Learn › Lessons › Middlegame and tactics › Basics

Counting attackers and defenders

Two attackers beat one defender: count before you capture.

Beginner · Basics · 3 steps. On Chess Castles, Chess Guru reads each step aloud in English, Hindi or Marathi while the moves play on the board, and you can practise any position against the engine.

Step 1

♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position

The black pawn on d5 is attacked twice, by both white rooks, and defended once, by the black rook. Two attackers against one defender: White can win it.

Step 2

♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.Rxd5 Rxd5 2.Rxd5

Rook takes, rook takes back, rook takes again: White makes the last capture and is a pawn up. Two attackers beat one defender.

Step 3

♜︎♚︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♚︎
The position before the moves

Moves: 1.Rxd5 Rxd5

But with only one attacker against one defender, taking is a mistake: White loses a rook (5) for a pawn (1). Always count first!

Open the lesson on the board · free, no account needed to read it.

More lessons in Basics

Next lesson: Checks, captures, threats