Chess tactics
Deflection
A deflection forces a defending piece away from the square or piece it was guarding.
What it is
A piece is doing an important job — guarding a mating square, defending another piece, holding a promotion square. Deflection makes it an offer it cannot refuse, usually a capture or a check, so it has to leave. The defender goes, and the thing it was defending falls. It is the tactic that punishes overworked pieces: any piece with two jobs is a deflection waiting to happen.
How to spot one
- A single defender doing two jobs at once. Count what each enemy piece is guarding.
- A defender that would have to capture if you offered something on the right square.
- A check that pulls a key defender off its diagonal or rank.
- A back rank guarded by exactly one piece — deflect it and the mate is on.
A worked example
When one rook is the only thing holding a rank or a mating square, look for a move that forces it to be somewhere else. Offering a trade it must accept is the usual mechanism.