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Tactic

Interference

Interposing a piece to block the defensive line of sight between two enemy units, leaving one undefended.

Starting position

The Setup

White's rook on a1 attacks Black's rook on a8. However, Black's rook is defended by the black queen on f8. White has a knight on d6.

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Move sequences and interactive tour paths for Interference

Starting Position (FEN): r4qk1/5ppp/3N4/8/8/8/5PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 1

Interfering on the Back Rank

  • The Setup - White's rook on a1 attacks Black's rook on a8. However, Black's rook is defended by the black queen on f8. White has a knight on d6.
  • Nc8: The Interference Move - White jumps the knight to c8. This placement blocks the connection along the 8th rank between the f8 queen and the a8 rook. Now, the rook is hanging.
  • Qxc8: Defending Queen Captures - Black is forced to address the knight. If Black captures the knight with the queen, the queen is drawn off the f-file and the 8th rank.
  • Rxa8: Winning the Rook - White captures the undefended rook on a8, winning major material thanks to the interference move.
For experienced players

Interference is a rare but beautiful tactic. Look for linear connections (ranks, files, diagonals) where one enemy piece protects another, and check if you can place a pawn or piece in the middle to block that protection.

See also:Deflection·Skewer

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