Discovered attack

A discovered attack is a rook, bishop, or queen aimed at a piece through exactly one piece of the attacker's color. That piece in the middle must have a legal move that leaves the line. The piece under the line is undefended, or worth more than the attacker.

Why you should notice it

The battery is already on the board. One quiet move of the piece in the middle uncovers the line. If you only look at pieces that attack right now, you miss the shot that appears after that piece steps aside.

When to check it

During threat assessment, ask which of their batteries can open onto your pieces. While finding a move, ask which of yours can open onto theirs. A push that stays between the attacker and the target does not count. A pawn on a7 that can only play a6 or a5, both still between a rook on a8 and a pawn on a4, is not a discovered attack.

Why players miss it during games

The line is blocked, so it does not look like an attack. Players also mix it up with a pin, where the piece in the middle is the same color as the target. A pin does not uncover an attack when the middle piece moves.

How WayChess trains it

You draw an arrow from the attacker to each piece under a discovered attack, first on your pieces, then on the opponent's. Feedback shows missed lines in amber and extra arrows in red. If none qualify, you submit with no arrows. Walking into a discovered attack is the same line after a candidate move lands on it.

Related checks

Useful x-ray is the wider filter: the line matters, whether it is a pin or a discovery. Pin asks you to find every line whose piece in the middle matches the target. Pin or discovered attack names one useful x-ray that is already drawn. Walking into a discovered attack checks a candidate that steps onto the line.

See all habits.