Attraction (decoy) sacrifices
In short
An attraction sacrifice offers material to drag an enemy piece — often the king — onto a particular square where it can be forked, mated or skewered. The sacrifice works only if the follow-up wins more than was given.
By the end you can
- Lure the king or a piece onto a bad square
- Combine decoy with forks and mates
The lesson
An attraction sacrifice offers material to drag an enemy piece — often the king — onto a particular square where it can be forked, mated or skewered. The sacrifice works only if the follow-up wins more than was given.
Look for squares where you would love the enemy king or queen to stand. If a sacrifice forces it there, calculate the next move: is there a fork, a mate, or a discovered check?
Key points to remember
- Picture the square you want the target on
- Sacrifice to force it there
- Follow-up must win more than the sacrifice
Examples
Show the solution
12. Bxf7+ Kxf7 13. Rxd7+
Show the solution
49... Rxc3+ 50. Kxc3 Nb5+ 51. Kb2 Nxa7
Practise it
Solve puzzles on this idea: attraction (decoy) puzzles.
Homework
15 attraction puzzles.
More tactics lessons
- Hanging pieces: take them and don’t leave them (Novice)
- Double attacks and forks (Novice)
- Pins: pieces that cannot move (Novice)
- Forks with every piece (Class F)
- Using and breaking pins (Class F)
- Skewers and x-rays (Class F)