A desperado is a piece that will be lost whatever happens, so it captures something first and makes the opponent pay for it.
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Start0/2
A piece that is lost anyway has nothing to lose. Before letting it go, look at what it can capture or check.
How to do it
- 1Make sure the piece really is lost.
- 2List what it can capture and which checks it can give.
- 3Take the most valuable thing it can reach.
For your level
Desperado positions often come in pairs: both sides have a piece under attack, and whoever captures first comes out ahead. Calculate the whole sequence.
Check you have it
Pitch it for:
Question 1 of 2
Play the moves through and count. How much material has the attacker won?
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Question 2 of 2
Which black pawn has no friendly pawn on either neighbouring file?
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Common mistakes
- Giving up on a piece that could have been saved.
- Taking a pawn when the same piece could take something bigger, or give check.
Questions
- Is a desperado a sacrifice?
- Not quite. A sacrifice gives up material you could have kept. A desperado was already lost, and only chooses what to take with it.