The desperado
A piece that is lost whatever happens should grab something on its way out.
The idea
A piece that is lost anyway should grab something before it goes.
- The bishop on a7 is trapped, and the king attacks it.
- The king also covers b8 and guards the pawn on b6.
- So the bishop takes the pawn on b6 before it is lost.
In a game: Look for a piece that cannot be saved, and take the most you can with it first.
How the lesson begins
Sometimes a piece is lost whatever it does. Before it goes, it should take the most it still can. Such a piece is called a desperado.
Here White’s bishop took a pawn on a7 earlier, and now it is trapped. Black’s king attacks it. Its only squares are b8, next to the king, and b6, where the pawn is guarded by the king.
Find the move
The bishop cannot be saved. Find the move that gets something for it.
A hint
The bishop is lost anyway. Which pawn can it take first?
Show the answer
1. Bxb6
Bxb6 takes a pawn before the bishop is lost. After Kxb6 each side has a king and a pawn, and the tablebase says that is a draw. It is the only move that does not lose.