Tactical Targets: Important Defenders

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When a piece performs an important defensive task, we call it a defender. Because it is protecting something important, the piece itself becomes a target.

Example of an Important Defender

Here, the black queen is an important defender of the rook on b7. This means the queen itself becomes a tactical target.

White to move:

1. Rd8! (attacking the important defender) Qxd8 2. Qxb7#

You can exploit a defender by attacking it directly, capturing it, or overloading it by taking another piece it was meant to protect.

Next: Overloaded Defenders

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