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Free pieces and safe pieces
Take pieces nobody defends, and never leave your own hanging.
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
A piece that is attacked and not defended is "hanging". The black knight on d5 is attacked by the white queen and nobody defends it.
Step 2
Moves: 1.Qxd5
So take it! The queen captures the knight for free: White wins 3 points.
Step 3
Moves: 1.Rxa8+
Here the black rook on a8 is hanging. White's rook takes it with check. Before every move, ask two questions: Can I take something for free? Is any of my pieces hanging?
Open the lesson on the board · free, no account needed to read it.
More lessons in Basics
- Piece values and good trades: Pawn 1, knight 3, bishop 3, rook 5, queen 9: learn to count before you capture.
- Counting attackers and defenders: Two attackers beat one defender: count before you capture.
- Checks, captures, threats: The three questions strong players ask before every move.
Next lesson: Counting attackers and defenders