An x-ray attack is a bishop, rook or queen acting through another piece on its line, to attack a target behind it or to defend a square behind it.
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A long-range piece can work through a piece in its way once that piece moves or is taken. When that piece moves or is captured, the line opens, and a square that looked safe is not.
How to do it
- 1Look past the first piece on each line to see what stands behind it.
- 2Count your piece behind as an attacker or defender of that square.
- 3Capture or exchange on the square, knowing the piece behind will join in.
For your level
Before deciding a square is safe, look along the line past the first piece. Another attacker may be waiting behind it.
Check you have it
Pitch it for:
Question 1 of 3
Play the moves through. What has happened to the king?
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Question 2 of 3
After the last move, how many legal moves does the mated side have?
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Question 3 of 3
Which white pawn has no friendly pawn on either neighbouring file?
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Common mistakes
- Counting only the first piece on a line, and missing the one behind it.
- Confusing an x-ray with a pin. A pin freezes a piece; an x-ray works through it.
Questions
- What is the difference between an x-ray and a skewer?
- A skewer attacks a valuable piece so that it moves and exposes the piece behind it. An x-ray is any long-range piece acting through another piece, usually to attack or defend a square behind it.