Chess Tactical Motifs - Removing the Guard Exercises
There is a removal of the guard move that wins material in each exercise. Try your best to solve the problems without looking at the answers!
This tactic can be a bit more challenging for beginners to find. We've added some extra text in the answers to help you when required.
Exercise 1
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Exercise 2
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Exercise 3
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Exercise 4
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Exercise 5
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Answers
Because the removal of the guard tactic is a bit more challenging, we've added some additional explanation to the answers.
Ex 1: The black Queen is protected, and so the straightforward exchange 1. Qxc3 Rxc3 is an even trade. Look a little closer. White can remove the guard with 1. Re8+ ! Black is forced to recapture, after which the Queen is lost: 1... Rxe8 2. Qxc3
Ex 2: Black defends the b2 Rook with a single Bishop. White can eliminate this defender with 1. Nxe5+. After black recaptures to escape check, 1... fxe5, the Rook is undefended. The white King lays down the final hammer: 2. Kxb2.
Ex 3: There are actually two removal of the guard possibilities here. Did you see them both? The first is: 1. Qxc7+ Kxc7 2. Rxa7+. White traded Queens, and in doing so removed the defender of the a7 pawn. The second option is much deadlier: 1. Rxa7+! Kxa7 2. Qxc7+. White wins a Queen for a Rook.
Ex 4: The idea of playing Nf7+ with mate looks promising. However, f7 is guarded by the black Knight. White removes the guard with 1. Rxd6+!. Now, if black recaptures, mate follows: 1... cxd6 2. Nf7#. To avoid mate, black must make a different move to open up space around his smothered King. In doing so, he forfeits the Knight.
Ex 5: The black Knight pair appear to defend each other. However, this is a notoriously weak defensive formation. White makes the Knights look foolish with 1.c3 ! The d4 Knight is attacked by the pawn, and the c6 Knight is attacked by the Bishop. Black can't extract the d4 Knight without hanging the c6 Knight. One of the steeds will be lost.