Double check — Chess Puzzles

Solve free «Double check» chess puzzles from the lichess database, from beginner to master. No account needed.

A double check is a discovered check where the piece that moves also gives check. Two pieces attack the king at once, which means the defender cannot block and cannot capture — no single move stops two attackers. The king has to move, whatever else is hanging on the board, and that is why a double check can be played even when it leaves a queen to be taken.

How to spot it

• Moving a piece off a line opens a check, and the piece lands somewhere that also checks the king.
• The king has few squares, or its escape squares are covered by your other pieces.
• Material stops mattering for one move: the reply is forced, so what is hanging cannot be taken yet.
• Look for it whenever a discovered check is available — landing with check as well often turns a good move into a winning one.

A worked example

White: king e2, rook f8, bishop e7, pawns a4, e3, g3 and h4. Black: king b6, rook h2, bishop h3, pawns f2 and h5. Black to move.

1. The pawn on f2 promotes to a queen and checks the white king from f1.
2. It also steps off the second rank, so the rook on h2 checks along it. Two pieces attack the king at once.
3. There is no answer to that: you cannot block two lines, and taking one attacker leaves the other. Only a king move is legal, and every square is covered — mate.

The idea Against a double check nothing but a king move is even legal, which is why it works where a single check would simply be captured: here the bishop on h3 guards f1, so the new queen cannot be taken.