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Tactic

Decoy

Luring an enemy piece (often the king or queen) onto a vulnerable square via a sacrifice to set up a tactical strike.

Starting position

The Setup

White has a knight on e5 and a rook on d1. Black's queen is on c7 and their rook is on d8. The black king is tucked away on h8. White can use a rook sacrifice to decoy the black queen.

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Move sequences and interactive tour paths for Decoy

Starting Position (FEN): 3r3k/2q5/8/4N3/8/8/5PPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1

Luring the Queen

  • The Setup - White has a knight on e5 and a rook on d1. Black's queen is on c7 and their rook is on d8. The black king is tucked away on h8. White can use a rook sacrifice to decoy the black queen.
  • Rxd8+: Rook Sacrifice - White sacrifices the rook by capturing the black rook on d8 with check. The black king cannot escape, so Black is forced to capture the rook with the queen, decoying it to the d8 square.
  • Qxd8: The Decoy Succeeds - Black's queen captures the rook and is now standing on d8. This alignment is perfect for a knight fork from the e5 knight.
  • Nf7+: The Royal Knight Fork - White's knight leaps to f7, checking the king on h8 and attacking the queen on d8. Black is forced to move the king.
  • Kg8: King Moves - Black moves the king to safety, but the queen on d8 is lost.
  • Nxd8: Winning the Queen - White captures the decoyed queen, winning a massive amount of material and securing a winning endgame.
For experienced players

Decoy sacrifices are highly effective because they force the opponent to react immediately. Look for squares where a knight fork, bishop pin, or rook checkmate would be possible if only the enemy king or queen were positioned there.

See also:Fork·Deflection·Sacrifice

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