Fake captures
Now let’s discuss an element of action chess tactics that you won’t find in regular chess.
Consider the following position:
The black bishop is the only figure defending the black queen. If White wants to play reliably, they will send their queen to eat a bishop (depriving the black queen of protection), and then they will take the queen, achieving a draw:
However, what makes Black's position difficult is the possibility of a fake capture. White moves the queen, as if about to eat a bishop, but stops him one square earlier. If Black believes that White intends to eat a bishop, then the bishop will evade. White will win the black queen if they take him immediately, as soon as the black bishop began to move.
Well, now you know the basics of what a fake take is. But there is something else you might need to find out.
When not to make a fake capture
There are only two situations in which fake capture is completely not recommended.
- The knight is under attack.
In this position, there is no point in taking a fake knight: he cannot retreat so that the queen remains under his protection (unlike the bishop from the previous example). Moreover: if the knight evades taking, he still will not have time to eat the figure attacking him after reloading (the knight’s move lasts twice as long as the retreat of any other figure to the side of the square).
Thus, we came to one more basic rule of action chess: always eat unprotected knights. This statement is true for almost any position. An attempt to capture an unprotected knight does not contain any risk unless the attacking piece moves from the opposite edge of the board.
- You mate.
Take a look at this position:
The black king is hit by a white rook, and the g7 and g8 fields where he can move are controlled by the bishop and white queen. Black also does not have time to cover his king with other pieces. Therefore, speaking in a chess language, black mat. However, according to the rules of action chess, a game ends only after the capture of the king, and White should not delay it. There will be no use here from the fake capture since the king has nowhere to run.
The king is the most valuable piece, although not the strongest. The remaining pieces can be lost, the king - no. Therefore, if the opponent’s king is trapped, use it immediately, do not give him a chance to slip away.
Strategy Examples in Click-Storm Action Chess. Part 8
Other Click-Storm Action Chess content is in the article below:
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