Tactics Intermediate

Attraction Tactics in Chess

ChessBhumi Team 1 min read

Attraction is the mirror image of deflection: instead of forcing a piece away from a duty, attraction pulls a piece towards a dangerous square. The sacrifice draws the target piece into a fork, pin, skewer, or mating net.

Attraction vs deflection

Deflection: Force a defensive piece away from its duty. Attraction: Pull a piece towards a vulnerable square. Both use sacrifices, but the direction is different. Attraction typically targets the king, pulling it into an exposed position.

Classic patterns

King attraction: Sacrifice on h7 to pull the king out of its castled position, then attack with the remaining pieces. The Greek Gift sacrifice is the most famous example. Queen attraction: Sacrifice to lure the queen to a square where it can be forked.

Training

Study attraction combinations in the legends database. Solve related puzzles.

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