solve a problem, before playing the expected move (such as a capture).
Follow these steps:
- Find the piece you can capture;
- Find the threat of the opponent (capturing);
- Come up with a clever solution that saves your piece, but does not break up your own threat. How? Use an in-between move;
- Capture the opponent's piece.
But pay attention! There are always two ways in which you can continue threatening and at the same time solve the problem. Only one way wins material. The other is a pitfall: don't be tricked into it!
What do you have to do?
Win material by first playing an in-between move and then capturing an unprotected or higher-valued piece. Take your time to consider how your opponent may respond to your move.
White can take the rook on d6.
But after that, Black captures the rook on c2.
This is an equal exchange that is of no use to White.
With an in-between move, White ensures that Black has no time to take the rook.
The most powerful in-between move is to give check: the other player must to do something about it.
In this position, White has two options for an 'in-between check'.
The white rook can go to g2 or to c8 to give check.
If Black moves the king away, White will take the rook on d6 in his next move.
Does it matter which square White chooses to check the king?
Yes, it does.
After White's Rc2-g2+ (red arrow), Black can respond with a smart move.
Instead of fleeing with the king, Black lets his rook follow the green arrow.
The rook is blocking the check AND it is on a safe square, protected by the pawn.
White has to check the king on the back row (Rc2-c8+).
Now, Black can do nothing to save his rook.
