Discovered check exercises

A piece steps aside and the piece behind it gives check, freeing the mover to grab material. Play the winning move on the board below. Each position is verified: the solution is the strongest move, and the write-up tells you exactly what it wins. Read the full discovered check guide first if the pattern is new to you.

Solved 0 of 3 · first-try accuracy 0%

1. Exercise 1: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/8/1Q6/3B4/8/3k2K1/4q1NR/8 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

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   1a

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   h

   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~9 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Nf4+ — Nf4+ wins about 9 pawns of material by force: the knight hits e2, d3 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Qb5+, leaves the position roughly level.

2. Exercise 2: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 8/1k1B1R2/8/8/8/8/6n1/2K5 w - - 0 1

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   1a

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   White to play: win material.

   easy · wins ~3 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Bh3+ — Bh3+ wins about 3 pawns of material by force: the bishop hits g2 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Rf1, leaves the position roughly level.

3. Exercise 3: White to play: win material.

   Position (FEN): 6k1/6N1/8/6R1/7n/8/8/6K1 w - - 0 1

   8

   7

   6

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   3

   2

   1a

   b

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   f

   g

   h

   White to play: win material.

   medium · wins ~3 pawns

   Hint 1Show solution
   Written solution

   Nf5+ — Nf5+ wins about 3 pawns of material by force: the knight hits h4 and Black cannot cover everything. The next best try, Ne8+, leaves the position roughly level.