This page is an extension of 56 Tactical Patterns That All Chess Players Should Know.
An X-Ray is a tactic where two friendly pieces support each other through an enemy piece. This hidden connection can create tactical opportunities that are easy to miss.
Here are three examples of X-Ray.
Example #1
1. Bxd7. The White queen and bishop defend one another through X-Ray.
Example #2
1. Qxe4 Qd1+ 2. Qe1. X-Ray can also be used as a defensive resource.
Example #3
1… Qd1+ 2. Re1 Qxe1+