X-ray attack

The X-ray attack is a chess motif in which two pieces of one party who have a common line of action work through a piece of the other party. King, knight and pawn are not able to actively participate in an X-ray attack. Since each player only has two bishops of different colors without converting a pawn, the X-ray attack in diagonal form is only possible with a queen and a bishop. The similarity of the effect of the motif with the X-rays suggests the origin of the name.

X-ray attack N ° 1
diagonally

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

The black bishop on e5 protects his king on the diagonal a1 – h8 from the attack of the white bishop. With

1. Qh4 – f6 + White reactivates the power of his bishop 1.… Be5xf6 2. Bc3xf6 # White to move wins

X-ray attack N ° 2
horizontal

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

With 1.… Qa8 – a1 + Black begins the X-ray attack. 2. Qb3 – b1 The white queen stands between the black queen and king. 2.… Rd8 – d1 + The X-ray attack stands. 3. Qb1xd1 Da1xd1 # Black to move wins

X-ray attack N ° 3
vertical

	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H
8th									8th
7th									7th
6th									6th
5									5
4th									4th
3									3
2									2
1									1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	G	H

This time the X-ray attack is used vertically. 1. Qh4xd8 + Rd5xd8 2. Rd1xd8 # White to move wins

Another x-ray attack can be found in the study by Seleznyov .

literature

• Yasser Seirawan, Jeremy Silman : Winning chess tactics . Everyman Publishers, 2003, ISBN 1-85744-333-0 , pp. 111-114.
• Jonathan Berry: The Pocket Guide To Chess . Master Point Press, 2005, ISBN 978-1-894154-95-6 , p. 36.