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The Decoy Tactic

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A Decoy is the Tactic to use when you want to get a piece onto a specific square, only it happens to be currently guarded by an enemy piece.

What you do is launch your assault in TWO stages:

Send either your main piece, or another piece to a square, in the hope of coaxing to it, that enemy guard.

IF the enemy takes the bait and leaves its guard-spot, then you can implement Stage 2, by sending your waiting piece to its target, whether it be a positional move only; or a specific move that captures material.

Often, to realize your objectives, you may be required to sacrifice a piece, in the build-up to getting to your target ... But, if it gives YOU advantage on the Board, it'll be well worth it!

Oh, one caveat to all of this ... Getting it all to work, to plan, will sometimes happen due to the skill of your moves ... However, more often than not, "lady luck" will play her part in getting your opponent to overlook your real agenda ...

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Example 1

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[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r4rk1/ppq2ppp/2p2b2/3p4/3P4/2PB3P/PP2QPP1/3R1RK1 w - - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "5"]

1. Qf3 Rae8 2. Qf5 g6 3. Qxf6 *

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Qf3 ... Rae8
Qf5 ... g6
Qxf6

In this example, Black's f6 Bishop is the target.

But, in order for White's attack to succeed, Black's g7 Pawn must be forced to leave its current square, where it protects its Bishop.

Move 1, White's Queen steps diagonally-forward, onto f3, in preparation for her assault; Black's Rook, on the a-file, slides right, across to e8.

Move 2, White's Queen goes up to f5 - the Decoy move; Black's g-file Pawn advances to g6.

Move 3, White's Queen is free to safely capture (x) Black's Bishop, on f6.

Why did Black's Pawn leave the protection of its Bishop? ...

The answer lies with the formation of White's d3 Bishop and f5 Queen, on Move 2, of the sequence ...

Together, they're forming a Battery Attack, on the Diagonal path, towards Black's h7 Pawn.

If White's Queen were to capture that Pawn, with her Bishop for back-up, she'd "Checkmate" Black's King.

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Example 2

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[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r6k/p3q1p1/2pb1p1p/3p4/3P1NQP/1P4P1/P4PK1/R7 w - - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "7"]

1. Rc1 Rc8 2. Nh5 Qc7 3. Rxc6 Qxc6 4. Qxg7# 1-0

Fritz 12 (by ChessBase):

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Rc1 ... Rc8
Nh5 ... Qc7
Rxc6 ... Qxc6
Qxg7#
1-0

In this example, the target for White is to plant the Queen on g7 and, with backup from her Knight, at h5, they'd seal victory by "Checkmate".

The proverbial spanner-in-the-works is Black's Queen, on the 7th Rank.

White's aim would be to, somehow, force Black's Queen off her post and, as you'll see, it's White's Rook that carries out this task, with its own sacrifice ...

Move 1, White's Rook starts by sliding right, onto c1, to threaten Black's Pawn; Black's own Rook offers protection, going onto c8, where it performs a Defensive X-Ray Attack.

Move 2, White's kNight makes it over to h5; Black's Queen - for the sake of this example - kindly trots over to c7.

Like her c8 Rook, Black's Queen also gets into a Defensive X-Ray Attack, protecting the Pawn in front.

Although the formation is there, it's NOT a Battery Attack, as that c6 Pawn is blocking direct line of sight of White's Rook ... You just can't Attack your own side.

Move 3, White's Rook makes the self-sacrificial gesture, by capturing (x) Black's Pawn, on c6 - this is the Decoy move ...

Black, not wanting to lose the Rook, Queen, or Bishop, uses the Queen to capture (x) White's Rook, on c6.

But, in doing so, Black's Queen makes a fatal error, by leaving the 7th Rank and leaving her King to protect their g7 Pawn.

Move 4, White's Queen captures (x) Black's Pawn, on g7 and, protected by her Knight, from h5, "Checkmate's" Black's King.

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Example 3

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[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r4rk1/2q1bp1p/p1b3pQ/1p2p3/4PnP1/P1NBB3/1PP4P/3RR1K1 b - - 0 0"]
[PlyCount "5"]

1... Bg5 2. Qxg5 Nh3+ 3. Kh1 Nxg5 *

Fritz 12 (by ChessBase):

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and/or Play from any position against Fritz!

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... Bg5
Qxg5 ... Nh3+
Kh1 ... Nxg5

Historical Game:
Paoli-U.Andersson, Dortmund, 1973

In this example, Andersson (Black) knows that if he can get White's Queen onto g5, his Knight is in place to leap onto h3 ...

From there, he'd have White's King and Queen in a Royal Fork - White's King would have to be moved, which would allow Black's Knight to capture White's Queen, on its subsequent turn.

Here's how it happened ...

Move 1, Black's Bishop plays its self-sacrificial part, by sliding down to g5 - this is the Decoy move.

Move 2, as White's Queen is Trapped, she reluctantly captures (x) Black's Bishop, on g5; Black's kNight then does its jumping thing, over and down, onto h3, which places White's King in "Check" (+).

Move 3, White MUST move the King to safety, which he does, to h1; Black takes advantage of that Royal Fork Attack and collects its reward, by sending his kNight to capture (x) White's Queen, on g5.

Sure, Black's Knight is a candidate for being captured, by White's e3 Bishop; but, an exchange of a Bishop (3 points) & a Knight (3), for a Queen (9), is a GOOD trade ...

That outcome sees Black "Winning The Exchange"