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Decoy and Attraction

A decoy, also called attraction, is a piece offered to lure an enemy piece to a bad square. The lured piece is then attacked, forked, or captured.

Decoying a queen to a capture square

The rook moves to a8. The queen on d8 captures the rook. The white queen then captures the queen on a8. The rook was bait, and the queen was the prize.

FEN: 3qk3/8/8/3Q4/8/8/8/R5K1 w - - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 . . . q k . . . 8
7 . . . . . . . . 7
6 . . . . . . . . 6
5 . . . Q . . . . 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . . . . 3
2 . . . . . . . . 2
1 R . . . . . K . 1
  a b c d e f g h

Decoying a king into a fork

The queen captures the pawn on f7 and gives check. The king must capture the queen. The knight then jumps to g5 and gives check, attacking the pawn on e6.

FEN: 4k3/5p2/4p3/7Q/8/5N2/8/6K1 w - - 0 1

a b c d e f g h
8 . . . . k . . . 8
7 . . . . . p . . 7
6 . . . . p . . . 6
5 . . . . . . . Q 5
4 . . . . . . . . 4
3 . . . . . N . . 3
2 . . . . . . . . 2
1 . . . . . . K . 1
  a b c d e f g h

Key points

  • A decoy offers a piece as bait.
  • The enemy piece captures the bait and moves.
  • The new square is worse than the old square.
  • The lured piece may be forked or trapped.
  • The lured piece may block its own king.
  • A decoy often offers a queen or rook as bait.
  • The bait must be tempting enough to capture.

Try it Yourself

Edit the code, then press Run.

Running is simulated · Rust Playground

Exercise

White to move. Which rook move decoys the queen on d8 to a8?