A discovered attack is a chess tactic in which a player moves a piece and uncovers a threat or check from another piece behind it.
Let’s walk through what a discovered attack looks like and see how it can be used to deliver a particularly tough blow to an opponent: double check.
Discovered Attacks
In the position below, White is able to take advantage of Black’s decision to bring their queen out too early by using the discovery tactic:
When White moves their d-pawn to attack Black’s bishop, it unblocks the c1 bishop and gives it a direct line of sight to the queen. No matter what Black does next, they’re going to lose a piece.
If a discovered attack results in a check, it’s called a discovered check. In the next example, White’s e5 knight is blocking the queen from placing the black king in check. Once the knight moves to c6, attacking the black queen, the white queen checks the king:
Black’s only options are to block the check with their queen or bishop. No matter which piece they go with, the white knight will take the queen on the next turn.
Double Check
A double check occurs when two pieces check a king at the same time. This is only possible when one of the checks is a discovery. In this position, Black checks the white king by moving their rook to e2. When the rook moves, it also exposes the king to a second, discovered check from the black bishop on g5:
After the king moves to d1 to escape, Black is able to deliver another double check by moving their rook to d2, this time exposing the king to a discovered check from the queen on g4. Despite the white king’s attempts to flee, Black delivers checkmate – and another double check – on the next move.
Conclusion
Discovered attacks are a useful tactic for winning material and placing an opponent under pressure. Developing chess players should keep a close eye on the positioning and coordination of their pieces so they can easily spot opportunities to launch discovered attacks, discovered checks, and double checks in their games.
