Overloading is lesson 7 of 9 in Deflection and decoy, a tactics course suited to players rated around 1400 (club players). An overloaded piece has two jobs at once. Make it do one of them, and the other is left undone. It has 5 interactive exercises: 5 calculated lines from real positions. You play every move on a board and get feedback straight away. The lesson is free.
What you practise
Black to move: exploit an overloaded defender. (2 positions)
White to move: exploit an overloaded defender. (3 positions)
Worked examples
Black to move: exploit an overloaded defender. 1...Qxg5 2.Nxg5 Nxd4 3.Re3 Nc2+ 4.Kd2 Nxe3. The knight on f3 had two jobs: once it recaptured, d4 was left unguarded. You come out 3 points ahead in material.
White to move: exploit an overloaded defender. 1.Nh7 Rf7 2.Nxf8 Rxf8 3.Qxg7. The rook on f7 had two jobs: once it recaptured, g7 was left unguarded. You win the knight on f8 and come out 3 points ahead.
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