In the previous lessons we have learned how to attack and defend pieces. But the other player will also defend the pieces you are attacking. If an exchange doesn’t give you any advantage you may be able to attack the piece once more.

As an example in the diagram on the left white is able to capture the Knight, but then in turn black will capture the Bishop. Therefore it may be better for white to move the Rook to a5, attacking the Knight by two pieces at the same time. In the diagram at the right white can capture the Knight with the Bishop and black will not capture the Bishop.
Why shouldn’t white capture the Knight with the Rook?



Let’s have a look what happens (in the second diagram) if black captures the Bishop that has captured the Knight. These moves result in the following diagram.



White will capture the undefended Rook, as you have learned in the take free pieces lesson.
You can see that white has won a Rook and a Knight and black only a Bishop. If black hadn’t recaptured the Bishop the loss would be limited to the Knight.
It is very important to consider the value of the pieces before you start an exchange. And remember that your opponent isn’t obliged to capture, which makes it very important to capture with the attacking (and defending) pieces in the right order.



The final diagram is an endgame of a King with a single Rook against a bare King. This is rather easy to win as we will see in the lesson dedicated to this endgame.