Best Defensive Resources
This guide catalogues the specific defensive resources available in chess, the techniques that transform "lost" positions into draws or even wins. Complements our Defensive Strategy guide with a tactical/technical focus.
Tactical defensive resources
- Perpetual check: An endless series of checks forcing a draw.
- Stalemate: Sacrificing all pieces to reach a position with no legal moves.
- Counter-sacrifice: Giving back material to defuse the attack.
- Interposition: Blocking an attack with a piece that creates its own threat.
- Pin defence: Pinning the attacking piece to neutralise the threat.
Strategic defensive resources
Fortress: Creating an impenetrable defensive position.
- Simplification: Trading pieces to reach a drawable endgame. Counterplay: Creating threats that force the attacker to divert resources.
- Blockade: Stopping the opponent's passed pawns.
- Active king: Using the king as a defensive piece in the endgame.
Endgame defensive resources
- Opposite-coloured bishops: The inherent drawing tendency.
- Wrong bishop + rook pawn: The classic fortress draw.
- Philidor defence: The third-rank rook technique.
- Checking from behind: When the passed pawn reaches the seventh, check from behind endlessly.
Practical advice
- Never resign too early. If you can see a defensive resource, no matter how unlikely, try it.
- Make the opponent prove it. Even strong players make mistakes when converting winning positions.
- Create maximum difficulty. Even in lost positions, choose the most challenging defence for the opponent. See Mental Toughness.