Decoy (chess)

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This article uses algebraic notation to describe chess moves.
Image:chess_zhor_26.png
Image:chess_zver_26.png
a8 b8 c8 d8 e8 f8 g8 h8
a7 b7 c7 d7 e7 f7 g7 h7
a6 b6 c6 d6 e6 f6 g6 h6
a5 b5 c5 d5 e5 f5 g5 h5
a4 b4 c4 d4 e4 f4 g4 h4
a3 b3 c3 d3 e3 f3 g3 h3
a2 b2 c2 d2 e2 f2 g2 h2
a1 b1 c1 d1 e1 f1 g1 h1
Image:chess_zver_26.png
Image:chess_zhor_26.png
Honfi - Barczay, Kecskemet 1977.

In chess, decoying is the tactic of ensnaring a piece, usually the king or queen, by forcing it to move to a poisoned square with a sacrifice on that square.

The diagram on the right, with Black to play, illustrates two separate decoys. First, the White queen is set up on c4 for a knight fork: 1... Rxc4! 2. Qxc4. Next, the fork is executed by destroying the sole defender of the a3 square: 2... Qxb2! 3. Rxb2 Na3+ 4. Kc1. Finally, a zwischenzug decoys the king to b2: 4... Bxb2+. After either 5. Kxb2 Nxc4+ 6. Kc3 Rxe4, or 5. Kd1 Nxc4, Black is two pawns ahead and should win comfortably.

Perhaps the most celebrated game featuring a decoy theme is Petrosian - Pachman, Bled 1961 (java interface), which also involved a queen sacrifice.

[edit] See also

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