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Practice Deflection Puzzles

Test your tactical precision with rated deflection puzzles. Find the winning combination!

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Difficulty:
Deflection TrainingWhite to Move

Deflection Drill
Move sequences and interactive tour paths for Deflection

Starting Position (FEN): 3r2k1/3n1ppp/8/8/3Q4/8/8/4R1K1 w - - 0 1

The Deflection

  • The Setup - The white queen is eyeing Black's knight on d7, but it is currently safely defended by the black rook on d8.
  • Re8+: Deflecting the Defender - White's rook delivers a back-rank check. This immediately attacks the king and forces a response, completely ignoring the knight.
  • Rxe8: The Defender is Lured Away - Black's rook is absolutely forced to capture the checking piece, permanently abandoning its defense of the knight.
  • Qxd7: The Unprotected Target - With the defender deflected away, White simply captures the newly-undefended knight. Deflection is all about forcing an overworked piece to look the other way.
For experienced players

Deflection is the tactical sibling of the “Decoy.” While a decoy forces an enemy piece ONTO a bad square (often into a fork or pin), deflection forces an enemy piece AWAY from a critical defensive post.

See also:Overloading·Sacrifice·Check

Back to Tactics Hub Targeted Deflection Drills →