Clearance to guard escape square (1 move)

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Move one piece out of the way for another piece to guard an escape square of the king.

Explanation

In discovered checkmate, and in discovered check into checkmate, you have seen how to move one piece and give a check with another piece to force a checkmate. Often the moving piece is used to guard an escape square.

In clearance to guard an escape square the roles are reversed: You move one piece, and that move clears the way for another piece to guard an escape square. This is especially strong if the move is a forcing move, such as a check.

In this first level the puzzles are checkmate in one move. Let's look at some examples.

Examples

White can checkmate with 1.Be5#. The bishop gives check and clears the way for the rook to guard the escape squares on the b-file.

White can checkmate with 1.Nxf6#. The bishop gives check and clears the way for the bishop to guard the escape square f7. The e-pawn cannot capture the knight because it is pinned by the rook on e1.

Black can checkmate with 1...c1=N#. The pawn promotes to a knight which gives check, and clears the way for the black rook to guard the escape square d2.

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