Tactical Course Decoy

A decoy in chess is a tactical idea that draws or forces an opposing piece onto a particular square where it becomes vulnerable or can no longer perform an important defensive role. The decoy is often created by offering a piece or pawn that the opponent is strongly encouraged, or sometimes forced, to capture.

The king is a frequent target of a decoy. A sacrifice may lure the king onto an exposed or dangerous square where a check, mating attack or another tactical combination becomes possible. What initially appears to be material given away can therefore be the beginning of a decisive sequence.

Other pieces can also be decoyed. A queen, rook, bishop or knight may be drawn away from an important defensive position. Once the defender has been displaced, another piece may be captured, a mating attack may become possible or an important rank, file or diagonal may be opened.

Decoy tactics are particularly effective when an opposing piece is performing an essential defensive task. A useful way to recognise the possibility is to imagine that defender removed from its present square. If its absence would allow a winning move, the next question is whether a sacrifice or forcing move can lure it away.

Not every decoy leads directly to checkmate or a large material gain. A decoy can also improve the position of another piece, disrupt coordination or force the opponent into an unfavourable position that creates opportunities on subsequent moves.

The essential tactical idea is:

A decoy draws or forces an opposing piece away from where it is needed and onto a square that benefits the attacker.

When solving the positions below, look particularly for which opposing piece is performing an important defensive role, where you would like that piece to move and whether a sacrifice or forcing move can lure it there. ♟️🎯

Solutions in Chess Board